Caolan McFadden shoots to victory again in Navan

Caolan McFadden was the Donegal standout at the National Novice and Uneven Age Cross Country Championships on Sunday.

At the Navan Racecourse, the Cranford AC man soared to gold in the U17 boys race.

McFadden continues to outline his promise as he goes through the ages. Last year, the Creeslough man took a memorable gold in the U16 race on his home turf at Rosapenna.

Having ran out of his age to win the U18 version two weeks ago in Gowran Park, McFadden blitzed a trail again on Sunday in Navan.

McFadden won from Noah Harris from Parnell AC and Cillian Gleeson of Cellbridge.

Earlier this year, McFadden also won the 800m gold on the track and his star rises still.

Finn Valley AC’s Odhran McBrearty landed an individual medal when finishing eighth in he U17 race. With Ciaran McCarroll (29), Brian Lyons (53) and Locan Byrne (55) backing up the in-form McBrearty, Finn Valley AC’s U17 boys left with team bronze.

McFadden, McBrearty, McCarroll, Lyons and Byrne were joined by Finn Valley AC’s Paraic McGettigan for county bronze with Donegal with McFadden and McBrearty scoring to win provincial gold for Ulster.

Oisin Toye of Finn Valley was fourth in the novice men’s race. Toye led the way as Finn Valley AC finished as the fifth team with Jon-Jo Doherty (15), Tristan Kelly (43) and Gavin McCullagh (60) also scoring.

That foursome alongside Donal Farren of Letterkenny AC in ninth and Finn Valley’s Shea Carlin (64) took county bronze medals for Donegal.

Finn Valley AC’s Leoni Cooke in 15th was the leading Donegal competitor in the novice women’s race.

A Finn Valley AC quartet of Cooke, Joanna Campbell (65), Martina Quinn (86) and Ita Kelly (93) was the fifth scoring county team for Donegal.

Finn Valley AC won team bronze in the U15 girls. Andrea Reid in 24th was the lead scorer and back up provided by Nia Byrne (47), Aimee McElchar (55) and Abi McGeehan (63). Reid also bagged a provincial bronze as one of Ulster’s scorers.

Finn Valley AC’s U11 boys bagged bronze with Shay McHugh (20), Odhran Gallagher (29), Adam Breen (61) and Evan Patton (80) scoring.

Odhran Rogers of Rosses left with an individual medal, battling to 12th in the U15 boys event.

Letterkenny AC’s Anna Russell was 17th in the U17 girls race and scored for a provincial gold with Ulster while Cranford’s Oisin McBride and Finn Valley AC’s Peter Gallagher were seventh and 17th in the U13 boys race.

In the U13 girls event, Darcie Clarke of Finn Valley AC was seventh and Cranford’s Charlie Rogers was ninth in the U11 boys race.