McGinley powers to title in Santry

Eddie McGinley (Annadale Striders) yesterday won his first Irish senior cross country title after leading from the gun in the Woodie’s DIY Inter Clubs Cross Country Championships in Santry.

The Belfast native ran strongly to finish in 35:09 for the 12,000m event, 15 seconds clear of Clonliffe Harriers’ pair Sergiu Ciobanu and Gary O’Hanlon third. Clonliffe Harriers won the team title with 25 points.

In the women’s 8,000m senior event Linda Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin AC) cruised to a comfortable victory in 25:53. Former Irish international Una English of DCH was second in 26:16 with defending champion Ava Hutchinson (DSD) third in 26:38. Dundrum South Dublin AC won the team title with 34 points.

English, revealed her ambitions to qualify for the Olympics, saying: “I am training to run in the steeplechase on the track and I will be seriously chasing an Olympic qualifying standard.”

There was a surprise in the women’s junior race over 8000m when Sarah Collins, Finn Valley AC swept to victory in 19:35, 25 seconds ahead of Siofra Cleirigh Buttner of DSD.

Kevin Dooney of Raheny Shamrock AC also impressed when winning the junior men’s title over 8,000m in 24:07 from Stephen Kerr and Jake O’Regan.