Ó Lionáird targets team gold at Euro under-23 cross-country

WITH Ciarán Ó Lionáird committed to competing and David McCarthy set to return from Providence, the task of putting together a medal winning under-23 team for the European cross-country championships should be completed on Sunday at the Woodies DIY national inter-county cross-country championships at Gransha Park, Derry.

Ó Lionáird, who finished 18th and led Florida State to the silver team medals in the NCAAs on Monday believes Ireland has the talent to challenge for gold medals in Albufeira on December 12 and with the top three in the Derry race guaranteed selection the remaining places could all go to US-based athletes.

Dubliner David Rooney finished 50th in the NCAAs and was fourth in the Regionals the previous week while another Dubliner, David Flynn (Clonliffe Harriers), has been the epitome of consistency all season.

His second place finish in the Division 2 Regionals in Nebraska helped Western States to the D2 NCAA championships.

David McCarthy, a bronze medallist at 5,000m in the last European junior championships, has been redshirted by Ray Treacy at Providence College and easily won his only race of the season.

On Sunday Dubliners Brendan O’Neill and John Coghlan, who were second and third in the Dublin senior championships, will be battling it out again along with Michael Mulhaire (Laois) and Noel Collins (Finn Valley).

If national champion, Mark Kenneally, is back to his best form he should win the senior title but Joe Sweeney was very impressive in the Dublin championships while Alan O’Brien and Donegal man, Gary Murray, are other contenders.

Fionnuala Britton (Wicklow) has returned to her best form and that should be good enough to see her reclaim the senior women’s title.

Ciara Mageean, rounding off a memorable and busy year, is favourite for the junior women’s title with Emma Mitchell (Down) and Mary Mulhare (Laois) contesting the other medals.

Paul Robinson (Kildare), Mark English (Donegal), John Travers (Dublin), the national junior champion, and Darren McBrearty (Donegal) will make it a very competitive junior men’s race.