Cross country championships under starters orders

The Munster juvenile even ages from U-10 to U-18 plus novice and U-23 cross country championships will take place in the Showgrounds Field, Newmarket-on-Fergus this Sundayat 11.30am.
The Clare clubs will be looking to athletes from St Cronan’s, Kilmihil, Ennis Track Club, Marian, Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare, St Mary’s, Fergus, St John’s, Shannon, Tulla, Olympic Harriers and Kilnaboy to bring home honours.
In the girls’ U-10, Keisha Attewell (St Mary’s) and Rachel Hartigan will lead out the Clare challenge along with Daiela Svennsson and Amy Sexton (both Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare), while in the boys’ U-10 Ben Whelehan (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare), Shane Harrison (St Cronan’s) and Shane Meehan (Marian) will be challenging for Munster glory.
In the girls’ U-12, Alex O’Neill (St Cronan’s) will start as favourite to take the gold medal with Emma McMahon (St Mary’s), Grace Moloney (Tulla) and the Keane sisters, Áine and Emer (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) all making up a very strong Clare team. In the boys’ U-12, Aidan McCarthy (St Cronan’s), Caoilfhionn O’Dea (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) and Thomas Clancy (St John’s), will be hoping to help Clare retain their Munster title.
In the girls’ U-14 cross country champion, St John’s will lead the way with Caoimhie Harvey, Aishling Kelly, Tara Bradley, along with Elaine Shannon (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare), with Jamie Roche (Ennis Track), Mark Fennell (St Mary’s), Eoin Looney (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) leading out the boys’ U-14 team.
The girls U-16 will be looking to the Clare AAI champion Muireann O’Shea (Marian), along with Nollaig Blake and Rachel Clancy (both St John’s).
In the boys’ U-16, Stephan Rooney, Ennis Track, is in top form and a medal contender along with Kevin Mulcare (Ennis Track) and Liam Gray (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare)
Laura Egan (Kilmihil), Jean and Niamh Clancy (St John’s), Niamh Markham (Ennis Track), will contest the girls’ U-18 while in the boys’ U-18, Ian Slobody (Kilmihil), Declan Keniry (St John’s), Conor Rooney (Ennis Track), along with Darragh Collins (Ennis Track) will be hoping to capture the honours.
The Munster novice and U-23 ladies’ 3,000m will be followed by the novice and U-23 men’s 6,000m.
In the ladies’ novice, Claire Madigan (St John’s), along with Becky Coughlan, Cushla Bride Hehir and Siobhán Lennon will carry Clare hopes along with Aoifa Nash (Ennis Track), Sharon Rynne and Dympna O’Dwyer (both Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare).
In the men’s 6,000m, Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy) will be looking at big home support while Fergal Smithwick (Marian), Joe Mooney (Olympic Harriers), the Clare AAI champion, Micheal Keane, Paddy Quinn (Ennis Track) and Julio Cesar F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare) are others who will be hoping to feature amongst the medal winners.
The Clare teams selected are:
Novice ladies: Claire Madigan (St John’s (U-23); Áine Pyne (Marian); Siobhan Lennon (Ennis Track); Ita Hanrahan (Ennis Track); Cushla Bride Hehir (Ennis Track); Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track); Helen Roche (Ennis Track); Aoifa Nash (Ennis Track); Grace Eade (Ennis Track); Niamh Ní Mhuirí (Ennis Track); Siobhan Gallagher (Ennis Track); Sharon Rynne (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Dympna O’Dwyer (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Noreen Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Fiona Lafferty (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare, U-23); Lorna O’Neill (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare).
Novice men: Joe Mooney (Olympic Harriers); Michael Shannon (Kilnaboy); Fergal Smithwick (Marian, U-23); Darius Kuranda (Ennis Track); Paddy Quinn (Ennis Track); Micheal Keane (Ennis Track); Martin Glynn (Ennis Track); Martin Grealish (Ennis Track); Brian Spring (Ennis Track); Frank Landy (Ennis Track); Danny Folan (Ennis Track); John O’Malley (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Willie Devitt (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Julio Cesar F Castro (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Tom Mackey (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Damian Roche (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Thomas Garrahy (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare); Donal Howley (Kilmurry Ibrickane-North Clare, U-23).

Fixtures
October 2011
23: Munster Novice and U-23 Cross Country Championships, plus the Juvenile Even Ages from U-10 to U-18s at Newmarket-on-Fergus at 11.30am.
30-31: Annual Bernie Meaney Memorial 5.5 mile road race at Kilmurry McMahon at 1pm.
31: Dublin City Marathon (incorporating the AAI National Marathon) at 9am.

November 2011
6: Patrick O’Dea Juvenile Cross Country Races U-7, U-8, U-9, U-10, U-12, U-14, U-16, plus mens and ladies road races at Lissycasey at 11.30am.
13: Munster Intermediate plus Juvenile Uneven Ages Cross Country Championships U-9 to U-19s at Powerstown Park, Clonmel, Tipperary at 11.30am.