McCarthy ‘excited’ over Euro prospects

WHEN David McCarthy finished third in the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day, medal hopes for Ireland’s U23 men’s team at Sunday’s European cross-country championships in Albufeira shot through the roof.

And yesterday the West Waterford athlete admitted he was excited about the team prospects as he prepared to leave for the Algarve where the weather was a welcoming 17 degrees and a relatively flat if somewhat complicated course promised some intriguing contests.

“We have very good under-23 team this year — a lot of the lads are running well,” he insisted. “Ciarán Ó Lionáird had great season in the States and finished up with 18th place in the Nationals so he seems to be getting better every race.