Mayo AC master the conditions to win gold at Dundalk mud-fest
The Mayo AC team who took part in the National Cross-Country Championships in Dundalk. Left to right: Martina O’Connor, Angela O’Connor, Mags Glavey, Pauline Moran, Colette Tuohy and Eimear Fitzmaurice.
Athletics: Mayo AC’s women’s masters had a very successful trip to Dundalk on Sunday, where the National Intermediate and Masters Cross-Country Championships were held at the DKIT grounds.
Conditions were mucky and though the course 2k lap is generally flat, there were a number of treacle-like points. The fact that juvenile events with 634 finishers preceded the adult races contributed to the challenge. However, great running by Mayo AC’s over-50s masters team in the 4,000 metres race earned them club team gold medals and more.
The team’s 210 points saw them pip Raheny AC by nine points, with gritty finishes by Colette Tuohy (27th), Angela O’Connor (32nd), Pauline Moran (65th), and Mags Glavey (86th). As a bonus, the fab four represented Mayo in the County category and won bronze.
Three of the team also won individual medals, with Colette Tuohy taking bronze W55 in 19:24, Pauline Moran gold W65 in 21:25, and Mags Glavey gold W70 in 22:53. Angela O’Connor ran a close fourth to Colette in W55.
There was also an excellent run by Eimear Fitzmaurice who finished ninth in a competitive W40 category in 19:27.
In the Intermediate women’s race over 5,000m, Martina O’Connor ran an excellent race in the conditions to finish seveth overall in 23:36. The race winner was Finn Valley AC’s Amy Greene in 21:25.
It was a long day, travelling to Dundalk and back, but well rewarded, and Mayo AC and the county was brilliantly represented once again on the national stage.
