Ireland aiming to retain bronze

SΘamus Power will lead the Irish senior men's team in the European cross country championships at Thun in Switzerland on Sunday week. The team's aim will be to repeat the bronze medal performance achieved in Sweden a year ago.

Joining Power will be the four men who finished behind him in last Sunday's intercounty championships in Dungarvan, along with US-based Keith Kelly.

Runner-up Gareth Turnbull and fourth-placed Peter Mathews were, along with Power and Kelly, the scoring runners that captured bronze a year ago and their return suggests the Irish are well capable of again bringing home some hardware. Third in Dungarvan was Vinnie Mulvey, and the remaining spot goes to fellow Dubliner Robert Connolly, fifth man home last Sunday.

There is still some doubt, however, over the availability of Kelly, who is troubled by a nerve injury, and Cork's Martin McCarthy (sixth in Dungarvan) is named as a reserve runner.

The senior women, who are eager to improve on the sixth-place finish of a year ago, are also led by intercounty champion Anne Keenan-Buckley. Joining her will be the next two finishers in Dungarvan - Maria McCambridge and Valerie Vaughan - along with Rosemary Ryan, Una English and Breda Dennehy-Willis.

The junior teams struggled last time out but there are some top individuals heading for Switzerland. Martin Fagan of Mullingar, the clear winner of the junior title last Sunday, is capable of making a individual impression, and is joined by Waterford's William Harty and Robert Wade, Tristan Druet of Sligo and Peter Coary of Celbridge. Mark Christie of Mullingar comes up from the under-16 ranks to complete the team.

The junior women are headed by Wicklow's Fionualla Britton, along with the next four finishers in Dungarvan, as well as Dundrum's Hazel Murphy.