Fionnuala McCormack will carry the medal hopes for the Irish at the European Cross Country on Sunday, December 8, the 35-year-old announced on an Irish team of 40 for the event in Lisbon.

She ran her heart out, just like always, but as has increasingly been the case for Fionnuala McCormack at the European Cross Country, it just wasn’t enough.

Team Ireland have enjoyed an impressive fifth place finish in the men's relay event at the European Cross Country Championships in Slovakia.

Defending national champion Sean Hehir believes tomorrow’s SSE Airticity Dublin Marathon showcases the capital at its best where record numbers of just under 20,000 will be led out by a strong East African representation.

For several of Ireland’s best marathoners, the door finally closed on Olympic qualification at the London Marathon yesterday, with the race to Rio de Janeiro now left in the hands of selectors ahead of next month’s deadline.