Kevin Dooney: ‘These are the days you dream of’

As a famous Irish sportsman likes to say, timing can sometimes beat speed. That was the case yesterday at the Irish Life Health National Cross Country Championships in Abbotstown as Raheny’s Kevin Dooney upset favourite Sean Tobin in the senior men’s race with a performance of impressive precision.

Tobin had 36 seconds to spare on Dooney when they last met on this course in October, but on the first lap of yesterday’s 10,000m race, Dooney made a mental note of something crucial as he followed Tobin through the wettest part of the course.

“He didn’t look comfortable so I said, ‘wait a few laps — if you’re going to break him anywhere it’s going to be there,’” said Dooney.

“When that moment came I hit him hard and it was a matter of piling it on then.”

Dooney built a 40m advantage by the time they set off on the final lap, and though Tobin unleashed a furious kick at the finish, it wasn’t enough. Dooney claimed his first senior cross country title in 30:07, four seconds clear of Tobin, with Clonmel’s Kevin Maunsell taking bronze.

“These are the days you dream of,” said Dooney, whose father, Roy, was an Irish marathon champion and whose mother, Greta, was a runner-up in the national cross country championships.

Raheny won the team title for the third year in a row, Dooney backed up by an outstanding run from Brian Fay, the U23 winner, in fourth, and Rio Olympian Mick Clohisey in fifth.

A roar of delight after a tough, tough year for Kevin Dooney. He takes a superb win in the senior men's race from Sean Tobin and Kevin Maunsell. Brian Fay 4th, Mick Clohisey 5th. pic.twitter.com/RHAlWb1PnO

— Cathal Dennehy (@Cathal_Dennehy) November 25, 2018

The senior and U20 women’s races saw two high-calibre athletes exhibit class.

Ciara Mageean brought her speed pedigree to the senior women’s 8,000m race and proved well up to the task, surging clear on the third of four laps and holding off the charge of Annmarie McGlynn to take gold in 28:02.

“It’s big,” said Mageean.

“I never thought I’d be up there in the senior cross. Everybody tells me I’m a track specialist but I cut my teeth over the cross. This is a testament to the work I’ve put in this winter.”

Leevale, led by Michelle Finn in fourth, claimed the team title.

Looking ahead to the European Cross Country Championships (December 9), it’s clear Ireland’s best medal chance will be in the U20 women’s race. Sarah Healy obliterated her rivals in that event yesterday, the 17-year-old proving her star quality by coming home 18 seconds clear of runner-up Emma O’Brien.

“It wasn’t easy,” admitted Healy. “This is my first race of the season so I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.”

In the U20 men’s race, Bantry’s Darragh McElhinney was an impressive winner, powering away from his rivals on the penultimate lap.

“I was hurting when I decided to go and I just had to keep grinding it out,” he said. “The last 500m, it was good there was no one near me.”

Elsewhere, Lizzie Lee set a course record at the Great Glenville four-mile road race, the Leevale Olympian clocking 22:41.