Two Donegal men took titles at the National Cross Country Championships in Tramore on Sunday.
Cranford AC’s Caolan McFadden impressed in the U19 Boys race as he won the 5km race by six seconds ahead of Cillian Gleeson (Celbridge AC).
Sean McGinley was a worthy winner of the Novice title, finishing the 6km course in a time of 18:46 and the Finn Valley athlete was 18 seconds clear of Oisin Murray of An Riocht AC.
Speaking after his race to Athletics Ireland, McGinley said: “It feels good. I didn’t know what shape I was in coming into it. The first few races this season, Intervarsity’s and National Seniors two weeks ago, didn’t go great because the fitness wasn’t there. I started the season a bit late just with injuries. To come out with the win is the ideal result, I’m delighted with it.
“I felt really good. The course probably suited me. Coming up before the last lap I put my foot down a wee bit, opened a few metres and going into the downhill let myself go. I opened up a gap and just kept pushing from there, luckily it didn’t come back to bite me.”
That win was the highlight of the day for Finn Valley AC, who had a couple of runners-up finishes.
Odhran McBrearty finished second in the U17 Boys 4,500m race, six seconds behind Harry McKenzie of Enniskillen Running Club, while Zack McKinley was just three seconds behind Leevale AC’s Auden Bambury in the U11 Boys 1,500m.
McKinley helped his side to a team bronze however, while Finn Valley’s U11 Girls, U15 Girls and U19 Boys all took bronze medals in the team section.
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