Caolan McFadden takes U19 title at National Cross Country Championships

Caolan McFadden was crowned Under-19 champion at the 123.ie National Novice and Juvenile Uneven Age Cross Country Championships, which took place at the Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin on Sunday morning.

The Cranford AC man was first over the line in the 5,000m race in a time of 17 minutes and eight seconds, two seconds ahead of Jamie Harris of Mullingar Harriers, with Diarmuid Moloney of Nenagh Olympic four seconds back in third.

The Loreto Milford student will be back in action this weekend in Lagoa, Portugal, in the European Cross Country Championships in the Under-20 category.

It was a good day for the Finn Valley club, who picked up four team medals in Dublin.

The Under-11 Girls were crowned champions with Caitlin Gillespie and Cora Clarke leading the team home in 13th and 14th. Erin Moy (51), Eimear Moy (75) and Annie O’Mahoney (95) were also part of the team.

Another Donegal team got on the podium in that race, as Rosses AC took bronze.

Isa Bonner led the team home in 28th, while Aine Doherty (41), Molly McCready (44) and Katie Sharkey (82) made up the rest of the team

The Finn Valley Under-11 boys took a team silver, led by individual medals for Byron Boyle (10) and Harry Houston(12).

Blake Keenan, Eoin Cunningham, Jude Martin and Daithin Bonner were also part of the team that were 40 points behind winners Dunshaughlin AC.

In the Under-17 Girls race, the Finn Valley women secured a team silver.

Tara Rose Smith placed tenth to guide the team home and was joined by Leah Kenny (30), Holly McNulty (54), Abi McGeehan (68) and Nia Byrne (94), behind an impressive Tullamore Harriers team.

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The club also secured a bronze team medal in the Under-15s, with Saorla Gilligan (31), Darcie Clarke (44), Caoimhe McNeill (55) and Aoibhinn Greene (61) scoring for the team, with Kate McMenamin and Amy Sweeney also in action.

In the Novice Women’s race, Nuala Bose took sixth place for Finn Valley, as Donegal won bronze in the county category.

In the Under-15 Boys, Ewan Summers of Cranford AC finished in fifth place, with Rosses AC’s Evan Ward in ninth as Donegal took a county silver medal. Tiernan Kerr, Oisin Mc Bride and Ashton Forester made up the rest of the team.

Tír Chonaill AC’s Caolán Gilbride finished tenth in the Under-19 Boys race.