Clonliffe face battle to hold on to titles

ATHLETICS:CLONLIFFE HARRIERS get to host tomorrow's National Inter-Club Cross Country Championships in recognition of the club's 125th anniversary although it may not prove to be a winning celebration.

The Santry club are looking to defend both the men’s individual and team titles, and even with the considerable home support expected at the Santry Demesne Parkland, there will be a serious challenge in the form of Dundrum South Dublin (DSD).

Joe Sweeney will start as favourite for the senior men’s title, having already won the National Inter-Counties title in November. The Dundrum runner underlined his excellent form last Sunday week when winning the Groet Uit Schoorl 30km road race in Holland, clocking an impressive 1:34:04.

With Sweeney leading the way DSD will also be pressing hard for the senior men’s team title. Brendan O’Neill, who was part of the Irish men’s under-23 team that won gold at the European Cross Country in December, won’t be far off Sweeney’s heels and strong runs are also expected from Alan McCormack and the veteran Peter Mathews.

Although Clonliffe can still look to defending champion Mark Kenneally to lead their team challenge, along with Cian McLoughlin and Gary O’Hanlon, who both ran well at the recent European Club Cross Country in Milan.

The senior women’s race looks set to be dominated by Fionnuala Britton, who has maintain her excellent form indoors recently, having finished fourth in the European Cross Country. What is certain is that only the winners of the senior men’s and women’s title will be automatically selected for the World Cross Country Championships, which take place in Punta Umbria in Spain on March 20th. The days of sending full Irish teams to these championships are a thing of the past, although other individuals may be added if considered worthy of selection.

The racing gets underway tomorrow at 1pm with the junior women, following by the junior men (1:35pm), the senior women (2:10pm), and the senior men (2:45pm).

Meanwhile the Irish team for the European Indoor Championships in Paris next weekend has been increased by one, to eight, with Marian Heffernan now entered in the 400 metres.