Cross country season in Tipperary finished with flurry of activity

Above: Dundrum AC runners at the County Masters Cross Country Championships in Fethard. From left, Isla Ryan, Michael Ryan, Catherine Fogarty, Jim Halley, Mairead Julian, Barry Hartnett, Karen Coughlan, Richard Bresnen and Dymphna Ryan. Emily Leahy was another club member who competed but is not in the picture

The County Tipperary 2024/2025 cross country season was finalised in Fethard, where the Under 23 and Master titles were decided.

Conditions were good and so spectators saw two great, competitive races.

First up were the County Masters and Under 23 women and the men over 65 over a 4k course that consisted of two laps.

Right from the start Dymphna Ryan of Dundrum AC went to the front and soon had the rest of the entry well spread out, with only Kealey Tideswell of Clonmel AC and Eileen McCullagh of Moyne AC in close attention.

Dymphna made every stride a winning one to come home a very worthy champion over 40 and thus retain her title in style.

Then we had Kealey Tideswell also running very well when winning the over 40 silver medal in second place and she was followed home by Eileen Ely, who won the over 40 bronze medal in third place.

The other award winners were as follows: first 0/35 Marina Quinlan Clonmel AC, second 0/35 Lisa Quinlan Moyne AC, third 0/35 Carol Molloy Fethard AC, first 0/45 Catherine Fogarty Dundrum AC, second 0/45 Suzanne Shine Clonmel AC, third 0/45 Edel Roche Fethard AC, first 0/50 Angela McCann Clonmel AC, second 0/50 Sareen Walsh Clonmel AC, third 0/50 Mairead Julian Dundrum AC, first 0/55 Martina Ryan Thurles Crokes AC, second 0/55 Isobel Minogue Fethard AC, third 0/55 Siobhan Maher Fethard AC, first 0/60 Esme Alexander Coolquill AC and second 0/60 Lorraine Frances Fethard AC.

In the Inter Club competition the Clonmel team of Kealey Tideswell, Carmel Fitzgibbon and Suzanne Shine won the gold medals.

The Dundrum AC trio of Dymphna Ryan, Catherine Fogarty and Karen Coughlan won the silver medals.

The bronze medals were won by the Clonmel trio of Angela McCann, Marina Quinlan and Sareen Walsh.

In the over 45 team championships, the gold medals were won by the Clonmel team of Suzanne, Angela and Sareen.

The Thurles Crokes team of Deniece Touhy, Martina Ryan and Regina Dorney won the silver medals.

The host club team of Edel Roche, Aine Doocey and Deirdre Royce won the bronze medals.

This race also incorporated the under 23 championships and here Fethard AC made a complete sweep of the awards with gold going to Alison Connolly, the silver medal to Isobel Maher and bronze to Eabha Ryan. These three athletes combined to win the team event and gold medals.

The race also incorporated the Men over 65 Championships.

Here Jim St John of Clonmel AC made every step a winning one to win the over 65 gold medal, with Matthew Fleming of Fethard AC winning the silver medal and Billy Prout Fethard AC winning the bronze medal.

Then we had two stalwarts of the sport still enjoying the scene, with Matt Alexander of Coolquill AC winning the over 70 title and Myles McHugh of Clonmel AC winning the over 80 title.

The next race was the 7,000m race for Master men over 35 and Men under 23, consisting of four laps. Right from the start three athletes dictated the pace and it soon became clear that the winner would emerge from this group.

The group consisted of Dermot Gorman Carrick-on- Suir AC, Barry Hartnett of Dundrum AC and Emmet McNamara of Fethard AC. For most of the race Barry was setting the pace but he could never shake off his two challengers, try as he might.

Going out on the final lap they were still together with very little separating them. As they emerged from the forest with 300 metres to go, Emmet went clear and he held on to win a great race and the over 35 county title.

Then we had Dermot Gorman finishing second and winning the county over 40 title, with Barry winning the over 40 silver medal. It was great running by these three athletes.

The other award winners were as follows: second 0/35 Christopher Aylward Clonmel AC, third 0/35 Joey Feery Clonmel AC, third 0/40 was John Fitzgibbon of Thurles Crokes and it is great to see John back competing well after his lengthy lay off.

First 0/45 Denis McCullagh Thurles Crokes, second 0/45 James Maher Fethard AC, third 0/45 Patrick Roche Carrick-on-Suir AC, first 0/50 Patrick Davoren Clonmel AC, second 0/50 John Russell Thurles Crokes AC, third 0/50 Gerard Hanley Mooreabbey Milers AC, first 0/55 Eugene O’Keeffe Carrick-on-Suir AC, second 0/55 Tom Blackburn Mooreabbey Milers AC, third 0/55 Conor Fleming Clonmel AC, first 0/60 Fintan Rice Fethard AC, second 0/60 Willie O’Donoghue Mooreabbey Milers AC and third 0/60 Tommy Moloney Thurles Crokes AC.

In the over 35 club event the Clonmel team of Christopher Aylward, Patrick Davoren, Joey Feery and Trevor Whelan won the gold medals.

The Thurles Crokes team of John Fitzgibbon, Denis McCullagh, John Russell and Liam McCullagh won the silver medals.

The Fethard AC team of Emmet McNamara, James Maher, Fintan Rice and James Denn won the bronze medals.

In the over 50 team event the gold medals were won by the Mooreabbey Milers team of Ger Hanley, Tom Blackburn and Willie O’ Donoghue.

The Clonmel team of Patrick Davoren, Conor Fleming and Sean O’Dea won the silver medals. The Fethard team of Fintan Rice, Neilie Hall and John Hurley won the bronze medals.

This race also incorporated the County Under 23 Championships and here Dylan McLoughlin came home a very worthy winner.

At the presentation of the awards, John Moore thanked Fethard AC for having everything in place for a great promotion of the sport.

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He also thanked the clubs for supporting these championships. The awards were presented by former County Chairman, Leslie Smyth.