Victories for Fionnuala McCormack and Mick Clohisey GloHealth Inter Club Cross Country Championships in Santry Demesne

Fionnuala McCormack and Mick Clohisey stormed to individual victories at the GloHealth Inter Club Cross Country Championships in Santry Demesne yesterday as Lizzie Lee led Leevale to a maiden team crown.

The senior women’s race was one that whetted the appetite with a top class field and with the uncertainty of the form of Kilcoole AC’s McCormack after her 2:33:15 marathon in Chicago last month.

The start of the 8,000m affair was a cagey one with the diminutive McCormack nestled in the leading pack led by the effervescent Lee.

The doubts around McCormack’s form escalated slightly as she settled in the pack but those fears were allayed with a few laps remaining as she hit the front and built an insurmountable lead.

Lee hung on gamely for second place with the surprise package Caroline Crowley (Crusaders) coming through for third.

“I went for it,” said Lee afterwards.

“Nobody was sure of Fionnuala’s form so I put myself out there and in the mix.

“There was no beating her. I won the race amongst the rest. I’m ecstatic we won the team title. It’s our first ever time to win it.”

Lee was ably backed up by Michelle Finn in 6th, Sinead O’Connor in 21st, Claire Gibbons-McCarthy in 22nd as scoring members with Nollaig O’Neill 31st and Niamh Roe 43rd making up the rest of the team. Dundrum South Dublin were second with Raheny Shamrock third.

McCormack, two-time European Cross Country Champion, was happy with her performance but had no idea of her shape in terms of competitiveness for the Europeans in Hyeres, France on December 13th.

“I’ve no idea what shape I’m in going into the Europeans,” said McCormack in terms of individual medal aspirations. “I’ll be going in to do my very best but we’ll have to see and of course do my best for the team also.”

Mick Clohisey (Raheny Shamrock) was an impressive winner of the men’s 10,000m with a front-running performance from the gun ahead of MSB’s John Coghlan in second and Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders) in third.

Leevale missed out on the team title by a single point to Clonliffe Harriers, 47 to 48, with Raheny Shamrock narrowly behind on 51.

Hope Saunders (Clonliffe Harriers) and Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club) were impressive winners of the junior women’s 4,000m and junior men’s 6,000m respectively.