THE Donegal Masters and even ages Cross-Country Championships were held on Sunday in Carndongh.
In a titanic battle for the Master Men’s title, Finn Valley AC’s Dermot McElchar staved off the attentions of Eoghain McGinley (Letterkenny AC) and Martin Cunningham (Tir Chonaill AC) to claim the win.
There were just seven seconds between the top three at the end with Ciaran McGonagle (Letterkenny) and Charlie O’Donnell next up.
With John McElhill (6th), Shane McNulty (7th) and team captain Barry Gallagher (12th) backing the winner McElchar, Finn Valley took the team crown.
Lifford-Strabane AC’s Claire McGuigan won the Masters women’s title.
McGuigan won from Rosses AC’s Helen McCready with Lifford-Strabane duo Elaine Connor and Linda McGrath third and fourth.
McGuigan had an outstanding gun to tape run to take the individual title and she was followed home with excellent runs by team mates Elaine Connor – who took bronze – Linda McGrath in 4th and Dymphna Houston in 11th meaning Lifford-Strabane took the title with 19 points with the Rosses team taking silver with 23 points – a first team title for the Lifford-Strabane club since its formation in 2015.
Cranford AC’s Oisin Kelly won the Boys’ Under-18 race from Finn Valley AC’s Ryan Quinn and Inishowen’s Eoghan Mac Dhonaill.
Sarah Bradley, Nuala Bose and Emer O’Brien had a Finn Valley one-two-three in the under-18 girls race.
Letterkenny AC newcomer Rohan McMenamin won the Under-14 boys race, just inching out Finn Valley’s Odhran McBrearty and Letterkenny’s Daragh Naughton. Letterkenny scooped the team award.
Letterkenny AC Under-16 boys
Letterkenny AC also took the Boys Under-16 title, led by Philip McGee and Mark Galvin in first and second.
A superb Under-14 girls race was won by Letterkenny AC’s Emma Bonar and the girls in black and amber took the team title with Sophie Ellis, Anna Russell and Cara McGonagle inside the top eleven.
Bonnar battled out from guest runner Sarah Mulvaney-Kelly from North Leitrim AC to win the race with Ellis in third, closely followed by Faela Houston from Rosses AC.
Letterkenny AC Under-14 girls
Miah Fletcher took the under-16 girls race, winning well from Ciara Kerrigan and Zara Alexander, both Finn Valley AC.
Finn Valley AC dominated the Under-12 girls race with the top five positions The race was won by Niamh McGlinchey, who was ably backed by Aoibhin McElhinney, Amy McElchar, Andrea Reid and Saorla McGlinchey for a dominant team victory.
Finn Valley U12 boys
Finn Valley’s Joshua O’Donnell edged the under-12 boys race from Caoimhin Crawford of Inishowen with Finn Valley AC’s Mark Alexander in third.
Cranford’s Oisin McHugh won the under-10 boys title, Evie Gallagher (Finn Valley) was the under-8 girls winner, Caoimhe McElhinney (Finn Valley) took the under-10 girls race and Shay McHugh (Finn Valley) was the under-8 boys winner.
