Red Vests dissapointed with silver

Murray, a teacher at St Josephs in Creggan, won the individual title emphatically. Second was Steven Duncan from Omagh Harriers and third was Eddie McGinley of Annadale Striders. St Malachy’s won the team gold by twelve points ahead of Spartans, with reigning champions Annadale coming in third.

The twelve and a half kilometre, six lap race was an intense encounter. City of Derry Spartans were prominent from the outset. After the first two laps they had their noses in front in the six-to-score battle. Greg Roberts, Aaron Doherty and Diarmuid Grant spearheaded the challenge. At this point, St Malachy’s white vests surged ahead in support of Murray. The efforts of Declan Reed, Colin Roberts and Emmet McGinty saw the Spartans place their scoring six in the top fifteen.

The St Malachy’s outfit had their final two scoring lads in 16th and 17th, but the team title still went to the Belfast team in the white vests.

The highest placed City of Derry runner was Gregory Roberts in fifth, who was unlucky to be caught on the line by St Malachy’s’ Michael McKillop. Declan Reed came a magnificent eigth, outsprinting top Master athlete David Morwood of Annadale in the process. Diarmuid Grant kept going for twelfth, Colin Roberts was excellent in 13th and Emmet McGinty impressed in fourteenth. Aaron Doherty recovered from a bad patch mid race to finish strongly in 15th.

The collective effort of the Spartans team could not dislodge the superior packing on the day of St Malachy’s. A disappointed Spartans squad had to settle for team silver for the second year in a row. Backing up the scoring six were Brendan Murphy 17th Kieron Hurley 39th Gerry Duddy 45th and Dara Furey 48th.

The very understrength female Spartans squad slumped to fifth place in the womens 6k championship. Marina Campbell was first home in 26th place. Jackie McGinley was 32nd, Bridgeen Byrne 34th, and Ciara Fraser in 38th completed the scorers for the Red Vests.

Abbey AC’s Gladys Ganiel won the individual gold ahead of Finn Valley’s Teresa McGloin. The team winners, North Belfast Harriers had their runner, Breege Connolly in third.

There was indoor success for a trio of City of Derry male Masters who were in London’s Lee Valley Stadium for the South East Masters Indoor Championships.

Robert Bigger won double gold at M50 level over 400m and 800m. Declan McCarthy won M45 gold over 3000m and at M55 level, Malcom McCausland won double bronze in the 400m/800m.

This weekend offers a shot at redemption for the City of Derry men’s squad. They travel to Roscommon on Sunday for a crack at the national intermediate cross country title. All but Colin Roberts will feature in the 10k championship - he goes in the male masters 7k where he could challenge for an individual medal.

Hopefully the intermediate squad can go one better than last weekend and their team silver in the championship from last year in Dublin. Coach Noel McMonagle will have them fired up for the test. Christy McMonagle will travel to defend his M65 individual title and will start among the favourites. Roisin Lynch makes her F60 debut at National Level and she too is a genuine medal contender.