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Intermediate, Master XC and Indoor Round 2 Preview ©Athletics Ireland
Athletics Ireland – News – Intermediate, Master XC and Indoor Round 2 Preview
There is over 800 athletes entered for the Woodie’s DIY Intermediate and Master Championships of Ireland scheduled for this Sunday, 23rd of February in Dunboyne, Co. Meath. There is a further 700 athletes entered in the juvenile development cross country championships with twelve races on the programme.
Andrew Connick (Ferrybank AC) finished a close second behind Sean Tobin (Clonmel AC) at the national novice championships in Waterford before Christmas. Tobin who is now based in America will not be competing on Sunday, leaving the way clear for Connick to claim the title. Others to watch out for include Dermot McDermott (Sligo AC), the 2012 national novice champion. McDermott has raced sparingly on the lead up to this event with his last cross country outing coming at the national inter counties in November where he finished in twentieth. Mark Dooley and Eric Keogh both of Donore Harriers AC lead a strong Dublin contingent while St Abbans AC athlete Stephan Lawlor spearheads the Laois challenge.
Michelle McGee (Brothers Pearse) will start as the clear favourite to capture the women’s intermediate title. McGee is the current national novice challenge and recently recorded an impressive victory at the 2014 Ras na hEireann to put herself over a minute clear of the second place athlete. Kate Cronin (Raheny Shamrock AC) finished second behind McGee at the national novice championships is the likely challenger to McGee on Sunday.
Raheny duo Eilish Kelly and Annette Kealy are set to battle it out in the master women’s race while the master men’s race is set to be the biggest race of the day with over 300 athletes entered. Peter Fleming (Rathfarnham WSAF), Ciaran Doherty (Letterkenny AC) and Mick Traynor (Raheny Shamrock AC) are all likely to feature in the men’s race.
The juvenile’s races begin the day with the U11 girls starting at 11.30am and the master men conclude proceedings at 2.40pm.
National Indoor League Round 2.
Away from the action of the cross country the second round of the league will take place in AIT International Arena, Athlone on Saturday, 22nd of February. Many of Ireland’s top club teams will come together to battle it out for a place in the league final on Sunday, 16th of March. The objective of the league is to provide Irish athletes with more competition on home soil.
The first round of the league saw St Abbans AC top both the men’s and women’s table. In the men’s event St Abbans recorded a score of 56 points to hold a slight lead over Dublin clubs Raheny Shamrock (54 points) and Crusaders (45 points) in third. Their women’s team scored 34 points with Le Cheile AC (24 points) in second and Craughwell AC (23 points) in third.
In the guest event section of the competition watch out for the likes of Kelly Proper (Ferrybank AC), Kourosh Foroughi (Star of the Sea AC), Karl Griffin (UCD AC), Catherine McManus (Celtic DCH) and Siofra Cleirigh Buttner (Dundrum South Dublin AC) who are all set to compete.
Athletics Ireland – News
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