Cork County Senior Cross Country Championship 2015 - by Donal Coakley (Leevale AC)
Race Results, Photos & Videos
The senior men’s and women’s county cross country championships took
place in balmy Carrigadrohid on Sunday. Recent changes to the cross
country calendar resulted in the race moving, from its traditional wet
and windy November date, to a dry sunny October date. A knock on effect
of this change was that, in contrast to previous years, the races were
held on hard fast ground, with no need for long spikes.
The race was held on the scenic grounds of Gus Murphy, overlooking the
river Lee. An undulating 1500m lap formed the backbone of the course,
with a short flat 500m lap used to make up the distances. The 1500m lap
opened with a wide-open flat section, followed by two sharp undulations,
to test climbing and descending skills. The final 300m of the lap were
characterised by an off cambered climb, which will no doubt have led to
a few sore achilles and calves on Monday morning.
First off, at 12, was the women’s 6k race. Leevale A.C’s Michelle Finn,
fresh from participating in the 3000m Steeplechase at the World
Championships, led from start to finish. The podium was completed by
Martina Kiely of St Finbarr’s A.C. in second, and Sinéad O’Connor of
Leevale, in third place. Leevale A.C took home the team title, thanks the
to 5th and 6th place finishes of Carol Finn and Niamh Roe. Youghal A.C
finished in second place,with St Finbarr’s taking home the bronze
medals.
43 senior men started the men’s race, with 5 guest athletes in the
field. One of the guest runners, Brian McMahon took the pace out on the
first two 500m laps, closely followed by a swarm of Leevale, East Cork
and St Finbarr’s singlets.
Following two flat 500m laps, the athletes were diverted onto the
undulating 1500m loop, for 6 further laps, to make up a total distance of
10.5km, with 80m of elevation change.
A lead group of seven was gradually whittled down to two on the last
lap. Coming up the hill into the finishing straight, it was down to a
battle between the Canadian Ben Thistlewood, running for Leevale A.C, and
Cloyne’s Michael Harty, running for East Cork. In the sprint for
the line, Canada prevailed over East Cork, with Ben taking the title.
East Cork’s Tim O'Donoghue completed the podium.
Leevale A.C took home the men’s trophy, thanks to placing Eric Curran
4th, John Shine 5th, and Tim Twomey 7th, to give a points total of 17.
East Cork finished second, on 28 points, St Finbarr’s third, on 44, with
Togher A.C in fourth, on 109.
Next up for the senior athletes is the Munster Senior Cross County Championship, on
the 8th of November, in Beufort, just outside Killarney.