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14th
December 2011
National Novice Success For Male Spartans And Derry County
Squad
The local mens squad at the weekend National
Novice cross country championships in Kildare, produced a
magnificient collective performance to come away with a brace
of medals as the City of Derry Spartans team claimed club
silver and boosted by their Foyle Valley neighbours, the Derry
lads stormed to Inter County bronze behind the powerul Dublin
and Cork selections.
In a top quality 6K which had an impressive
253 finishers,the Spartans Connor Bradley 6th, JP Williamson
20th, Noel Logan 38th and Cathal Logue 62nd, ran themselves
to near exhaustion to grab inter club silver team medals behind
a terriific St Malachys Belast quartet and ahead of Dublins
Clonliffe Harriers as a total of 32 club teams finished an
absorbing race. The same quartet were joined by Foyle Valley
star Scott Rankin 45th and fellow Spartan Pajo Hamilton 84th
to add inter county team bronze, nipping Clare by just four
points as sixteen counties finished with the requisite six
scorers.
Led from the front by Connor Bradley who may have felt somewhat
disappointed at not getting a serious shot at an individual
medal, the local lads strained every nerve and sinew on the
testing four lap course and richly deserved their reward.
Connor missed a crucial early five man break which saw eventual
winner and runner up Eoin Everard of Kilkenny City Harriers
and St Malachys Kevin Seward carve out the vital gap which
took them on to the top two spots. After dropping to 10th
place the Spartan found a late flourish and stormed up to
a important 6th place finish to light the spark for the supporting
Derry runners.
Teenager JP Williamson started conservately but as the race
progressed the Waterside lad picked his way through the large
field to finish an outstanding 20th; Noel Logan showed his
fine run last weekend in Ballyclare was no one off with a
brilliant effort for 38th and Cathal Logue hung in tenaciously
for the entire distance,finishing strongly for 62nd to complete
the silver medal Spartans quartet.
In the six to score inter county contest Scott Rankin stepped
up significantly on last week in Ballyclare and chased Noel
Logan home for 45th while the County Derry team bronze medals
were guaranted by a battling 84th place inish from Pajo Hamilton
who claimed his first ever non track National medal with a
determined run.
The other non scoring local finishers were Chris McGuinness
105th, Cathal McLaughlin 119th and Eoghan Furey in 145th.
A marvellous collective effort from the full squad as they
exceeded pre race medal expectations and proudly flew the
flag for athletics in the North West.
Ladies Out Of Luck
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An equally competitive Womens 3K championship saw the female
Spartans finish a creditible 7th of 16 club teams with Catherine
Lilburn in 26th overeall the leading local finisher. With
Foyle Valleys impressive Dolores Quinn a close up 28th, the
county team did very well for a 6th place finish behind Dublin,
Galway, Kildare, Donegal and Cork. Missing the input of Marina
Campbell probably cost the Derry women county bronze medals
although there still is an outstanding query regarding the
possibility of "B" grade medals.
Catherine Lilburn had her best ever cross country performance
and with Dolores Quinn in close attendance the pair of them
fronted the Derry challange impressively in their irst shot
at this level. They both finished strongly and were well worth
their high placings in a good quality race whish saw over
150 finishers. Jackie McGinley also impressed for 46th as
did Sarah Mahon in 74th and this quartet comprised the scoring
Derry county squad. A brave run for 112th from Ciara Fraser
closed in the Spartans scorers and Paula McGilloway and Una
Gavin were the other locals in action.
Photos from Dara here
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