Athenry Men's Team Minus The Photographer James Lundon

The Galway men’s senior, intermediate, novice and masters cross country championships took place yesterday in Tuam and all were decided as part of a single race. This innovation along with a superly laid-out course in the heart of Tuam went towards ensuring this was one of the most successful Galway cross country championships in years. Almost sixty athletes had pre-entered for the event and approximately fifty actually started on the day. This represents quite an increase in participation over previous years.

At the front of the pack, reigning national short-course cross country champion Paul McNamara of Athenry AC struck the front right from the off and won well. This was the Athenry native’s season opener over the ‘country’ and this run shows great promise for his remaining races. Paul led for the entirety of the six and a half hilly laps of the venue and came home well clear of Robert Malseed of Clonliffe Harriers. Robert was one of a number of athletes who took advantage of the fact that the race was made open this year to athletes from outside the county, yet another welcome change. Second home in the Galway Senior Championship was Ruaidhri Geraghty and Ian Egan filled the medal positions in third place.

In the team event Paul led his Athenry comrades home to their first senior men’s team win in many, many years. Athenry turned out a large contingent at the race and grouped well at the front of the pack behind Paul and just pipped GCH and Loughrea to the silver and bronze medal positions respectively.

Jason Broderick of Loughrea took junior honours on the day with another display of strong running and he led his Loughrea colleagues home on the day. Jason will surely have plans to run well at regional and national level later in the year. This Gerry Kiernan trained athlete shows fantastic promise and continues to improve year on year.

Athenry’s own rising star Brian O’Connor managed a remarkable double in taking both the county novice and intermediate championships in his first ever cross country race. After a conservative start Brian pressed on bravely from halfway in chase of the leaders but found the gaps hard to close. Brian has pursued a busy programme of races over recent weeks and will be a force to be recokened with if he can remain injury free into the rest of the season. Our own web-master, Alan Burke, annexed the bronze medal position in the novice championship, getting perhaps the loudest cheer of the day at the presentation ceremony –well done Alan!

The home club, Tuam AC produced one of the finest runs on the day. The redoubtable Tommy Joe Whyte ran an inspired race to slice through the field finishing high up on the order of merit and win the master's division. Tommy never seemed to slacken his pace as he passed runner after runner following a relatively conservative start over the tough Tuam course. The seemingly ageless Tuam veteran turned in a performance of real quality on the day and gave the many locals who turned out to spectate something to really cheer about.

Runner-up in the master’s championship on the day was Martin Corcoran of Loughrea, who although clearly not fully fit ran strongly. Martin ran some superb races across the country last year and hopefully this race marks a return to some sort of fitness ahead of regional and national championships.

In the women's senior race AM Hynes-Myskell of Galway City Harriers was first across the line. The Barnaderg runner came home ahead of Sile Burke of Portumna AC with Bernie Kelly of GCH in the bronze medal position. Tuam AC took home the women's team title while Andrea Ridge from the same club was the Women's novice County champion for 2006 and Anne Burke of Ballinasloe & District AC took the Women's masters championship.

On a final note, the congratulations and thanks of all the athletes must go to the County Board for a superbly organised race. The organisation was flawless and the many innovations introduced this year added greatly to the success of the event. Without exception the commentary from athletes, officials and spectators after the races was of one of the most enjoyable senior events in the county for years.

Senior Men - 1. P. McNamara Athenry, 2. R. Geraghty GCH, 3. I Egan GCH

Team - 1. Athenry 29 pts (1,7,9,12), 2. GCH 36 pts (4,5,13,14), 3. Loughrea 37pts (3,8,11,15)

Inter Men - 1. B. O'Connor, Athenry

Masters Men - TJ Whyte Tuam, 2. M Corcoran Loughrea, 3. P Delmer Athenry

Junior Men - J Broderick Loughrea

Novice Men - B. O'Connor, Athenry

Senior Women - 1. AM Hynes-Myskell GCH, 2. S. Burke Portumna, 3. B. Kelly GCH

Team - Tuam 30 pts (6,7,8,9)

Novice Women - 1. A Ridge Tuam

Masters -A Burke, Ballinasloe & District