McKiernan and Ryan ready to renew rivalry in Rás na hÉireann

CATHERINA McKIERNAN and Rosemary Ryan are set to renew rivalry at Dundalk Racecourse tomorrow when they line up for Rás na hÉireann.

While Charlie Breagy and Larry McGuill have put a world class field of athletes together for the men’s race in the plush surroundings of the newly refurbished Dundalk Racecourse, the attention will be focused on the four time world silver medallist who turned in a stunning performance in Roscommon last week to reclaim the national inter-club title after an 11 year absence by the proverbial mile.

Rosemary Ryan (Bilboa), who won the inter-counties title last November, finished third in that race but there will not be such a margin between them tomorrow.

The men’s race will be without stars like Seamus Power and Peter Matthews while Dermot Donnelly (Annadale Striders) who separated them in Roscommon was only fifth in the road equivalent of the Rás which was staged in Belfast on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Cathal Lombard, is due to travel to Puerto Rica this weekend for the world 10k challenge and will be hoping to add the Olympic qualifying standard to his 5,000m standard before he heads off to Albuquerque for some altitude training.

Since returning from South Africa he has been training with his Leevale clubmate, Mark Carroll, in Florida. The latter has races planned for his shot at an Olympic qualifying standard before the London Marathon. He has already qualified for the marathon but will not compete in this event at the Olympics and wants a 10,000m standard.

Martin McCarthy, who had to drop out of the national inter-club championships in Roscommon last Sunday discovered that he has a damaged muscle in his stomach.

He has been on physio all week and is set to run the five miler in Carrigaline tomorrow morning and then the Ballycotton 10 tomorrow week.

He, too, has his sights on London where Seamus Power and Peter Matthews will also line up in what promises to be another classic Ballycotton.