Ireland All Set for European Cross-Country Championships 2018
European Cross-Country Championships
Tilburg, Netherlands
Sunday December 8th 2018
Stephanie Cotter and Adams State University Gear Up for European XC
Adams State University trio Stephanie Cotter (West Muskerry AC), along with twin sisters Eilish & Roisin Flanagan (Carmen Runners, Tyrone) form posrt of the Irish squad in Tilburg on Sunday, with Stephanie on Junior Team and Eilish & Roisin on the Under-23 Team. This is a huge occasion for Adams State to have three girls from the same NCAA University on the same team at the one time, and the University is delighted to have the three students represent Ireland.
Last weekend, at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships, in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, with 6k, in poor conditions of heavy rain and 6 degrees C, the girls had a good workout in prepparation for Tilburg.
The team took Bronze, on 90 points, with Eilish Flanagan, in second place, bringing home Silver. Stephanie Cotter, in 11th place, and 1st Freshman, was next with Rosin Flanagan, anchoring the team home in 41st place
Athletics Ireland Release - Darragh Browne
Ireland Looking for Strong Showing in Tilburg
The Irish team will be looking for a strong showing at the 25th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships taking place in Tilburg on Sunday next, December 9th.
Tilburg has previously hosted the European Cross Country Championships, in 2005, however Sunday's venue is different. This year’s event takes place on a challenging course, at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park, located just to the south-east of Tilburg.
U20 teams get action underway
Ireland has a strong U20 womens team, both individually and collectively, led by Sarah Healy (Blackrock). This level of competition is extremely tough with a huge depth of talent in the category. Great Britain are historically strong in this event, and will be looking to prove that once more.
The Irish have good depth and experience with Emma O’Brien (Sli Cualann), Jodie McCann (DCH), Laura Nicholson (Bandon) and Stephanie Cotter (West Muskerry), all having run this event previously. Stephanie came 11th last week, at the NCAA Division II cross country, representing Adams State University. Sophie O’Sullivan (Ballymore Cobh) makes her debut in these Championships, but has good credentials also, having won European U18 silver over 800m last summer.
With three to score it should make for good competition. The Irish team finished 7th last year, but will be aiming for a significant improvement.
Norway’s wunderkind Jakob Ingebrigtsen is looking for a hat-trick of titles in the U20 men’s race, and is sure to grab the main media headlines. That won’t stop the Irish team, led by Darragh McElhinney (Bantry), from putting in a good performance. The Irish team was 10th last year.
Irish U23 Teams Make a Return
There were no Irish U23 teams last year, so it is a welcome addition to see them competing in Tilburg. Eilish Flanagan (Carmen) took second for Adams State, in the NCAA division II cross country, with her twin sister Roisin also on the team. Siobhra O’Flaherty has been added to the U23 team, after a positive NCAA season with George Mason University, and she adds depth to the squad. They will be looking to put in a solid team performance.
Ryan Forsyth (Newcastle) was 11th in the NCAA division 1 cross-country championships, and he will be looking to replicate that form, which would see him finish in the top ten individually. Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) recently won the national U23 title, finishing fourth overall, and he will be looking to combine with the rest of his teammates for a strong team showing.
Senior
In recent years, the senior women have carried the flag for Ireland, winning team Gold and two Bronze since 2012. And there is no forgetting Fionnuala McCormack’s (Kilcoole) back-to-back victories, in 2011 and 2012. This year’s team has plenty of experience with Annmarie McGlynn (Letterkenny), Kerry O’Flaherty (Newcastle), Michelle Finn (Leevale) and Sara Treacy (Dunboyne) all having run on at least one of those medal-winning teams. Add in Ciara Mageean (UCD) and Fionnuala Ross (Armagh), who have both been running well this year.
As always, it will be tough to medal this year, but the team will be looking to improve on their 7th place finish last year.
