McCarthy Makes Irish Squad for Europeans

 At the National Inter-County X-C Championships in Cavan this weekend, the senior mens race was a thriller, with Martin McCarthy of Leevale up with the leaders all the way.  The lead changed constantly throughout, with McCarthy thereabouts all the time. However it was Seamus Power of Clare, dropped by the leaders on a couple of occasions, who powered his way to the front on the final lap to record a superb win.  McCarthy, frustrated that his efforts would not allow him to break away from the others, settled for third, with Cormac Finnerty of Mullingar in second.  McCarthy can be consoled, however, by the fact that he did enough to make the Irish squad for the European X-C Championships.Cathal Lombard of Leevale ran a tremendous race to finish ninth.  Cork were placed third in the team contest. The junior mens race saw Paul Carroll of Leevale amongst the leaders on the first of four laps.  Clubmate Brian Keane stayed back in the early stages, but, by halfway, he was up with the leading group of eight.  Carroll, however, had enough of the testing course and dropped out at halfway. Some more powerful running by Keane brought him into fifth position, just outside the team for the European championships. Cork were team winners, with Shane O’Shaughnessy 11th, Simon Doherty 15th, Michael Herlihy 19th, Tim Murphy 19th, and Ronan Crowley 20th.  For all the results, check out the BLE website.