At the National Uneven Age Groups cross country championships at Dungarvan Donore Harriers sensation Louis O’Loughlin stamped his authority all over the Boys under 15s over a distance of 3.5km. Once he took the lead at the 500 metres point there was no catching him! The slightly undulating and mud-laden course did not hamper O’Loughlin’s front running style. Over the remaining 3 kilometres the Moyle Park student continually stretched out his lead – and speeding up on the run in to the finish he won by a margin of about 80 metres.

This was O’Loughlin’s 4^th individual national victory in 2015 having also won the Minor Boys Schools cross country title as well as the 800m and 1500m track championships in his age group.

Fathi Aden made it a One-Two for Donore Harriers. Last year’s under 14s champion ran a smart race! After a conservative opening kilometres he steadily worked his way through the field. Aden was 24^th after 500 metres and 12^th at the end of the first 1.5km lap. On the second longer 2km lap he maintained his aggressive form and advanced to 2^nd position with 500 metres remaining. In the later stages of the race he held off the gallant challenge of Tim Scott of Lagan Valley AC to create a piece of history for the Donore club. The exploits of team-mates and best friends O’Loughlin and Aden was the first time that the club had the top two finishers in a national juvenile cross country championship.

O’Loughlin and Aden were also the 1^st and 2^nd scorers on the Dublin team that won the Inter-County team title. Dublin finished on 89 points, with Cork (182) in 2^nd and Antrim (198) in 3^rd.

There were also county gold medals for Lucy McCann and Suzanne Masterson in the Girls under 17s race held over 4 kilometres. They finished as 5^th and 6^th scorers on the Dublin team that won on 92 points ahead of Wicklow (130) and Cork (142). McCann got badly hampered at the start of the race, but then picked her way up the field to place a very fine 21^stoverall. An improving Masterson, a late replacement on the Dublin team, ran her best race to date. She also gained several places over the second half of the race to finish in 33^rd position. Indeed, she may have finished a little higher up the field had she not got badly boxed in going around the final bend. A very encouraging performance nevertheless!

Eliza NiThighearnaigh placed 42^nd and as the 7^th Dublin scorer was outside of the medals. Sekeriye Ahmed was also outside the county medals when he placed 46^th in the Boys under 17s race over 5 kilometres. Ahmed, who was stepping up an age group, was the 8^th home on the winning Dublin team.

Good team packing saw the Donore Harriers men’s team win bronze medals in the National Novice cross country championships also at Dungarvan. Arguably the most competitive and exciting race on the Irish cross country calendar the ‘Novice’ is always keenly contested and this year’s race was no different! Clubs from all corners of Ireland earmark this ‘development’ race as their primary target in the cross country season. Donore won the title in 2013 and missed out on retaining the title by just one point last year.

The cause for 2015 was not helped by having so many athletes barred from entry under the competition rules. Without a finisher in the top 20 the chances of Donore winning team medals probably seemed forlorn! But a team is only as strong as its 4^th and final scoring runner! So whilst the team filed home athletes in 23^rd, 27^th and 36^th positions it was the well-paced race by the 4^th and final scoring man Emmet O’Briain in 44^th place that proved crucial on the day.

At the front of the race Stephen Lawlor (19.54) of St. Abbans AC pegged back a 30 metres lead over the final kilometres to relegate Patrick Roche (19.56) of Naas AC to 2^nd. The first home for Donore was debutante Mael Lambert (20.50) in 23^rdspot. M40 athlete Niall Lynch (20.56) produced a fine race to place 27^th, whilst the ever consistent Ciaran McCarthy (21.06) came 36^th. Behind them O’Briain was gaining places over the last of 3 two-kilometre laps and in the process put the team into the bronze medal position.

The remaining ‘A’ team scorers were: – Aogan MacDomhnaill (21.36) in 58^th, Fergal Whitty (21.53) in 75^th, Sam Allen (22.16) in 98^th & Patrick Byrne (23.38) in 165^th.

Donore Harriers also fielded a ‘B’ team that placed 18^th of 24. The scorers were: – Frederico Camponetti (21.45) who placed 66^th on his debut, Des Tremble (22.24) in 108^th, Rossa  Hurley (22.43) in 128^th and Antonin Fouret (23.04) in 145^th. Andrew Wilson M40 (23.19) in 156^th and Paul Cummins (23.39) in 168^th were the non-scoring ‘B’ runners among a field of 211 finishers.

Ciaran McCarthy was the 4^th scorer on the Dublin team that won bronze medals in the Novice inter-country championship.

In the women’s race over 4km Karla Doran (16.06) put in another strong performance running in her third championship race within 15 days. Doran held 5^th position through the opening 2km lap, but race fatigue finally told in the second lap as she was passed by two DSD AC athletes. Nevertheless she held on with great determination to hold 7^th place across the finish line. She led home the Dublin team (76) in the novice inter-county championship that placed 2^nd behind Cork (36) and narrowly ahead of Meath (83).

Unfortunately Donore Harriers finished just out of the team medals in 4^th place. Youghal AC (87), who were led home by race winner Aoife Cooke (15.08), won the team prize by two points ahead of DSD AC. Then came Galway City Harriers on 104 with Donore Harriers on 116. The team was completed by Kim Hickey (17.01) in 28^th, Ashling Swaine (17.12) in 34^thand Emer Rattigan (17.38) in 47^th.

