Seamus Power's emergence from the problems which ensnared him in the second half of last season was accelerated in another superb win in the National Inter-counties Cross Country championship at Carrignavar, Co Cork yesterday.

It was Power's fifth consecutive success in the championship and, in the circumstances, almost certainly the sweetest. Now, it's full steam ahead to the European Championships in Slovenia next month.

Rosemary Ryan, from Bilboa, Limerick, made it a Munster double by running away from her rivals and claiming her first national senior championship success in the women's race.

Dublin ended a long sequence of disappointing results by reversing the placings with Donegal and Cork to win the women's team race but remarkably surrendered the equivalent men's title for the first time in 12 years to Antrim.

Antrim's first victory testified to the growing impact of northern athletes on the national scene and, in particular, to some imposing running by Gareth Turnbull, Dermot Donnelly and John Ferrin over terrain which invited heroics.

All three ran with impressive authority to book their places in the European Championship squad and no less than Martin McCarthy (Cork) and Dublin's Peter Matthews ensured that this was probably the most competitive race in the history of the championship. It is, however, a measure of the quality of Power's run that in spite of the threats erupting all around him, he never lost his composure and over the final 1,000 metres of the 10 kilometres journey he was running at a different pace to everybody else.

"It doesn't get any easier with practice but yes, this had to be one of the most fulfilling of all my wins," he said. "There was a lot of depth in the field today and with so many good athletes coming through, that adds up to pressure."

On his ill-fated debut in the Dublin marathon 12 months ago, he said: "It's taken me a long time to get the effects of that race out of my system but I think I showed today that I've finally succeeded."

At different times, Matthews, McCarthy and Donnelly tested Power's character. In each instance, however, the response was positive and eventually he had 18 seconds to spare over the Cork champion when crossing the line in 31 mins 17 secs. Matthews was timed at 31.41 in third place.

"I came down to look over the course last Monday and settled on the spot where I would start my finishing run," McCarthy said. "I tried to put that homework into effect but I'm afraid it was no use. Seamus was just too strong for me on the day."

Rosemary Ryan came to the championships with the reputation of being an athlete in form and, as it transpired, she had the title in safe keeping from a long way out. Now studying at the University of Limerick after graduating from Boston University last year, Ryan served notice of her form when finishing an impressive third behind Sonia O'Sullivan in the Loughrea road race and then took on all the leading names in British long distance running, with the exception of Paula Radcliffe, to win at Birmingham.

That kind of form was impressive and after running at the shoulder of Anne Keenan Buckley in the early stages of the five kilometres race, she quickly took control to win by 28 seconds in a time of 17 mins, 17 seconds. Dublin's Niamh Beirne enjoyed another good run to finish third in 18.10.

Joseph McAllister of St Malachy's College, Belfast hinted at another big career in the making when putting in an irresistible late run to beat the defending champion Gerry Murray in the men's junior race. Dubliner Aoife Hazel Byrne also finished strongly to take the corresponding women's title.