TERESA Doherty of Finn Valley AC won the National Masters Championship on Saturday in Rathdrum, County Wicklow.
Doherty led the way and was a runaway winner from the pursuing Kate Purcell of Raheny.
Doherty, a Donegal Cross-Country champion, led the Finn Valley squad of Kat Byrne (second in her category), Bridgeen Murray and Kathleen McNulty to a team bronze.
The Finn Valley crew, alongside Clare McGuigan (Lifford-Strabane AC) who was third and Helen McCready (Rosses AC), the ninth-placed finisher, took a team gold.
Valley’s Noreen bonner took a third masters category.
The tallies were made in the shadow of Avondale, the home of Parnell, and the Finn Valley AC team leaders will scratch this down as a successful day.
Finn Valley’s Masters men approach their race in a seriously determined mood and once again led by an aggressive lead performance from Dermot McElchar they were in the mix as a team throughout.
Dermot picked up a bronze individual, supported by Shane McNulty (23rd) – as we have come to expect he was always give it loads in the battle for a strong position – John McEnhill (28th), having a good season, and Gary Gallagher (48th), a newcomer who approached the challenge like a veteran.
Valley took third team and bronze.
Additionally, the Donegal over-50 men won team gold, with the scoring team the Inishowen trio of Patrick McKinney, Finbarr Gallagher and Herb Lucas, Milford’s Anthony Doherty and the Aghyaran men Mark Connolly and Michael Penrose (Finn Valley).
There was underage success with Finn Valley under-13 boys taking the team title led by the Gallagher lads Shaun and Harry silver team, reward for under-11 girls and under-15 boys, with under-11 boys combining with a winning Rosses team to collect county medals.
Next Sunday it’s the Glenmore 10 at 11am with pick up of t-shirt, chip etc from 12 noon to 4pm Saturday. This race is sold out.
