Fay and Everard to lead 34-strong Irish team at European Cross Country Championships

Fiona Everard of Bandon AC crosses the finish line to win the senior women's 7500m during the National Cross Country Championships at Templemore Sports Complex in Derry. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

National champions Brian Fay and Fiona Everard will lead a 34-strong Irish team at the European Cross Country Championships in Lagoa, Portugal on December 14.

With three to score in each race, Athletics Ireland has selected five athletes (out of a possible six) for each event, along with a mixed relay team that looks formidable, with recent world finalists Cian McPhillips and Andrew Coscoran teaming up with Laura Nicholson and Kirsty Maher, a European U-23 1500m medallist over the summer. 

Ireland hasn’t sent a mixed relay team to the Euro Cross since 2022, but they will be strong medal contenders in the 4x1500m race given the world-class calibre in their ranks.

Two-time former senior champion Fionnuala McCormack has decided to bypass the event, having secured top-10 finishes at both the Tokyo World Championships and the New York City Marathon in recent months, and her absence will hamper the senior women’s chances. 

Meanwhile, the U-23 men’s team will be without Abdel Laadjel, the University of Oregon student who finished a superb ninth at last weekend’s NCAA Championships in Missouri – the Dubliner also turning down selection.

Hopes are still high for a medal in the U-23 men’s race, with Nick Griggs a leading contender and a strong Irish team backing him up.

The 20-year-old Tyrone native finished a close second behind Fay at the nationals in Derry last weekend and won silver in the U-23 race at the Europeans last year, having also won silver and bronze individually at U-20 level, along with leading the Irish to U-20 team gold in 2023.

“Cross-country is so unpredictable so definitely [the goal is] to be on the podium,” he said. “Second there twice, third once, I don’t want to be lofty and say the win, but obviously the aim will always be to go there and win. I’m going to get some good training in the next few weeks. We’ve a very good team as well, so hopefully some chances of a medal team-wise, and individually for myself.”

Brian Fay, Nick Griggs and Cormac Dalton were all selected. Pic: Andrew Paton/Inpho

Griggs will be joined on the line by Jonas Stafford, Niall Murphy, Callum Morgan and Lughaidh Mallon.

Ireland hasn’t won a medal in the senior men’s race for 25 years and the team finished an agonising fourth in Brussels two years ago, but this could be the year for that drought to end with a strong quintet taking to the line. 

They will be led by Fay, the national record holder over 5000m, who came from behind and outsprinted his rivals in a thrilling finale at nationals last weekend.

The 27-year-old will be joined by Cormac Dalton, Jack O’Leary, Darragh McElhinney and Efrem Gidey, who all have a wealth of experience at this level. Dalton finished eighth in the senior men’s race two years ago and McElhinney won silver individually and team gold in the U-23 race in Dublin back in 2021.

Everard will be making her third successive appearance at the European Cross Country Championships, following an excellent come-from-behind victory in Derry last weekend. Joining her on the senior women’s team will be Niamh Allen, who finished 10th in this race last year, Danielle Donegan, Mary Mulhare and Emily Haggard-Kearney.

The women’s U-23 team sees European U-23 10,000m champion Anika Thompson and Ava O’Connor return from the US following a busy NCAA season and teaming up with national champion Roise Roberts, Amy Greene and Kirsty Maher.

Both Noah Harris and Cormac Dixon were part of the Irish U-20 team at these championships last year and will return for the same race this year, along with Caolan McFadden, Tom Breslin and Finn Diver, who will all be making their debuts at this level. 

Anna Gardiner will race in her third successive U-20 women’s race, having finished seventh two years ago in Brussels. She will be joined by national champion Emma Hickey, Lucy Foster, Eimear Cooney and Abby Smith.

“We’re delighted to be travelling to Portugal this year with a number of opportunities for medals and strong finishes, both individually and with teams,” said Mark Kenneally, Athletics Ireland’s National Endurance Co-Ordinator. 

“It is also heartening to have a mixed relay team for the first time in a few years, with a really strong lineup. Great credit goes to all the athletes who have made this team, and their coaches. Hopefully we can continue to perform as strongly as we have been over the last number of years at the European Cross Country Championships.” 

Irish Team

Senior Men: Brian Fay, Cormac Dalton, Jack O’Leary, Darragh McElhinney, Efrem Gidey. 

Senior Women: Fiona Everard, Niamh Allen, Danielle Donegan, Mary Mulhare, Emily Haggard-Kearney. 

U-23 Men: Nick Griggs, Jonas Stafford, Niall Murphy, Callum Morgan, Lughaidh Mallon. 

U-23 Women: Roise Roberts, Amy Greene, Anika Thompson, Ava O’Connor, Kirsty Maher. 

U-20 Men: Noah Harris, Caolan McFadden, Tom Breslin, Finn Diver, Cormac Dixon. 

U-20 Women: Emma Hickey, Lucy Foster, Eimear Cooney, Abby Smith, Anna Gardiner. 

Mixed Relay: Eimear Maher, Laura Nicholson, Andrew Coscoran, Cian McPhillips.