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Silver And Bronze For Harriers Juveniles At All Ireland Cross Country

Thursday, 1 December 2011

The Tullamore Harriers Under 12 Girls Team who came second in All Ireland XC with athletics fanatic Tom Godley in background- Danielle Donegan, Niamh Rafter, Dearbhla O'Reilly, Calre Rafter, Amy Cuskelly and Aine Mooney. TT48205.

CONTINUING a streak of team successes over the past four years Tullamore Harriers Jevenile teams won national medals in two age groups at last Sunday's All Ireland Cross Country in Sligo.
In each of the 2008, 2009, 2010 xc seasons a Tullamore team had medalled at National Cross Country level. On the first day of competition this year this tradition was continued by the clubs Under 12 and Under 16 girls teams who finished second and third respectively. The other team competing was the Under 12 Boys squad who just marginally missed out on medals with a credible fourth place performance.
Under 12 Girls
The course was tough with significant hills and mucky underfoot conditions last Sunday at Sligo Racecourse. When Tullamore Harriers athletes crested the first hill half way into their 2000m race Niamh Rafter was among the leading group. In ninth position Niamh was looking confident and focused.
It was some time before the next two Harriers girls, Danielle Donegan and Claire Rafter, passed this correspondent and both seemed to be floundering to an extent due to the early pace and found themselves just outside the top fifty. Within five hundred yards both had moved up to approximately thirtieth position and their charge through the field continued right to the line. At the line Danielle Donegan had reached 11th position to lead the team home. Clare Rafter had got to 18th position while her twin Niamh did well to get home in 20th. The next scoring member of the team was Amy Cuskelly who finished 76th and along with Dearbhla O'Reilly and Aine Mooney completed the team.
Under 12 Boys
As well as having a wide range in individual competition the Boys Under 12 squad have this year showed their sporting prowess at team events as diverse as 4 by 100m relay through to yesterdays two kilometre cross country trek. However the team were unlucky again to find themselves finishing fourth at a national championships (as they had in the relay in July).
The team was led by Ciaran Mulligan and Christopher Whittle who took up early places in the top thirty. The duo continued to fight right to the end and led home the Tullamore challenge with Christopher finishing 27th and Ciaran 41st. Mark Milner, Emmet Curley and Cormac Izuchukwu were about midplace in the field of 150 or so athletes early on and with some determined later running were able to pass a lot of rivals. This late charge left the team less than twenty points behind the Mullingar team which took bronze with Cormac 45th, Mark 64th and Emmett 67th.
Under 16 Girls
Having finished fifth in the corresponding fixture last year these girls were determined this year to make the podium. Led by a very determined Nicole Cuskelly who finished 16th the girls needed every ounce to gain bronze medals by the narrowest of margins over reigning Leinster champions Mullingar. Nicle had started in the twenties and throughout the race had picked off athletes and should be proud of her run. The rest of the girls worked as a group throughout and Nadine Donegan, Emily Grennan and Eileen Rafter finished 31st, 39th and 40th respectively.
After the anxious wait for results the girls were delighted to win national medals (this correspondent thinks the first national medals won by Nadine and Emily) as a club and to be part of an Offaly team which finished a credible fourth. The team was completed by Michelle Keegan and Ciara Izuchukwu.
Congratulations also needs to be extended to Sinead Rigney who ran well to finish 26th in the girls Under 18 five kilometre race. Best wishes are also extended to Cara Todd, Brian Todd and James Dunne, all three of whom missed Sunday due to illness or injury.

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