Super Power gunning for ninth consecutive title

SEAMUS POWER bids for a sensational ninth consecutive national inter-counties cross-country title on Sunday, and his training partner and arch rival, Peter Matthews, admits it will take a super human performance to dethrone the Clareman.

“He holds a phenomenal record. A month before the race you can see the change in him. He really gets motivated for this race,” the Dubliner insisted. “And when he retires they will have to name the race after him.” Cross-country running is a discipline that separates the men from the boys and Power has earned place among the legends. The speculation has been intense. Maybe Keith Kelly, after a couple of superb performances in the US, could strip him of the title. This week, however, the Drogheda man has been under treatment for a recurrence of his old hip injury and was due to have an MRI scan in Dublin.

Gareth Turnbull is out through injury, Cathal Lombard is recovering from a virus and National inter-clubs champion, Martin McCarthy, is recovering from a broken wrist. So, it could once again come down to Peter Matthews He has had some great duels with Power in both the inter-counties and inter-clubs championships, and while he has three inter-club titles - beating Power for one in a classic at Dublin Airport - he has never won the inter-counties title.