City's International Masters (left - right) Dermot Connolly, Shelagh Bodkin, Declan McCarthy, Gerry Lynch.

Diarmuid Grant bounced back to form with an excellent fifth place in the feature race at the Abbey Athletics Club cross country meeting at Jordanstown.

Troubled by injury for most of the Spring and Summer, the Buncrana-based student matched strides with the cream of the province’s top runners for most of the 7.5 kilometre distance around the UUJ playing fields.

The City of Derry athlete was in a breakaway group of five at the end of the first of the five laps.  However, he soon lost contact and looked to be slipping out of contention on the second lap. 

A determined rally on the third circuit saw the 21-year-old edge back in contention before picking up the pace on the run-in to gain his best placing for some time.

Ahead of him David McCarthy on one of his frequent north warmed up for Ireland’s European junior trial in two weeks time with a fourth placing just 17 seconds ahead of Grant.  

Upfront Annadale’s Paddy Hamilton took the honours from Thomas Frazer with another under 20 Paul Pollock back in third.

Maria Skelton got back to winning ways in romping home well clear in the women’s way with Ruth Gillespie taking second from Martina Hawkins.

The absence of the top masters on international duty in Dublin, Omagh Harrier’s Brendan Montague in fourth overall was the leading northwest finisher in the veterans’ race.  Montague was rewarded with the prize for first M50 as Matthew Wray scored his first victory in the grade. 

Meanwhile, local masters acquitted themselves well in the British and Irish Masters’ Cross Country International in Dublin. 

Letterkenny’s Pauric McKinney concluded a hectic 12 days in which he was first veteran across the line in the Dublin Marathon and took runner-up in the Donegal cross country championships by claiming the bronze medal on his debut in the M40 age group.

Kilfennan accountant was third Northern Ireland finisher in the same age group repeating his result in Croydon in 2004.

Sammy McAnaney and Dermot Connolly were second and third home for the province in the M45 grade but like NI’s M40s missed out on team medals.

Also out of the frame were the M60s despite Gerry Lynch having a fine run on his international baptism.  Jimmy Reid led home the north’s over 65s as did Shelagh Bodkin in the women’s F35 category.

Further afield national cross country champion Gary Murray had a fine run in Tilburg in Holland where he finished third in a race won by Moroccan Issa Dghoghi.  The St Peter’s, Creggan teacher was 14 seconds behind the winner with a time of 29 minutes 58 seconds. 

It was Murray’s first race of the winter season and augurs well for his prospects in the Inter-Counties Championships in Sligo a week on Sunday.