Sean McGinley and Amy Greene take Donegal senior titles 

Sean McGinley retained his Donegal Senior Cross Country title while his Finn Valley AC colleague Amy Greene won the women’s title on Sunday at Mullaghderg.

In fine conditions in the Rosses, McGinley was a fine winner of the men’s race with Greene having set the tone by winning the women’s version in the opening race of the day.

Greene, who was the National Intermediate champion earlier in the year, shook off the attention of Letterkenny AC’s Nakita Burke.

On her home turf at the Mullaghderg Banks, Greene opened a lead that Burke, the winner here 12 months ago, was just unable to close.

Greene, who helped Ireland to fifth spot in last year’s European U20 Cross Country Championships, was making her senior debut, representing a significant marker in her young career.

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The third woman on the podium was Rosses AC’s Helen McCready, who also happens to act as Greene’s coach.

Burke led Letterkenny AC to the team gold, followed by Christine Russell (4), Claire McGuigan (5) and Shauna McGeehan (10).

Letterkenny AC senior women

Greene, Leoni Cooke (7), Catriona Devine (9) and Karen Gallagher (14) scored as Finn Valley AC took team silver with Rosses AC collecting team bronze. McCready, Maria Ni Mhaolagain (6), Fionnuala Diver (11) and Bernie Boyle (12) scored for Rosses, who were just a point behind Finn Valley.

There was a case of deja vu about the men’s race as McGinley overcame Letterkenny AC’s Donal Farren.

By the time McGinley was heading around the monument commemorating the Ballymanus Mine Disaster for the last time, he was well in control having pushed the button.  

McGinley was a firm winner over 8k on the west Donegal dunes and his win helped lay the foundations to team gold for Finn Valley.,

Oisin Toye of Finn Valley was third and Jon-Jo Doherty fourth with Ryan Quinn in sixth, Mark McGinley (8) and Gerard Gallagher (10) also scoring.

The Finn Valley AC men's team

Farren, Danny Mooney (5), Ciaran Doherty (7), Mark McPaul (11), Michael Black (12) and Philip McHugh (15) scored for the black and amber men.

The even age championships were also held on the day with team golds for Finn Valley at U18 boys, U16 girls and boys, U14 girls and boys, U12 boys and the U10 girls and boys, while Letterkenny AC took the U18 girls and U12 girls team titles.

Emma Bonar, Anna Russell and Sophie Ellis led the charge with a 1-2-3 for LAC in the U18 girls while Aimee McElchar, Andrea Reid, Holly McNulty and Abi McGeehan were the top four for Finn Valley in the U16 girls.

Cranford’s Caolan McFadden stormed to the U18 boys title, holding off Odhran McBrearty (Finn Valley) and Michael Moore (Cranford).

Olympian’s Mouhcine Fathoun was an impressive winner of the U16 boys crown while Oisin McBride (Cranford) and Darcie Clarke (Finn Valley) won the U14 races, Charlie Rodgers of Cranford and LAC’s Katie McDowell were the U12 victors, with the U10 golds going to John Patrick Duffy (Cranford) and Anne Harkin (LAC).