Outstanding run by Laura O?Dowd
Laura O Dowd`s decisive victory in the Under 14 Girls race was the local highlight of the Connacht AAI Even Ages and Novice Cross Country Championship at Ardrum on Sunday last. Despite being a year under age for the event she was to the forefront at the start and for most of the race disputed the lead with Ballinasloe`s Sive Brassil. Entering the last lap the Ballinamore athlete took the lead and went on to record a clear victory.
With the unseasonably fine weather changing on Friday the competitions were run off in somewhat less firm underfoot conditions than expected but despite two heavy showers in the morning the rain held off during the races. With eighteen clubs and also three hundred runners from all over Connacht taking part in the eight under age and two Novice events some excellent competition was witnessed by the large crowd present.
Swinford dominated the Under 12 Girls providing the first three home and team winners. Here Dervla Beirne of Mohill finished an excellent tenth to secure a place on the Connacht team for the All Ireland in the Curragh on Sunday November 25th. The Ballinamore Team of Eilis O Dowd (15), Grainne Griffin (24), Leanne Carney (37), Kirsty Mulligan (45) and Lorraine Heslin (49) took fifth place with 121 points.
Colm Hughes of Galway City Harriers was winner of the Under 12 Boys with the team title going to Ballina. Keith Beirne of Mohill was an excellent fourth behind Hughes, Mikey Murray of Ballina and Conor Payne of Ballinasloe. The Ballinamore placings were- Ryan O`Rourke (20), Donal Feeley (30), Cathal Whelan (32), John McGovern (33) and Cormac Whelan (51) to take fourth place on 115 points.
With Laura O Dowd winning the Under 14 event Ballinamore placed the two O Malley sisters, Grainne (8) and Niamh (12) in the first twelve to make the Connacht team. Michelle Beirne of Mohill in thirteenth position just missed out. With Noeleen McGovern (41) making up the score the team placed second on 62 points behind Swinford (52) and ahead of Galway City Harriers (70).
Anthony Chambers of Westport won the Under 14 boys race with Ballinamore`s sole runner, Darren Kenny, in 27th position. The team event went to Galway City Harriers.
Galway City Harriers also supplied the winner of the Under 16 Girls race in Rachel Shaw with the team title going to Ballinasloe. Here the Ballinamore team of Ciara O Dowd (11), Aine Heslin (12), Michelle Heslin (18) and Niamh Griffin (19) combined well to take third on 60 points behind Ballinasloe (24) and Galway City Harriers (35).
In the Under 16 Boys event Noel Plunkett ran an impressive race to take fourth behind Daniel Murray (Ballina), Tommy Casey (North Sligo) and Felim McGowan (North Sligo) with North Sligo winning the team award from Ballina. Here Anthony Kenny was tenth an made the Connacht team. There was no local interest in the Under 18 Girls race won by Laura Shaughnessy of Loughrea but Fergal Ellis put up a fine performance in the Under 18 Boys competition to take third behind Ryan Monaghan and Michael Gilligan of North Sligo.
Tommy Carroll of North Sligo and Cindy McCarthy of Sligo A C were the respective winners of the Novice races which had no local involvement.
