Great turn-out for Westmeath Cross Country Championships

Numbers were well up on last year for the first round of the Westmeath Cross Country Championships held in Belvedere (4th Oct). Conditions were ideal for participants and spectators alike with firm dry underfoot conditions and a dry and bright morning.Round One was for boys and girls under 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years of age. Competitors came from the four corners of the County and included a number of newcomers that must have got a taste for cross country running in the recent Westmeath Schools Cross Country Championships held at the same Belvedere venue.As expected, there were some very good individual performances but Championship cross country running is also about team running, so everyone's performance was closely watched by Club officials, especially the newcomers. Based on the results of Round One and Round Two next week, teams to represent the Club and Westmeath in the upcoming Leinster Championships will be selected and it looks like we'll be fielding some very strong teams. It was particularly good to see so many senior and master athletes running with the under 18 boys and girls in a non-Championship race that acted as a warm-up race for Round 2 next week.Thanks to all who helped on the day recording the results and stewarding on the course and to the many parents who came and supported the competitors, among them Louis Kenny, a star in his day with a 2:12 marathon, home from the USA and taking time out to see the stars of the future in action. It was great to see Louis again and welcome him home.The results of Round 1 were:Under 10 girls 800m - 1. Maoliosa Ni Leannachain (Walshestown), 2. Aoife Darby (Killucan), 3. Daria Fidgeon (Loughegar), 4. Susan Glennon (Coralstown), 5. Sarah Glennon (Coralstown), 6. Elysia Greene (Monilea), 7. Andrea Brady (Monilea), 8. Adelisa Ojomoqmak (Mullingar), 9. Lucy Power (The Downs), 10. Laura Shaw (Cloghan).11. Caitriona Kennedy (Collinstown), 12. Caoimhe Gaffney (Delvin), 13. Jennifer Fidgeon (Loughegar), 14. Sarah Moloney (College Hill), 15. Rachel Darby (Killucan), 16. Elaine Gallagher (Milltownpass), 17. Leah Armitage (Dalystown), 18. Sarah Sheridan (Irishtown), 19. Eimear Tone (The Downs), 20. Chloe Molloy (Mullingar).Under 12 girls 1,000m - 1. Meabh McNulty (Killucan), 2. Claire Fagan (Lynn), 3. Laura Whitelaw (Mullingar), 4. Niamh Quinn (Bracklyn), 5. Rachel Glennon (Coralstown), 6. Ellen Cronin (Killucan), 7. Emma Glynn (Killucan), 8. Lucy McCartan (Monilea), 9. Hilary Harris (Rathowen), 10. Nicole Gorry (Kinnegad), 11. Dorothy Bane (Belvedere), 12. Rebecca Flynn (Mullingar), 13. Adesole Ojomoamaka (Mullingar), 14. Cameron Byrne (Mullingar), 15. Emma Derham (Beechdrive), 16. Niamh Nolan (Kilpatrick), 17. Katie Daly (Beechdrive), 18. Roisin Fagan (Crookedwood), 19. Holly Walsh (Mullingar), 20. Jean Armitage (Mullingar).Under 14 girls 1,200m - 1. Linda Conroy (Kilbeggan), 2. Caoimhe Shaw (Lynn), 3. Edel Glennon (Coralstown), 4. Lorna Moody (Gaybrook), 5. Lauren Casey (Mullingar), 6. Aisling Moody (Gaybrook), 7. Aisling Bracken (Kinnegad), 8. Victoria Harris (Rathowen), 9. Faye Walsh (Mullingar).Under 16 girls 2,000m - 1. Ciara Hewson (Maynooth), 2. Lorraine Daly (Tyrrellspass), 3. Elizabeth Carr (Kilpatrick), 4. Anna Ryan (Rathconrath), 5. Fiona Coyle (Rochfortbridge), 6. Aine O'Reilly (Longford). Under 18 girls 3,000m - 1. Rachel Yorke (Longford), 2. Amie Giles (Kinnegad).Under 10 boys 800m - 1. Jack Moran (Multyfarnham), 2. Conor McHugh (Mullingar), 3. Owen Coakley (Milltownpass), 4. Joseph Cronin (Killucan), 5. Andrew Daly (Beechdrive), 6. Jonathan Lynam (The Downs), 7. Eoghan Bracken (Kinnegad), 8. Sam McCartan (Monilea), 9. Eunan Lagan (The Downs), 10. Eoghan O'Murchu (Loughegar), 11. Eoghan Fagan (Crookedwood), 12. Niall Derham (Beechdrive), 13. Peter Bane (Tudenham), 14. Rory Fagan (Crookedwood), 15. Jason Molloy (Mullingar), 16. Paul McCool (Cloghan), 17. Emanuel Odomacha, 18. Matthew Glennon (Coralstown), 19. Niall Murray (Bunbrosna). Under 12 boys 1,000m - 1. Patrick Shaw (Lynn), 2. Cormac Dalton (Lynn), 3. Simon Carr (Kilpatrick), 4. Kevin Giles (Kinnegad), 5. David Mimnagh (Mullingar), 6. Tom Molloy (Rathcoleman), 7. Declan Brady (Delvin), 8. Joseph Moran (The Downs), 9. Jonah Kelly (Mullingar), 10. Eoghan Gallagher (Milltownpass), 11. Ciaran Nolan (Kilpatrick), 12. Craig Clinton (Mullingar), 13. Jonathan Raleigh (The Downs), 14. Darragh Tone (The Downs), 15. Sasha Kornytk (Mullingar). Under 14 boys 1,500m - 1. Padraig Moran (Multyfarnham), 2. Liam O'Reilly (Gaybrook), 3. Jack Reid (Rochfortbridge), 4. Oisín Quinn (Bracklyn), 5. Glen Gaffney (Delvin), 6. Mervyn Harris (Rathowen), 7. James O'Léannacháin (Walshestown), 8. Robert Kenny (Mullingar), 9. Ian Martin (The Downs), 10. Philip Doherty (The Downs), 11. Ben Hobby (Mullingar), 12. Jack Kennedy (The Downs), 13. Jack O'Leary (Killucan), 14. Eoghan Sheridan (Irishtown), 15. Ethan Currans (Mullingar). Under 16 boys 3,000m - 1. Shane Fitzsimons (Collinstown), 2. Stephen Nea (Mullingar), 3. Ryan Blundell (Gaybrook), 4. Jonathan Daly (Mullingar), 5. Aaron O'Brien (Kilbeggan), 6. Philip Giles (Kinnegad), 7. Leigh Walsh (Rochfortbridge), 8. Joe Walshe (Tyrellspass). Under 18 boys 5,000m - 1. Jake Byrne (Rochfortbridge), 2. Vinny Connolly (Kinnegad), 3. Thomas Fagan (Mount Temple), 4. Adam Daly (Mullingar), 5. Shane Kelleher (Knockdrin), 6. Warren Walsh (Rochfortbridge).The second round will be this Sunday (11th Oct) and will be for boys and girls under 9 years to 19 years, and for men and women junior, novice, senior and master.Juvenile Club and County teams for the Leinster Championships will be picked after next Sunday and will be based on the results from both rounds.The Leinster Championships take place over two Sundays, with two weeks between each, so juvenile athletes run in their own age-group and can move up an age-group to make up teams, so we expect all juveniles to compete in both rounds of the Westmeath Championships or they might not be selected on teams for the Leinster Championships.Apologies toSam McCartanInadvertently omitted from last week's notes was the contribution made by young newcomer Sam McCartan who finished 10th in the boys under 10 race, gaining valuable points that helped Mullingar win the Star of the Sea AC Shield.Our apologies to Sam.Limerick Women's Mini MarathonStarting from the University of Limerick, over 4,000 women ran, jogged and walked 7km in the Limerick Women's Mini Marathon last Sunday (4th Oct). Among them was Alwyn Kinane, who finished 7th in 26:48, which is an excellent performance and proves she is in the shape of her life at the moment and should feature strongly in the women's novice race in the upcoming Leinster Cross Country Championships and hopefully she'll be supported by a strong Club team.Club vestsRemember, you must wear a Club vest in Championships, so newcomers in particular are encouraged to buy their own vest any night at training.Sean McMullin "down under"Everyone at the Club wishes the very best of luck to Sean McMullin who heads to Sydney for the World Masters Games. It's a long way to go to compete but we can keep an eye on Sean's progress via the event website www.2009worldmasters.com.Fixtures10th Donadea 10km Forest Run, (near Clane), Co. Kildare.11th Westmeath Cross Country Championships Day 2, Belvedere 11am.18th Gerry Farnan Cross Country & Masters Trials, Phoenix Park.25th Leinster Cross Country Championships Day 1, Adamstown, Co. Wexford.26th National Marathon in conjunction with Dublin City MarathonTraining continues each Tuesday and Thursday from the Clubhouse in Grange at 7pm. Check the Club's website <>at www.mullingarharriers.com for results, news and details of all upcoming fixtures.