Grange International Cross-Country - January 1986

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Grange International Cross-Country 1986

Fermoy

January 26th 1986

Report - Marathon Magazine, February 1986 - Vol 24, No 1, P14-15 (PDF File)

Report by Peter Maher - Photos by Fr. Liam Kelleher

The Mayfield Fruit Fermoy International C.C.

26/1/1986
 

“Beautiful” was how I heard the condition of the going described at this year’s international event. The weather, although cold, was not as bad as in previous years. One thousand spectators were treated to some fine entertainment.

Early stages of women's race

Valerie O'Mahony & Ingrid Delagrange

Those who turned up will always remember the stirring finish to the ladies’ race where Valerie O’Mahony really became of age to come from a seemingly hopeless position inside the last 250 metres to capture her most prestigious title to date.
Valerie really has matured this Winter into a fine athlete. She has at last been able to undertake and complete a schedule which heretofore seemed impossible due to endless viral infections. She must be looking forward to an exciting track season. We wish her well.

 Valerie O'Mahony & Euy Palm head Ingrid Delagrange

Valerie O'Mahony and Ingrid Delagrange hurdling a ditch

 Euy Palm leads from Ingrid Delagrange and Valerie O'Mahony

Eileen Prunty's Grange International Plaque

Men's Race

The men’s race was listed as having 12 international teams competing - after the initial mad gallop the field settled down for approximately 1,000m. When Samson Obwocha surged and was covered by Robert Costello, Marco Milani (Italy), Adrian Callan (Scotland B), Peter Tootel (England), Tony O’Leary (Ireland), John Woods (Ireland) and Eamonn Martin (England) who both looked ominously relaxed and so it proved.

Early stages of the Men's International

John Woods leads Eamonn Martin

Woods and Martin followed for a while then surged clear. It soon developed into a real head-to-head between Woods and Martin. Woods has proved over the last four years to be one of Ireland’s unsung heroes and he gave it all trying to break the Englishman who was the 1984 English C.C. champion. Several times he tried to 14 shrug off the attentions of the Englishman who never budged an inch.

John Woods

Martin relied on his superior track speed (5,000m 13.20) and this certainly proved to be his royal flush. As he was going out into the country a small gap appeared which gradually he increased all the way to the line to make it stand at 10 seconds.

Eamonn Martin cross the line


Woods lost nothing in defeat and should now be given automatic selection for the World Championships.

L to R: Peter Tootel (3rd), Eamonn Martin (1st) and John Woods (2nd)

Tootel hung in for third in front of the fast-finishing Scot, Adrian Callan, who collared Faustini (Italy) in the finishing straight. Next came Eric de Beck, former World Senior Champion of 1974, ahead of the tall German, Spoettel, and the tired- looking Samson Obwoche who, we later learned, pulled a muscle which certainly didn’t help him.

Limerick duo: Neil Cusack heads Robert Costelloe

Of the Irish Neil Cusack, whilst staying off the early pace, came through powerfully. The next Irishman home and the only Irish winner of this race, Gerry Deegan, made a significant improvement on his inter-counties form and should be in top gear for the Nationals in late February. Tony O’Leary and Robert Costello finished 14th and 15th respectively.

First 10 - Mens Open Race

The men’s Castlelyons Milk Open 6,000m was won by a very dominant Bill Lacey of Kilkenny from two top-class veterans, John Buckley and the tough as nails Myles McHugh.

If we could levy some constructive criticism on the event I think, to attract more spectators, major Irish names must race and more top-class internationals, rather than just internationals for international sake. A series of juvenile races would also help to swell the crowd.

