O’Regan takes cross country bronze in Santry

The Athletics Association of Ireland National Inter-Clubs Cross Country Championships were held in Santry Demense, Dublin on Sunday on an excellent cross-country course.
There was a big performance from Jake O’Regan (St John’s) in the junior men’s 8,000m to take a bronze medal and a fine club performance to finish fourth. Thomas Scanlon (Ennis Track) was 24th in the senior men’s 12,000m with Ennis Track taking Grade C in the inter-club section.
Orla O’Mahoney (Ennis and Raheny Shamrocks, Dublin) finished 15th in the senior ladies’ 8,000m with Marie Carey (Ennis Track) 24th and Ennis Track winning grade C in the inter-club awards.
The junior men’s race, run over a distance of 8,000m, attracted a fine field of athletes with St John’s being led out by Jake O’Regan. On this first lap he set out his stall when he settled in with the hot favourite Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrocks) and Stephan Kerr (Armagh) and with a lap complete, these three had broken up the big field with Conor Madigan, Eoin Brew, Declan Keniry (St John’s) running in the top 30 and in team contention along with Raheny, Clonliffe Harriers and Dundrum, South Dublin.
With two of the five laps complete, the leaders were well away. Kevin Dooney stamped his authority on the third lap and moved away from the rest of the field to cruise through the final two laps and win comfortably, with a battle for second and third with Stephan Kerr (Armagh) taking the silver medal after a very good race with Jake O’Regan, who took the bronze medal. They were followed home by Conor Madigan (22nd), Eoin Brew (24th) and Declan Keniry (26th ) with the inter-club title going to Raheny Shamrocks on 41 points with St John’s in fourth spot on 75 points.
Linda Byrne (Dundrum, South Dublin) was a clear winner of the senior ladies’ 8,000m, Una English (Dublin City Harriers) finished second with last year’s title holder Ava Hutchinson (Dundrum, South Dublin) third.
There was a fine performance from Orla O’Mahoney (Raheny Shamrocks and Clare), who finished 15th. Ennis Track fielded a team at this level for the first time and Marie Carey finished 24th followed home in 25th by Cushla Bríd Hehir, 38th, Becky Coughlan, 41st, Aoifa Nash and 43rd Siobhán Gallagher with Dundrum, South Dublin, taking the inter-club awards on 34 points from North Belfast on 39 points and Clonliffe Harriers on 53 points, with Ennis Track taking grade C on 128 points.
In the senior men’s 12,000m, Eddie McGinley (Annadale Striders) made all the running from the start and over six laps he made light work of the heavy conditions to take the title from Sergio Ciobana (Clonliffe Harriers) and Garry O’Hanlon (Clonliffe Harriers).
Thomas Scanlon (Ennis Track) was the leading Clare athlete in 24th position followed home in 32nd by Brian McGinley, 39th Michael Maher, 64th Brian Murphy and 91st Paddy Quinn, with the inter-club award going to Clonliffe Harriers on 25 points from Raheny Shamrocks on 45 points, Dundrum, South Dublin on 78 points and Ennis Track on 159 points.

Results
Senior ladies’ 8,000m
1 Linda Byrne (Dundrum South, Dublin) (25.53); 2 Una English (Dublin City Harriers) (26.16); 3 Ava Hutchinson (Dundrum, South Dublin) (26.38); 15 Orla O’Mahoney (Raheny  and Clare) (28.27); 24 Marie Carey (Ennis Track) (29.34); 25 Cushla Bríd Hehir (Ennis Track) (30.25); 38 Becky Coughlan (Ennis Track) (33.03); 41 Aoife Nash (Ennis Track) (33.31); 43 Siobhán Gallagher (Ennis Track) (34.05).
Teams
Grade A
1 Dundrum, South Dublin) = 34 points; 2 North Belfast = 39 points; 3 Clonliffe Harriers = 53 points.
Grade C
1 Ennis Track = 128 points.
Junior men’s 8,000m
1 Kevin Dooney (Raheny) (24.07); 2 Stephan Kerr (Armagh)(24.32); 3 Jake O’Regan (St John’s) (24.39); 22 Conor Madigan (St John’s) (27.09); 24 Eoin Brew (St John’s) (27.25); 26 Declan Keniry (St John’s) (27.37).
Teams
1 Raheny Shamrocks = 41 points; 2 Clonliffe Harriers = 41 points; 3 Dundrum, South Dublin = 56 points; 4 St John’s = 75 points.
Senior men’s 12,000m
1 Eddie McGinley (Annadale Striders) (35.09); 2 Sergio Ciobanu (Clonliffe Harriers) (35.24); 3 Garry O’Hanlon (Clonliffe Harriers) (35.35); 24 Thomas Scanlon (Ennis Track) (37.40); 32 Brian McGinley (Ennis Track) (38.03); 39 Michael Maher (Ennis Track) (38.43); 64 Brian Murphy (Ennis Track) (40.13); 91 Paddy Quinn (Ennis Track) (42.04).
Teams
Grade A
1 Clonliffe Harriers = 25 points; 2 Raheny Shamrocks = 45 points; 3 Dundrum, South Dublin = 78 points.
Grade C
1 Ennis Track = 159 points; 2 Sliabh Bhuide Rovers = 224 points; 3 Craughwell = 226 points.