Carlow Cross Country preview

Thu, 09 Jan, 2025 - 07:08

There should once again be a very highly entertaining and competitive day of athletics in Tinryland on Sunday 12 January when the Carlow Senior Cross Country 2025 Championships for the Odlum and Lambert Cups are contested over 10km (Men) at 1pm and 4km (Women) at 12.15pm with the mens event being held for the 80th time since the first cross country in 1946. The main highlight should be the battle for team honours between hosts and holders Tinryland and LOT in the Mens event over a testing 10km Cross Country course.

Along with last years winner Bobby Crowley, the Senior medals will be more than likely be between his younger clubmate McKenzie McIvor who now studies at UCL and Mick Kelly of Tinryland who has performed well in recent months.

Bobby Crowley is at present in Melbourne and hopefully he will be back for the event while his other clubmates Dylan Byrne and Ian Molloy will also be hoping for good runs on the testing Tinryland course. Novice winner Paul Broderick will be in the line up after his impressive County title with 6 time Brian Kirwan also constantly training well The in-form Kelly will the Tinryland team with strong support expected to come from multiple former winners Tommy Payne Snr and Pat Byrne with other athletes in contention for scoring places set to include the likes of Pat Burke, Padraig Webb, Rory Nolan, Dwayne Farrell, John Dillon, Tom Nolan, Tomas Walsh, and Eddie Walsh. With their strongest line up in recent years combined with some absentees amongst their rivals, Tinryland will hope to win a record 34th title. This year’s event could also include teams from Ballon and Dolmen AC.

The Senior Womens 4km event (12.15 pm) for the Lambert Cup could feature the likes of defending champion Aileen Arthur while the likes of Emma Furey, Geraldine Hendricken, Bronwen McDonald, Melissa Broderick, Brid Long and other LOT teammates Leah Lawlor and Catherine Doyle should be in contention for strong individual showings based on recent performances.

LOT will start as overwhelming favourites for the team event with Tinryland who now have a Ladies team and Dolmen AC also potentially entering teams on the day.

The events will be held once again on the Parochial Lands on the outskirts of Tinryland village.

The Senior Mens team titles to date are as follows:

33- Tinryland

28- St Laurence O'Tooles

5- Carlow

3- Ballyconnell, Bagenalstown and Borris

2- Ballinree

1- Ballon

1- Cosets (Irish Sugar)

Individual Winners to Date -

Johnny Jones St Laurence O'Toole's- 1946-1947 2 Titles

Pat Murphy- Ballyconnell- 1948 1 Title