Kenneally finally goes one better
Mark Kenneally
Mark Keneally broke his silver Duck at this weekend’s Irish National Senior/Junior XC and led his team Clonliffe to another title in this year’s Irish cross-country season. The Clonliffe man took the expected win by 14 seconds from Galway’s Gary Thornton…
The smile on Mark Kenneally’s face said it all after winning the Woodie’s DIY senior race at the inter club cross country championships at the Phoenix Park today. The Clonliffe Harriers man took the lead shortly after the start of the six lap race and cruised to a comfortable win. His coach Mark Carroll advised he stay back but he felt comfortable in the lead and decided to lead from early on…There was a great scrap for second with Gary Thornton from Galway City Harriers just getting the better of Gary Murray from St. Malachy’s.
John Heneghan
There was controversy as the Junior ladies winner Siofra Clerigh Buttner had to be disqualified on age grounds (she was one year too old). The Senior women’s was more straightforward as Linda Byrne, DSD, came home with a minute and a bit of change to spare on Siobhan O’Doherty, Borrisokane, and Anette Kealy, Raheny Shamrocks. As in the men’s the winner found herself on the winning team as DSD held off North Belfast and Dublin rivals Sportsworld in a close contest.
There were many notable performances from the hill running community, Gerry Brady, IMRA’s High Performance Reports, reports
Last race of the day was the senior men. John Heneghan who was 68th in the 2009 World Mountain Running Championships came around in the first half dozen at the end of the first of six laps. From lap 2 onwards he ran in a group of around eight runners with Brian MacMahon (Clonliffe) chasing. This group splintered over the last few laps but John held on well and Brian finished strongly for both to finish on the winning Clonliffe team. Philip Kilgallon (Sportsworld), Jason Kehoe (Crusaders), Richard Healy (Crusaders), Niall Coppinger (Tallaght) and Desie Shorten (Tallaght) all completed what is traditionally one of the most competitive and gruelling cross-country races on the calendar.