The 25^th edition of the Donore Harriers annual Jingle Bells race was one of the few events that survived ‘Storm Desmond’ on Saturday morning! Indeed, it is testimony to the organizers and competitors that almost one thousand keen runners crossed the finish line amid a warm, festive spirit despite the strong blustery winds and rain!

A special mention must go to Drogheda & District AC who had 165 runners take part. As one Donore commentator said: “They must have emptied out the town to come and support our race”. The Drogheda club used the Jingle Bells race as a primary target for their ‘Couch to 5k’ programme. They certainly brought colour (red, red and more red) and a sense of camaraderie to the Jingle Bells!

The men’s race was won by John Travers (14.44) from the host club with Kevin Maunsell (14.55) of Clonmel AC in 2^nd and Andrew Connick (15.09) of Ferrybank AC in 3^rd. Donore Harriers won the team event as Travers was well supported by Ray Hynes (15.17) in 6^th and Daragh Fitzgibbon (15.26 PB) in 11^th.

The women’s competition also had a high quality field with 3 Irish internationals occupying the top 3 places. Ciara Mageean (16.16) of UCD AC was the first woman home in 18^th place – and was closely followed by Laura Crowe (16.22) of An Riocht AC in 20^th and Mary Cullen (16.26) of North Sligo in 22^nd.

Donore won the women’s team prize with twins Ide & Sorcha NicDhomhnaill recording times of 18.08 and 18.11 respectively. The 3^rd scorer on the team was junior athlete Niamh O’Neill who recorded a time of 20.57.

Other club runners included: – Michael Gibbs u/18 (17.59), George Brady M35 (20.20), Joe Murphy (20.21), Paul O’Neill u/18 (20.47), Daniel Brady u/17 (21.50), Leonie Barry (27.31), Elena Gaina u/16 (29.45) & Darren Kinsella (31.16).

Results in brief  

National Novice Cross Country Championships at St. Augustine’s College in Dungarvan (6/12/15):

Novice Women 4km: - 7^th Karla Doran (16.06), 28^th Kim Hickey (17.01), 34^th Ashling Swaine (17.12), 47^th Emer Rattigan (17.38). 89 finishers.

TEAM: - 1. Youghal AC (87), 2^nd DSD AC (89), 4. Galway City Harriers (104) 4. Donore Harriers <Doran, Hickey, Swaine, Rattigan> (116). 11 teams closed.

COUNTY TEAM: 1. Cork (38), 2. Dublin <inc. Doran> (76), 3. Meath (83).

Novice Men 6km: - 23^rd Mael Lambert debut (20.50), 27^th Niall Lynch M40 (20.56), 36^th Ciaran McCarthy M35 (21.06), 44^th Emmet O’Briain M35 (21.19), 58^th Aogan McDomhnaill (21.36), 66^th Frederico Camponetti debut (21.45), 75^th Fergal Whitty M35 (21.53), 98^th Sam Allen (22.16), 108^th Des Tremble M35 (22.24), 128^th Rossa Hurley (22.43), 145^th Antonin Fouret debut (23.04), 156^th Andrew Wilson M40 (23.19), 165^th Patrick Byrne (23.38), 168^th Paul Cummins (23.39). 211 finishers.

TEAM: 1. Ennis Track (45), 2. St. Abban’s AC (123), 3. Donore Harriers ‘A’ <Lambert, Lynch, McCarthy & O’Briain> (130), 18. Donore Harriers ‘B’ <Camponetti, Tremble, Hurley & Fouret>. 24 teams closed.

COUNTY TEAM: 1. Laois (179), 2. Clare (197), 3. Dublin <inc. McCarthy> (214)

25^th Jingle Bells 5km road race at Phoenix Park (5/12/15): MEN: 1^st John Travers (14.44), 2^nd Kevin Maunsell – Clonmel AC (14.55), 3^rd Andrew Connick – Ferrybank AC (15.09), 6^th Ray Hynes (15.17), 11^th Daragh Fitzgibbon (15.26 PB).

TEAM: 1. Donore Harriers <Travers, Hynes, Fitzgibbon>

WOMEN: 1^st Ciara Mageean – UCD AC (16.16), 2^nd Laura Crowe – An Riocht AC (16.22), 3^rd Mary Cullen – North Sligo (16.26).

TEAM: 1. Donore Harriers <Ide NicDhomhnaill (18.08), Sorcha NicDhomhnaill (18.11), Niamh O’Neill (20.57)>

Other results: – Michael Gibbs u/18 (17.59), George Brady M35 (20.20), Joe Murphy (20.21), Paul O’Neill u/18 (20.47), Daniel Brady u/17 (21.50), Leonie Barry (27.31), Elena Gaina u/16 (29.45) & Darren Kinsella (31.16).

Juvenile Results

National Juvenile Uneven Age Groups XC Championships at Dungarvan (6/12/15): Under 15 Boys 3.5km – 1^st Louis O’Loughlin; 2^nd Fathi Aden

COUNTY TEAM: 1. Dublin <inc O’Loughlin & Aden> (89), 2. Cork (182), 3. Antrim (198)

Under 17 Girls 4km – 21^st Lucy McCann, 33^rd Suzanne Masterson, 42^nd Eliza NiThighearnaigh