NI and Ulster Weekend Review

28 October 2019

NI and Ulster Weekend Review

Athletes of all ages took part in the NI & Ulster Even Age Group and Novice Cross Country Championships on Saturday 26th October, while further afield, the NI & Ulster team took part in the Age UK Leeds Abbey Dash on Sunday 27th October.

Leeds Abbey Dash

On Sunday 27th October a Northern Ireland & Ulster team of 8 competed at the Age UK Leeds Abbey Dash 10k as part of the Inter-Area Road Race Series.

The NI and Ulster team had some impressive performances at the Leeds Abbey Dash, with four PBs in total, including St Malachy’s AC’s Ben Branagh who crossed the finish line in 21st place, as the first team member in a PB time of 29:38.

The second member of the Men’s team across the line was Foyle Valley AC’s Scott Rankin in a PB of 30:36 in 45th place overall, followed by North Belfast Harriers’ John Black who also gained a new PB time of 30:42 to finish in 51st place overall. In 69th place overall was City of Lisburn AC’s Chris Madden, who finished in a time of 31:07.

2019-leedsabbeydash-fullteam.jpg

In the ladies’ event, Armagh AC’s Fionnuala Ross led the team, finishing in 17th place in a time of 34:16. She was followed by North Down AC’s Jessica Craig who finished in 23rd place in a PB time of 34:40. Next for the ladies team was Letterkenny AC’s Nakita Burke, who finished in 27th place in a time of 35:07, followed by Beechmount Harriers’ Sarah Lavery in 41st place in a time of 36:12.

Full results can be found here:

https://results.sporthive.com/events/6591996942161914880/races/468755

 

NI & Ulster Even Age Groups Cross Country Championships

The NI & Ulster Even Age Groups and Novice Cross Country Championships took place on Saturday 26th October 2019 at the CAFRE Greenmount Campus in Antrim. The conditions were good and with the weather holding up it was a perfect day for cross country.

2019-evenxc-u10girls.jpg

In the Girls U10 event, 1st place went to Erelle O’Sullivan (Shercock AC) who finished in 4.43s, ahead of Loughview AC’s Olivia McCusker took 2nd place in 4.48s and Orla Miney (Annalee AC) who claimed 3rd in 4.53s. In the team competition, Annalee AC took 1st place with a total of 56 points with Rosses AC coming in 2nd with 63 points and Finn Valley AC in 3rd place with 70 points.

Piaras Toner (Clones AC) took 1st place in the U10 Boys in 4.32s, with Conall Kelly (Newcastle & District AC) in 2nd place in 4.39s and Joshua O’Donnell (Finn Valley Ac) in 3rd place in 4.40s. Finn Valley Ac won the team competition with 51 points, while Rosses AC claimed another 2nd place with 83 points and Armagh AC came 3rd with 125 points.

2019-evenxc-isamccarronu12girls.jpg

In the NI & Ulster U12 Girls event, Lagan Valley Ac’s Isa McCarron took 1st place in 5.13s, with Emer McKee (Willowfield Harriers) in 2nd place in 5.16s and Anna Russell (Olympian Youth & AC) in 3rd place in 5.29s. Willowfield Harriers comfortably won the team competition with 33 points, while Olympian Youth & AC came 2nd with 80 points and Letterkenny AC came 3rd with 84 points. In the County competition, it was County Down who took the led with 70 points, while Donegal took 2nd and Antrim took 3rd place.

Lagan Valley AC’s Scott Owen claimed the NI & Ulster title for the U12 Boys in 5.27s, with Luke McCausland (City of Lisburn AC) in 2nd in 5.31s and club mate, Ashton Cusick in 3rd place in 5.37s. North Down AC took the Team prize with 60 points, with Finn Valley AC in 2nd place in 68 points and Letterkenny AC in 3rd with 99 points. In the county competition, it was Co Antrim who won with 66 points, with Donegal in 2nd place and Co Down in 3rd place.

Ferne Duffy (Shercock AC) finished in 9.44s to claim the title in the U14 Girls race. In 2nd place was Anna Gardiner (East Down AC) in 9.49s and in 3rd place was Lucy Foster (Willowfield Harriers) in 9.49s. City of Lisburn AC took the Club competition with 58 points, while Willowfield Harriers came 2nd with 115 points and Cranford AC came 3rd with 137 points. The County title went to Co Down with 79 points, while Co Antrim came 2nd and Donegal came 3rd.

