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Mayo AC's masters athletes competed on the Irish team in the 26th Annual British and Irish Masters International Cross Country at Bute Park, Cardiff, last Saturday.

Galway’s two leading competitors in Sunday’s National Inter County Cross Country Championships in Santry both finished in the top 20.

Gary Thornton of Galway City Harriers is this year’s county 10km champion having won the Grey Lake 10k, hosted by Loughrea AC on Sunday.

Following their cross-country success last week in Derry, Mayo AC's versatile masters women, plus a couple of men, competed at the new track in Athlone AIT in the Woodie’s DIY Indoor Masters track and field championships on Saturday last. For two of the women, it was their debut in this annual indoors event. Newport based Pauline Moran has been winning all over the place since joining the club and it was another gold medal display – after her Derrygold last week. She ran in three races, winning silver in the 800 metres and gold in both the 1500 and 3,000. Another debutante was Swinford based Margaret Glavey, who also ran three races in the W60 category and won all three – golds in 800, 1500, and 3,000. Glavey has also been in fine form and medallist at a number of distances on the road in recent years. Ann Murray has been a regular medal winner at these championships and she won gold in the 400 and silver in the 800 metres in the w45 category. Jim Gaughan returned to training in the New Year and competed in the M60 1500 metres where he won silver behind Martin McEvilly (GCH). Also taking place last weekend were the Kilbride 10k in Roscommon and the Enniscorthy 10k in Wexford. In Roscommon, Gerry Galvin was the first Mayo AC runner home finishing in ninth place in a time of 39.27, with Patrick Walsh taking first place in the M40 section in a time of 39.51. Ann Lennon came home in second place overall in the women’s race in a time of 41.04. In Enniscorthy, TJ McHugh in a time of 34.32 was the first Mayo AC runner over the line and finished in 19th place while Catherine Conway finished the women’s race in third place in a time of 36.14.

David Rooney of Raheny Shamrocks AC won this year’s Corrib Oil Streets of Galway 8k Road Race from a field of more than 2,500 runners.

Galway athletes have claimed a memorable cross country title, winning the men’s intermediate team championship in Dublin at the weekend.

Galway’s Olympic track star was back in his home town of Athenry last Saturday evening after his successful campaign in Beijing a few weeks earlier.

The first ever Home Countries Cross Country International took place in Wrexham in 1988, so it was appropriate that the 21st, or coming of age international, should be back on Welsh soil. On Saturday, more than 400 athletes from the five nations gathered at Singleton Park to savour the unique atmosphere of this annual contest. All the masters categories from age 35 upwards competed over a 2km lap course - women ran 6km, men 8km. They were severely tested on one of the toughest stamina-sapping courses of recent years. In the undulating picturesque parkland setting, there were muddy hollows, sharp turns, slippery cambered inclines and a cruel uphill finish. The overall results were dominated by England, both in individual and team medals. However, Ireland had considerable success too in the women's and men's teams and won a number of individual medals. Donna Mahon was the leading Irish woman with a great run to win the prestigious W35 category.

The 22nd running of the British and Irish Cross Country International took place in Perry Park, Birmingham, on Saturday. It was hosted this year by the England Athletics Masters Association in conjunction with the famous Birchfield Harriers at their excellent facilities at Perry Barr. The event involves five teams: England, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. They all compete as individuals and teams in the various masters’ age categories from 35 upwards. It is highly competitive and fiercely patriotic. But overall there is camaraderie not often seen in athletics which has been matured over many meetings. A deep respect has developed for all those taking part who compete to the best of their ability. The post race prize giving function is where all of this is best witnessed. The Irish team has had a number Mayo AC participants over the past few years and this year Breege Blehein-McHale (o40) and Tom Hunt (o60) were in the Irish team having qualified at the Masters’ cross country trial in the Phoenix Park last month. Breege had previously taken part in Falkirk, Scotland in 2006, when she ran on the winning Irish o40 team, while Tom was part of the bronze medal team in Belfast (2007) and gold medal team in Swansea (2008). Conditions in Perry Park were tough, with cold blustery showers but the course — just over 2k lap — was a fair test, some soggy stretches and an uphill finish. Women and o65/70 men ran three laps, and men in remaining categories, four. The Irish women's o40 team won silver and were just pipped for first place by one point by Wales' 14pts (3,4,7). Carmel Crowley (Bandon AC) second, Lucy Darcy (Sportsworld) fifth, and a great run by Breege Blehein (eighth) gave them 15 points, with the fourth Irish finisher Helen White (Sportsworld) in 11th. The Irish o60 team were without 2008 individual winner Martin McEvilly (GCH) and drafted in two last minute replacements (including Frenchpark native Liam Hester) finishing fifth with 39 pts (6,16,17) behind winners Wales 12pts (1,3,8). Tom Meehan (Sligo AC) won silver with the o50 team in his first appearance for Ireland. England were overall winners once again with Ireland a very creditable second of the five countries. Of the 15 team categories Ireland won three (M35, M55, W50) and were second in eight, with four runners winning individual gold: M35, M50, W45, W50.