Murray gets the tactics right

GARY MURRAY (St. Malachy’s) claimed the national inter-clubs cross-country title at Santry on Saturday after an exciting duel with Mark Kenneally (Clonliffe Harriers) as the young guns finally wrestled control of the championship from the old guard.

Paul McNamara (Athenry AC) took the bronze medal and another young St. Malachy’s athlete, Joe McAllister, who starred as a junior, finished fourth. Further back Mark Christie from Mullingar, three time junior champion, came through the field to finish sixth, overtaking his clubmate, Martin Fagan.

Sandwiched between them in fifth position, however, was Seamus Power (Kilmurry/Ibrickane), the man who has dominated cross-country running for more than 10 years now. He was the defending champion, a four times winner and also has a record nine successive inter-counties titles.