European aims after home comforts for Amy Greene and Sean McGinley

Amy Greene didn’t need to heed the markers directing participants in Sunday’s Donegal Senior Cross Country Championships.

Greene, the winner of the women’s race in her first senior cross country outing, knows the Mullaghderg terrain better than most.

After all, the race was staged on the land of her grandfather, Owenie Boyle. 

Greene knew where she was going. So, too, did her Finn Valley AC colleague Sean McGinley, who retained the men’s title.

For both, Europe is the aim - and they know how to get there.

They’ve been there before, Greene having helped Ireland U20s to a fifth-place finish last December in Laeken Park in Brussels.

The previous year, at Mandria Park in Turin, McGinley was 12th to help Ireland U20s to team silver.

“The goal again is the Euro Cross,” says Greene. “It’ll be under-23 for me this year and the distance is more, but that suits me better. I like the longer stuff anyway.”

Greene will take on the Autumn Open at Abbotstown this Sunday and will hope to make good inroads in the U23 race there. 

Greene held off the challenge of defending champion Nakita Burke of Letterkenny AC to take victory on Sunday while Rosses AC’s Helen McCready - who actually doubles as Greene’s coach - was the third woman on the podium.

“I felt good,” DCU student Greene says, “but I was a little bit afraid of going too fast too quick so I eased up for a bit.

“I’m back training with the group in Dublin and I’m still working with Helen. Training is going good and I’m enjoying it.”

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The back end of the Mullaghderg course offers stunning views outwards to Gola and Inishfree islands. The Ballymanus Monument - commemorating the 19 people killed as a result of a marine mine explosion in 1943 - is a pointer to a haunted past and the old signal tower a relic from a more distant period. 

“I used to train here so I love the course,” Greene says. “It’s my grandad’s land so I know it well.  He has cows all around here so I’m well used to the place.”

McGinley missed out on European action last year but, with the memories still fresh from his silver medal in 2022, he’s also aiming to punch a ticket to Lagoa in Portugal in early December.

“The aim is the Euro Cross - that’s what I want this year,” McGInley says. “I fell short last year. I had a bad day down in Gowran so I’m back here to prove to myself that I can do it. I just want to get selected and get out there to test myself on the European stage. 

“I need to get the races under the belt now. The fitness is there and it’s a matter now of getting my confidence back.”

McGinley’s 2024 was injury interrupted, but the Glenswilly native is back with a bang. 

McGinley pushed the button to move away from Donal Farren, the Letterkenny AC man finishing second with Oisin Toye, also of Finn Valley, in third. 

“I found it brilliant,” McGinley says. “Things are good again. I started back in August doing cross training, cycling and swimming. The last six weeks, I’ve been upping the mileage slowly and I’m in a nice place now. I came to win.

“I didn’t want to go guns blazing from the start. I sat in for the first 4k or so. I felt really good so I just thought I’d wind it up. I put a wee bit of pressure on with two laps to go and a gap opened. I tried to enjoy myself. I kept the foot down, but I didn’t have to go too hard. I was happy out. 

“I had a few injuries, but I’m back running consistently this past six weeks or so. This was planned for my first race and I was looking forward to it for a long while. Things went to plan for me out there. The legs felt brilliant all the way through.”