2019-evenxc-u14boys.jpg

In the U14 Boys event, it was a Monaghan Phoenix AC 1st and 2nd, with Tom Doherty in 1st place in 9.21s and Ben Warnock in 2nd place in 9.25s. In 3rd place was Finn Diver (St Malachy’s AC) who finished in 9.29s. Monaghan Phoenix AC took home the team prize with 45 points, with Willowfield Harriers in 2nd place with 63 points and Enniskillen Running Club in 3rd place with 85 points. In the county competition, Co Down took first place with 74 points, while Monaghan came 2nd and Donegal came 3rd.

2019-evenxc-u16girls.jpg

Loughview AC’s Catherine Martin came 1st in the U16 Girls event in a time of 13.22s, with Kirsti Foster (Willowfield Harriers) came 2nd in 13.25s and Lauren Madine (East Down AC) came 3rd in 13.53s. With a Co Down Top 3, it was no surprise that they took the County prize with only 35 points, leaving Donegal in 2nd place and Antrim in 3rd place. In the Club competition, it was Willowfield Harriers who reigned supreme with 56 points, while Loughview AC came 2nd with 84 points and North Down AC came 3rd with 91 points.

Mid Ulster AC’s Nicholas Griggs took 1st place in the U16 Boys event in a time of 12.15s, with Jack McCausland (City of Lisburn AC) in 2nd place in 12.17s and Pearse McBriaty (Beechmount Harriers) in 3rd place in 12.19s. In the Club competition, St Malachy’s AC came 1st with 62 points, while Willowfield Harriers came 2nd with 69 points and Annalee AC came 3rd with 97 points. Co Antrim took the lead in the County competition with 42 points, with Co Down in 2nd place and Derry/Londonderry in 3rd place.

In the U18 Girls event, Lagan Valley AC’s Rebecca Wallace came 1st in 16.23s to take the NI & Ulster title. Willowfield Harrier’s Hannah Gilliland came closely behind in 2nd place in 16.23s, with Aoife McGreevy (Lagan Valley AC) in 3rd place in 16.35s. Lagan Valley AC claimed 1st place in the club competition with 29 points, while North Down AC and Omagh Harriers both had 59 points, to take 2nd and 3rd place. Co Antrim claimed the top spot in the County competition with 61 points, with Co Down in 2nd place.

2019-evenxc-adamferrisu18boys.jpg

Adam Ferris (St Malachy’s College) finished in 16.18s to take 1st place in the U18 Boys event. In 2nd place was Sean McGinley (Olympian Youth & AC) who finished in 16.32s, while Beechmount Harriers’ James Gracey came 3rd in 16.36s. St Malachy’s College gained a total of 29 points to take the Club competition title, with Lagan Valley AC in 2nd place with 78 points and North Belfast Harriers in 3rd place with 101 points. Co Antrim claimed the County honours with only 30 points, while Donegal was 2nd and Co Down was 3rd.

 

NI & Ulster Novice Cross Country Championships

After an already exciting day of Junior Cross Country, it was now time for the hotly-contested Novice Competition. It was an exciting day for Dromore AC who won both the Women’s and the Men’s gold medals, as well as taking home the Team Competition title in the Men’s event.

2019-novice-niulsterchamps.jpg

In the ladies competition, Dromore AC’s Robyn McKee claimed 1st place after a fantastic finish in 16.14s. She was followed by Finn Valley AC duo, Leoni Mullen in 2nd place in 16.28s and Natasha Kelly in 3rd in 17.00s. The team from Finn Valley AC gained 11 points to take 1st place in the Women’s team competition, ahead of North Belfast Harriers in 2nd place with 37 points and Glaslough Harriers in 3rd place with 45 points.

2019-novice-finnvalleyladies.jpg

In the Men’s event, it was a Dromore AC top 2 with Russell White finishing in 19.01s and Daniel Dawson finishing in 19.15s. Lifford Strabane AC’s Alan McGinley rounded out the podium, finishing in 3rd place in a time of 19.41s. The team prize went to a victorious Dromore AC who totalled 22 points, while Finn Valley AC took 2nd place with 48 points and Foyle Valley AC came 3rd with 52 points.

2019-novice-dromoremen.jpg

Full results for the Even Age Groups and the Novice Championships can be found on our website: www.athleticsni.org/Results.

If you have any comments, suggestions or amendments to the press release, please email marketing@athleticsni.org with your feedback.