Michelle Lennon Leitrim's only medalist in superb Drumshanbo cross-country finals

Carrick AC’s Michelle Lannon was Leitrim’s only medalist from a superbly organised Connacht Athletics Even Ages Cross-country Championships held in Drumshanbo last Sunday.

There were excellent runs from North Leitrim AC’s Sarah Mulvaney Kelly and Ballinamore AC’s Sean Flynn as both were the only individual athletes from the county to qualify for the National Juvenile Cross country championships in Donegal later this month.

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Parking plan in place as spectators & competitors urged to follow signage to designated car parking

With the heavy rains of the past four weeks reducing much of the country's fields to sodden mess, Drumshanbo's course stood up remarkably well and many hailed the course as a return to a “true” cross-country course as much a test of stamina as of willpower.

 Conditions were difficult, particularly on the course's one hill but displaying the famed resilience of cross country runners, athletes tackled the course with real enthusiasm as Leitrim hosted the event in the county itself for the first time in nine years.

 Spearheaded by Drumshanbo AC and the Leitrim Athletics Board, the organisation of the event which attracted over 500 entries won universal praise from all around the province and went off smoothly despite the terrible weather of recent weeks.

Leitrim's only medal winner was Michelle Lannon who finished second in the combined Senior, Masters and Novice Women's race. Longford's Fiona Gethings  was first across the line while Drumshanbo resident and Ukrainian national Valeria Petrova, running in the colours of North Sligo AC, finished 9th overall. North Leitrim's Susanne O'Beirne finished 19th overall and first novice.

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Sarah Mulvaney Kelly turned in an excellent performances to finish fifth in the U14 Girls race and was actually challenging for most of the race for the bronze medal. Ballinamore’s Niamh Ahern (34th) and Drumshanbo AC’s Emily McNamara (45th), Katie McNamara (47th) and Maeve Hopkins (49th) were Leitrim’s other finishers in this race.

In the U14 boys race, Sean Flynn of Ballinamore AC produced a superb run to finish eighth to qualify for the nationals. North Leitrim trio Karl Casey (19th), Scott Williams (28th) and Ian Harkin (32nd) and Drumshanbo’s John Esteban (39th) also completed the tough race.

The U12 boys race saw the largest number of Leitrim competitors with Ballinamore AC finishing fourth in the team race just ahead of Drumshanbo. Ballinamore’s tally of 126 points saw them grab the final qualifying place for the All-Ireland just ahead of Drumshanbo’s 142 points.

Ballinamore’s Brian Ahern was the top finisher in 22nd but he was quickly followed across the line by Drumshanbo AC duo Cillian Nolan and Daniel O’Rourke in 23rd and 24th. Ballinamore’s strength in depth saw David Townsend (32nd), James Dillon (33rd) and Padraig Guckian (39th) complete the scoring four.

North Leitrim AC’s Keilan Carroll broke up the Ballinamore sequence in 38th spot with Ballinamore’s Mark Conefrey 44th, Drumshanbo’s Turloch McGrail and Glen Gilrane 45th and 50th. North Leitrim’s Zac Ruffini was 55th, Drumshanbo’s Joe Regan and Darragh McGourty 56th & 57th and North Leitrim’s Owen Bresch 60th.

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In the U12 Girls race, North Leitrim’s Faye Winters finished 43rd with Ballinamore’s Maria Prior 54th. In the U16 Girls race, Karen Mulvaney Kelly finished 15th with Drumshanbo’s Aoife Gillard in 27th while Setanta Glesson of Ballinamore AC finished 22nd in the U16 boys event.

In the Senior Men’s race, Michael Keane finished just one place ahead of his Carrick AC teammate Ken Kennedy in 41st with North Leitrim’s Ronan McManus in 44th place and Michael Duignan in 49th.

Next weekend, the action moves to Roscommon racecourse for the Connacht Odd Ages Cross-country Championships. The races start at 12 noon