Amy Greene qualifies for Europe, glory for Finn Valley U14 girls in Irvinestown

Amy Greene secured a pre-Christmas Turkey date on Sunday.

The Finn Valley AC athlete guaranteed a spot on the Irish squad for the European Cross Country Championships in Antalya, Turkey, on December 8.

Greene, the Donegal Senior Cross Country champion this year, was a comfortable second in the U23 race with only Emma McEvoy from Dundrum South Dublin in front of her.

The Rosses native, on placement from DCU now at her alma mater, Scoil Chróine, saw off Rosie Roberts and Lucy Holmes to get the coveted second spot and earn her place on the plane.

“I’m just so happy to get the place for Europe; that was my big aim today,” Greene told Donegal Live.

“I needed the top two to get an automatic spot. It would’ve been an anxious wait only for that. 

“That was my first race up to this level and I’m really happy with the run.”

The U23s and seniors ran together and Greene was ninth in the overall race, which will have given her quite a useful marker for the coming years too.

Last December, the Helen McCready-coached Greene helped Ireland U20s to a fifth-place finish in Laeken Park, Brussels. Next month, she goes to Turkey with the Irish U23s. 

“It’s good to have seen what Europe is like when I ran last year. I’m going in now with experience so I’ll be looking to compete more now.”

Darcie Clarke led the charge as Finn Valley AC took an excellent team gold at U14s. Clarke was joined in the scoring side by Saorla Gilligan (30), Caoimhe McNeill (42) and Aoibhinn Greene (56) as they saw off St Abbans and Middleton for the team honours.

It was an emotional coach, Mark Connolly, who met his crew at the finish line, on the door step of the former Necarne Castle, capping a memorable day on which he was meet director. 

Caolan McFadden was second in the U18s, but sixth overall in the junior race means his odds are long of a European spot. McFadden took silver, behind Noah Harris of Parnell AC with Harry McKenzie, of event hosts, Enniskillen Running Club, back in third.

Finn Valley AC’s U18 boys took bronze in their team event. The Valley scoring quartet of Odhránn McBrearty, Ciaran McCarroll, Lorcan Byrne and Paraic McGettigan edged the battle for bronze against Nenagh.  

McFadden and McBrearty took provincial gold with Ulster and they were joined by McCarroll, Byrne, Caolan Kilbride and Michael Moore for bronze with Donegal. 

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Finn Valley AC’s U16 girls missed team medals by only two points. A determined Aimee McElchar led their challenge in 26th and she was joined by fellow scorers Andrea Reid (41), Nia Byrne (55) and Abi McGeehan (65). Tullamore Harriers had the edge 185-187 when the sums were tallied. 

Letterkenny AC’s Katie McDowell, Eve Nic Giolla Bhain, Niamh Woods and Aoibhe Gibson came sixth in the U12 girls and Oisin McBride of Cranford was a scorer as Ulster won U14 provincial bronze.