Cragg & Cullen lead strong fields at the Woodie's DIY Inter Club Cross Country Championships
The Woodie's DIY Inter Club Cross Country Championships takes place this Sunday, 24th of February in Charleville Estate, Tullamore. The main focus over the last number of weeks has been the indoor action in Athlone, attention now reverts back to cross country as some of Ireland's best distance runner's take to the country.
Senior Women
The senior women's race looks set to be a mouth-watering duel between Mary Cullen (North Sligo AC) and Linda Byrne (Dundrum South Dublin AC). Cullen announced herself back on the racing scene with a comprehensive victory at the Raheny 5 mile race on the 27th of January. She won the race in a time of 25.55 ahead of Byrne who placed second in a time of 26.35. Cullen continued her good form by setting a new course record of 9.07.88 at the Armagh International 3k road race. On that occasion she beat Olympic marathon representative Ava Hutchinson (Dundrum South Dublin AC). It remains to be seen if Cullen can transfer her supreme road race performances to the country on Sunday.
If Linda Byrne can produce the sort of form that saw her place eight at the 2012 European Cross Country Championships in Budapest, the battle between Cullen and Byrne is likely to be a thriller. Sarah McCormack (Clonliffe Harriers AC) another member of the gold medal European Championships team is also entered and along with Siobhan O 'Doherty (Borrisokane AC) will be in the hunt for a podium position.
Senior Men
Clonliffe Harriers are fielding a very strong team including a number of their top International athletes and will start as favourite's to take the men's team title. Olympians Alistair Cragg and Mark Kenneally are both competing and will be strongly tipped to do well in the individual race. Cragg is somewhat of an unknown quantity, and his form will be watched closely on Sunday. Kenneally is easing his way back into competition after an injury layoff, he placed 12th at the Armagh 5k road race in a time of 14:24.48. It remains to be seen if Kenneally can regain fitness quick enough to mount a serious challenge for the title.
The duo can expect competition from the likes of Sean Hehir (Rathfarnham WSAF) and Joe McAlister (St Malachy's AC). Hehir represented Ireland at the European Cross Country Championships back in December, he will be keen to make his mark in Tullamore on Sunday. He will also lead a strong Rathfarnham team which includes Barry Minnock, a member of the marathon mission squad.
Junior Men & Women
The junior men's race is set to be an exciting contest with many of Ireland's brightest up and coming distance stars set to battle it out. Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC) is an outstanding performer on the country and will start as the slight favourite to take the title. Clonliffe Harrier duo Aaron Hanlon and Ian Guiden will both be aiming for individual and team honours on Sunday. Killian Mooney (Dundrum South Dublin AC) represented Ireland at the 2012 European Cross Country Championships and the 6,000m distance should suit Mooney in Tullamore.
Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Dundrum South Dublin AC) will start as the over whelming favourite to take the junior women's title. With the absence of the defending champion Sarah Collins (Finn Valley AC) Buttner will be eager to reclaim the title she won back in 2011. The precociously talented Buttner has been in tremendous form over 800m during the recent indoor season. Buttner set a new national junior record of 2:05.26 for 800m at the Athletics Ireland Open Games on January 27th. Club mate Clare McCarthy finished in third place last year and will once again challenge for a podium position.