Mighty Mulhare adds another title to collection
Mulhare, who has already won both the national novice and intermediate titles, was again in top form in the six kilometre event over an excellent course on the Battle of the Boyne site close to Drogheda.
Mulhare finished strongly in 18minutes 20 seconds to win by 11seconds. The Laois runner raced into a commanding lead after Breandon O’Neill, Dundrum, South Dublin AC, set the early pace. Both athletes, representing Ireland in the international event, were members of the Irish men’s U23 team that won the gold medals in the European Cross-Country Championships last December.
O’Neill was unable to match strides with Mulhare in Drogheda, but he ran well to finish third behind Mulhare and England’s Pat Martin.
“I am very happy with today’svictory – my last race before thenational inter clubs cross-country championships in two week time, ” Mulhare said. “It has been a great cross country season for me so far and I now want to finish off with another good run in the nationals.”
O’Neill was also pleased with his third place finish — his first competitive cross country outing since theEuropean Championships. “This was a good course and an ideal distance to check out form in the build-up to the national cross country championships,” O’Neill said. Gary Thornton completed the Irish team score in sixth position as Ireland won the team title from USA and Finland.
There was a poignant note to the men’s race when local Dunleer A.C runner Karl Dunne was awarded the Louis Duffin Trophy in memory of the long time organisers of the race who died last year.
American athlete Katie De Camillo was an impressive winner of thewomen’s international race over 4km, finishing in 13:32 ahead of SarahTunstall of England, 18:31 and Ireland’s Ciara Durkan, 18:38. Two other Irish athletes, Becky Woods and Aoife Talty, who both fell on the final lap, placed fourth and fifth respectively. Ireland won the team title.
Meanwhile, Joe Sweeney, Dundrum South Dublin AC, yesterday won a 30 kilometre road race in Holland in 94 minutes. Sweeney, the national inter counties cross country champion, is coached by Jerry Kiernan.
Yesterday’s victory will have brought Sweeney and his coach closer tomaking a final decision as to when the DSD man will make his marathon debut.