Mayfield Fruit Fermoy International - Results

Women's International

Teams

Mens International

International Teams

Club Teams

Castlelyons Milk Men's Open Race

Masters

Irish Times Report (Monday January 27th 1986)

International cross-country

Martin gains impressive win over Woods

By PETER BYRNE

Eamonn Martin, a former British 5000 metres title holder, inscribed his name on a scroll which includes many of the great names of cross-country running when  detaching himself from the pursuit with impressive authority to win the International cross-country race over 10,000 metres at Fermoy yesterday. Only Ireland's John Woods ever threatened to loosen Martin's grip on the race, but in the end, he could only watch and admire from afar as the Englishman went through the finish line in 30 minutes 51 seconds, ten seconds faster than the Irishman.

Earlier, some 2,000 spectators on a mild, gentle afternoon, had been witnesses to a splendid home triumph as Valerie O'Mahony came with an exciting late run to win the women’s race over 4,000 metres in figures of 13 minutes, 47 seconds.

Three weeks ago, Martin had toiled in the slipstream of John Woods at Mallusk. but, on this occasion, the roles were starkly reversed as the Englishman, revelling in the fast going, skimmed across the terrain, to achieve his first big win of the season.

In terms of timing, his success could scarcely have been more precise, for in five weeks time at Newcastle, he seeks to regain the English national championship from Dave Lewis, after winning it in 1984.

“The object of today's exercise was to get an accurate line on my form and, as such, I was delighted with the win." he said. "I was running bard from the start, but even so, it was mildly surprising to discover that John Woods and myself had drawn away by the half-way stage.

“John and myself have had some fine races over the years, but while I was beginning to tire a little on the last lap, I felt that I was in control of the situation for most of the journey.”

Even in defeat. Woods lost little caste, but, ultimately, he lacked the basic speed to go with the winner when the critical questions were asked some 1,500 metres out. Yet his performance held a lot of merit and should stand him in good stead for when he seeks to win the Irish championship for the first time at Santry next month.

The organisers of yesterday's race experienced some late problems in coping with a record overseas entry and. at the end of a week of some uncertainty, it was confirmed that several visiting squads, among them Hungary. Yugoslavia, Canada and Denmark, had withdrawn.

To that extent, the race was devalued, but it ought not detract too much from some brave, aggressive running by Martin, who was with the leading group from the start.

Among those running at his shoulder in the opening 2,000 metres were Woods, his English team-mate Peter Tootcll, Allessio Faustini and the diminutive Kenyan, Samson Obwocha.

For the second consecutive year, Obwocha experienced travel problems and they accounted, in part, for a relatively disappointing performance.

After showing up prominently in the first half of the race, tne Kenyan receded quickly through the field and eventually had to settle for 10th position.

Even more disappointing, perhaps, was the eclipse of the two accomplished Polish athletes, Krzystof Wcsolowski and Wcislow Pcrszkc. Here again, however, there were mitigating circumstances. for after being detained overnight by British immigration authorities in London, following a misunderstanding over visas, they were scarcely in the mood for heroics when they reported to the starting line.  

In the event, their performances were to reflect their pre-race trauma, for neither showed with a winning chance at any stage of the race and they had long since drifted out of contention when Martin embarked on his decisive late charge. Pcrszkc finished in 19th place, six ahead of Wcsolowski.

At halfway only Tootcll seriously threatened either Martin or Woods but he too fell victim to the brisk pace and was some 60 yards adrift of the two leaders at the start of the second last lap.

Here Woods confidently covered an attempted break by Martin but, sadly from an Irish viewpoint, there was to be no reprieve when the Englishman injected still more pace at the start of the last circuit. For much of the closing
1,000 metres, he was running on his own but it did not bother him unduly as he maintained his stride pattern to increase his lead approaching tne finish.

Just as she had done in the national inter-county championships at Waterford last month, Valerie O’Mahony put in her best work at the finish to take the women's race ahead of Belgium's Ingrid Delagrance, and the Swedish girl, Euy Palm.

Midway through the  last lap, her prospects of success looked remote, but as the leaders weakened, so O’Mahony lengthened her stride to catch the Belgian representative close to the line and win by one second.

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