Kilkenny Harriers scoop senior cross crown
A chilly, but sun-drenched, Kilmacow was the venue for the county intermediate cross-country championships on Sunday.
These races were the final deciders for the 2023 overall best senior cross-country club in the county.
Kilkenny City Harriers (KCH) emerged as the overall winners in what has been a very competitive season of cross-country running. The Harriers were the victors in the intermediate women’s and men’s team titles. On an individual front, the men’s intermediate title went to Gearoid Long (St Senan’s) while Claire Dermody (KCH) was the women’s winner.
Dermody takes gold
Like the novice, participation in the intermediate championships is determined on the basis of eligibility. Previous winners of the intermediate county or being in the top three or on a winning team at the county senior (and in the top eight finishers) are not eligible. Finishing in the top three in the Leinster or All-Ireland seniors also deems an athlete ineligible. With Kilkenny’s excellent cross-country record, this can often mean that the numbers participating in the county competitions are low.
However, this year there were excellent numbers, with 19 athletes taking to the starting line for the women’s race.
Thomastown reacted quickly to the starting whistle, hitting the second field with four of their athletes in the top five. Once the pace settled down, the leading trio were Joanne Fitzpatrick (Thomastown) and the KCH pair of Claire Dermody and Grainne Behan. Behind this trio, Ruth Kennedy (Gowran) was within contention.
Down the hill for the first time, it was Joanne Fitzpatrick who emerged as the leader, with the KCH duo tucked closely behind.
Fitzpatrick maintained her lead as the athletes entered their second and final lap of the 3,000m race. However, it was on this lap that the lead changed hands. With 700 metres to go, entering the downhill zone, Claire Dermody (KCH) passed Fitzpatrick.
Susan Lanigan in action for St Joseph’s AC
At the finish it was Dermody from Behan with Fitzpatrick taking the bronze. Ruth Kennedy finished fourth. This was a welcome return to championship racing for the Gowran AC athlete after a two-year hiatus from running. Kennedy had a tremendous 2021 season, taking the Leinster under-23 title. Kilkenny City Harriers were the winners with 19 points from Thomastown in second with 24 points.
Long wins title
Gearoid Long (St Senan’s) took the intermediate men’s 8,000m title. Competing in his longest ever cross-country race, Long was in the leading trio for the entire race.
Like the women’s race, numbers were up in the men’s event this year, with 37 athletes taking part. Teams from Kings River, KCH, Gowran, Thomastown, St Joseph’s and St Senan’s were competing for club titles.
It was Michael O’Shea (Thomastown) who was the first out from the starting line. He quickly took command of the race, leading the 37-strong field for the first three of the five laps. Behind him Gearoid Long and Gowran AC’s Joe Keohane were covering every move. All three remained comfortable with the front running.
O’Shea took up running just a few years ago and in 2023 he landed the junior county title and finished third in the novice.
Long, on the other hand, has been running throughout his juvenile years and competes in the same age category as O’Shea.
For Long’s part he finished ninth in the national cross-country under-18 race back in 2022 and was second in the 3,000m under-18 track race in the same year. Keohane is a senior athlete and former soccer player, who has decided to concentrate on athletics.
The Kilkenny City Harriers first and second men’s teams took gold and silver in the team event
Kilkenny City Harriers had the numbers – 10 athletes taking part. With numbers like this, they had the ability to field two teams. Despite not featuring in the top three individuals, the city club took first and second team and were led home by Graham Bourne in fourth place.
A veteran, Bourne has had a great season running marathons, cross country and even taking part in race-walking. Similar to Ruth Kennedy in the women’s race Bourne was fourth right throughout the race, unchallenged. He was followed in fifth place by Andrew Smith, Shay Roddy was seventh and Paul Bolger eighth. With the Harriers finishing first and second Thomastown finished third.
Best senior club
Each year athletes compete for the title of the best cross-country club in the county. The senior club award is determined by the team section in the juniors, seniors, masters, novice and intermediate categories over both women’s and men’s races. Past years have seen St Joseph’s and Gowran battle for top honours.
Winning a county senior does not guarantee the club emerging as the best overall club. Take St Senan’s, they once again took the women’s title but were not in the running for the top three overall clubs, lack of participation in some races being the root cause.
KCH has had a phenomenal year and to take the overall club title at county level is probably as justified as it is fitting. With club wins at the men’s national senior cross-country and the women’s junior national cross-country, the city club has been on a cross-country high. Graham Bourne has done a great job of rallying the troops to ensure participation at many of the races.
St Joseph’s AC as usual provided the post-race refreshments with KCH reciprocating on this occasion. A friendly banter between all clubs rounding off a great cross-country year.