Big Mayo interest in exciting Irish team for European Cross Country Championships

Three athletes attached to Mayo clubs have been selected in the Irish squad for the 29th edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships, which will be held in Brussels on December 10.

The senior men’s team includes Hugh Armstrong of Ballina AC and Keelin Kilrehill of Moy Valley AC, who finished third and fourth respectively in the National Cross Country Championships last Sunday.

They join the newly crowned national champion Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers), Irish 5,000m record holder Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock), Fearghal Curtin (Youghal AC) and a resurgent Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club) in the senior men's squad.

Another Moy Valley AC member, Kirsty Maher, has been selected on the Under 20 women's squad for the Euros along with Anna Gardiner (East Down AC), Amy Greene (Finn Valley), Maebh Richardson (Kilkenny City Harriers), Avril Millerick (Youghal AC) and Hannah Kehoe (Kilkenny City Harriers).

Elsewhere, Brussels 2023 will mark Fionnuala McCormack’s 18th European Cross Country Championships, where she will be joined on an experienced Irish senior women’s team by Eilish Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC), Fionnula Ross (Armagh AC) and recent national champion Fiona Everard (Bandon AC).

The Under 23 teams will see the return to the women's team of Danielle Donegan (Tullamore Harriers), who led Ireland home in the Under 23 race last year, while the men’s team will see Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club) graduate from the Under 20 category following last year’s brilliant bronze medal performance.

Last year’s Under 20 silver medallist, Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club), will spearhead a strong looking Under 20 men’s team as he looks to go in search of more European success.

Speaking at the squad announcement, Athletics Ireland national endurance co-ordinator Mark Kenneally said: “In my short time in the role it has been heartening to see the stellar work being put in by athletes and coaches to prepare for these championships. In recent years we have enjoyed great individual and team success, and this has raised expectations, both within the team and externally in the wider athletics and sporting community.

“This is, again, fantastic to see, and while the standard of distance running generally in Europe is on the rise, I am confident that our athletes are capable of rising to the challenge. Our athletes will be prepared to perform at their highest level, and I am certain this will ensure it will be a successful championships on December 10th in Brussels.”

The SPAR European Cross Country Championships is one of the main seasonal appointments of the European athletics calendar. Brussels 2023 follows last year’s championships in Piemonte, Italy, which saw Ireland claim a record five medals, leaving Ireland in second place on the overall medal table alongside Spain and France, bettering the three medals won at the 2021 European Cross Country Championships, which were hosted in Fingal-Dublin.