Irish Life Health Juvenile Even Age Cross Country Championships 2018

​In a sport where we put great store in the individual sometimes it's the team that remind us that no man is an island. Going into the race with the Munster champion Cian Hodgins in our team and the team themselves reigning Munster champions we were quietly confident of a good result. Going on club membership we are a very small club by national standards so national team titles as opposed to individual glory can be rare. But a rare group is what we have and they just don't know when they are beaten. With Cian having a slight off day in 13th it was our track 800m bronze medallist Tom Walshe to lead the team home in 8th position. With 600m to go of the 3000m race Tom was 16th but he showed his now famous finish speed getting up into 8th before running out of road at the finish. Indeed Cian who by his own standards was a little flat showed his class by going from 17th to 13th over the same closing stages even though today was not his day. Tom's younger brother Ben Walshe running out of age showed what a class act he is by finishing a very strong 20th place making fifteen places over the second half of the race. We we're anchored home by Micheál Moylan the newest member of this squad who in only his second season with the team improved 101 places over last year by finishing in 54 position. He's one to watch for the upcoming track season in the new year. 
The team not only won the club title but also helped Tipperary to second in the county competition and Munster to the bronze medals in the provincial championship so it was a good day all round. 
Ailbhe O 'Neill was our only other age group competitor and finished in 55th spot in the girls U16 race . Cross country is not Ailbhe's forte but I'm sure she will benefit from the strength and endurance gained in the upcoming track season. 
So in two weeks we head to Navan for the uneven age groups All Ireland Cross country with another team title in our sights plus a couple of very good individuals which will put a wrap on the club cross country season for another year.