Lombard withdraws from cross-country team

Cathal Lombard has withdrawn from Ireland’s team for this weekend’s European Cross Country Championships in Medulin through injury.

A hip injury has forced the Cork athlete to miss a second successive major championships this year. Last March Lombard pulled out of the Irish squad at the World Championships in Dublin because of flu.

Lombard, third in this year’s National Inter Club Championships and fourth in the recent Inter Counties Championships has been one of the country’s most consistent performers in recent times and was selected on the team along with his brother, Fiachra.