The senior men finished 5th last year, and repeating that would be a fine achievement. A podium finish would be even sweeter, but with Turkey, Great Britain and Norway, who will have the Ingebrigtsen brothers, Henrik and Filip, it will be a hard ask.
Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrock) recently won an exciting battle for the national title, and will be hoping to maintain that good form. Clonmel’s Sean Tobin and Kevin Maunsell will be aiming to score on the team again, having finished 15th and 24th last year. Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock), and Kevin Batt (DSD) will also be vying to be scoring members, while Damien Landers (Ennis Track) comes in for Stephen Scullion (Clonliffe Harriers) who has had to withdraw.
Mixed Relay team debut
This is the second year of the mixed relay with Ireland making their debut appearance with Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (DSD), Claire Tarplee (St Coca’s), Paul Robinson (St Coca’s) and John Travers (Donore Harriers) on the team. It is a talented quartet, and they will be aiming to put themselves in contention in the new event.
TV Coverage
Unconfirmed reports are that previous medalist and Team Captain, Lizzie Lee will be one of RTE's panellists for the TV coverage
Action will be on RTE 2, from 12pm, with all the action also streamed on European Athletics, from 10am local time (9am here in Ireland)
Statistics and Event Information
Entries
Total Number of countries 38
Total Number of athletes 616
Total Number of Men 333
Total Number of Women 283
List of Entries (PDF File)
Schedule of Events
U20 Women Race 9:45am
U20 Men Race 10:05am
U23 Women race 10:35am
U23 Men race 11:05am
Senior Women Race 12:35pm
Senior Men race 13:10pm
Mixed Relay 13:55pm
Full Irish Squad
Irish European Cross-Country Championships Medal History
Individual Irish:
1994 - Senior Women- Catherina McKiernan - GOLD - 14:29
1998 - Junior Men - Gareth Turnbull - BRONZE - 16:55
2006 - U23 Women - Fionnuala Britton - SILVER - 18:56
2011 - Senior Women - Fionnuala Britton - GOLD - 25:55
2012 - Senior Women - Fionnuala Britton - GOLD - 27:45
Irish Teams:
1999 - Junior Mens Team - BRONZE - 43 pts
Gary Murray 8th, Brian Keane 15th, Mark Smyth 20th, Joe McAlister 75th, Robert Connolly 94th
2000 - Senior Mens Team - BRONZE - 72 pts
Peter Matthews 10th, Seamus Power 14th, Gareth Turnbull 23rd, Keith Kelly 25th, Ken Nason 55th, Fiachra Lombard 67th
2003 - Senior Womens Team - SILVER - 78 pts
Sonia O’Sullivan 4th, Rosemary Ryan 13th, Ann Keenan Buckley 27th, Catherina McKiernan 34th, Marie Davenport 52nd
2004 - Junior Mens Team - SILVER - 54pts
Mark Christie 5th, Andrew Ledwith 7th, Danny Darcy 11th, Jamie McCarthy 31st, Joe Sweeney 44th, Mark Hanrahan 56th
2010 - U23 Mens Team - GOLD - 60pts
David McCarthy 11th, Brendan O’Neill 13th, Michael Mulhare 16th, David Rooney 20th (25th), John Coghlan 34th, Ciarán Ó Lionáird 76th
2012 - Senior Womens Team - GOLD - 52 pts
Fionnuala Britton 1st Linda Byrne 8th, Ava Hutchinson 20th, Lizzie Lee 23rd, Sarah McCormack 36th, Sara Treacy 42nd
2014 - Senior Womens Team - BRONZE - 87 pts
Fionnuala Britton 6th, Sara Treacy 12th, Michelle Finn 23rd, Ann Marie McGlynn 46th, Siobhan O’Doherty 47th, Laura Crowe 53rd
2015 - Senior Womens Team - BRONZE - 83 pts
Fionnuala McCormack (nee Britton) 4th, Lizzie Lee 13th, Caroline Crowley 23rd, Ciara Durkan 43rd, Michelle Finn 54th, Kerry O’Flaherty 55
