Cullen salvages Irish pride

MARY CULLEN managed to win back some pride for Ireland with a fine fourth place in the senior women’s race at the SPAR European Cross-Country Championships in Brussels yesterday as Martin Fagan could only watch from his knees as his medal hopes faded after a crashing fall in the senior men’s race.

All around there was disappointment, as Linda Byrne, sixth last year, faded from eighth back to 10th on the final lap of the U-23 women’s race and fears surrounding Andrew Ledwith’s recovery after finishing third in the NCAA championships were realised as he faded to 37th in the senior men’s race.

David McCarthy also showed signs of his NCAA effort in the men’s U-23 race.