Aoife O’Cuill (St Cocas AC) finished 5th at the Autumn Open last month and will once again go in pursuit of an automatic place on the European team. International teammates Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC) and local favourite Aoibhe Richardson (Withdrawn) are sure to be right there as the leaders head for home, while Fionnula Ross (Armagh AC) is another who will thrive over the longer distance.Įdel Monaghan (DCH) ran a superb race at the recent Dublin championships and is sure to play a role as DCH look to defend the team title, while Fiona Everard (Bandon AC) could come into contention with the likely heavy underfoot conditions.Ī strong looking entry from Dundrum South Dublin could well see them run into contention for the team honours if transitioning their success on the road this season to the grass.ĭanielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers AC) will look to show her class in the U23 division, but she will face plenty of competition for the podium places. Nic Dhómhnaill will be joined on the start-line by a host of athletes who will be eying up national glory, many of whom starred at last year’s European Cross Country Championships. Íde Nic Dhómhnaill (West Limerick AC) will be the favourite of many on the back of her impressive win at the Autumn Open in October and the increased 9,000m distance should do little to weaken her chances as she bids to do the Autumn Open/ National Cross Country double. The senior women’s race looks wide open in the absence of last year’s top four placed finishers (Sarah Healy, Ciara Mageean, Michelle Finn, Ann Marie McGlynn). The action on Sunday will get underway with the U12 girls at 11:30 am (full timetable HERE) building to a crescendo with senior women’s 9,000m and senior men’s 9,000m from 1.45pm. There will be no shortage of support for the local athletes with Peter Lynch (Kilkenny City Harriers) and Aoibhe Richardson (Withdrawn) set to be among the leading contenders for senior honours, while hosts Gowran AC boast plenty of strength in depth throughout the juvenile races. Many eyes will be on West Limerick’s Íde Nic Dhómhnaill who will look to add another title to her remarkable season which has already seen her win a national gold on the track in the 5,000m as well as claiming victory at the recent Autumn Open International Cross Country at the Sport Ireland Campus. It looks ultra-competitive across the full schedule of competition and the 2023 edition of the 123.ie National Cross Country Championships could throw up some surprises with athletes in both the senior men’s and women’s races taking on the 9,000m distance.ĭarragh McElhinney (UCD AC) returns to defend his title in a stacked looking senior men’s race (2.30pm) which includes Irish 5,000m record holder Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock) and recent Autumn Open Cross Country champion Keelan Kilrehill (Moy Valley) who will be just two of McElhinney’s main challengers.Ī new champion will be crowned in the senior women’s race (1.45pm) in the absence of 2022 champion Sarah Healy. It will be the first time the senior races have been hosted in Gowran and those coveted podium places will be as sought-after as ever with the first three home in each of the senior, U23, and U20 races securing their place on the Irish team set to compete at the European Cross Country Championships in Brussels, Belgium on December 10th. Irish athletics fans will descend upon Kilkenny this Sunday (Nov 19th) for what promises to be a stellar weekend of athletics action as Ireland’s best cross-country athletes go in search of national glory and European selection at the 123.ie National Senior, Junior and Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships.
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