Michael Harty comes out of Africa to claim Cork Senior Cross Country triumph

EAST Cork athlete Michael Harty was the dominant force at the Cork Senior Cross-Country Championships which took place at Carrigadrohid near Macroom, leading his club to its first title since 2017.

Just returned from a four-week training stint at altitude in Kenya, Harty was content to stay in the pack as first Frank O’Brien (East Cork) and then Gavin O’Rourke (Leevale) set the early pace.

With two laps of the demanding course to go, Harty and club-mate Paul Hartnett were in control and a lap later a gap had opened which at the finish had grown to 20 seconds.

With three-time winner Tim O’Donoghue, who is returning from injury, moving up to third and O’Brien in fifth, East Cork were clear winners ahead of arch-rivals Leevale, 11 points to 29, with St Finbarr’s finishing third on 68.

“I was fifth in 2014, second the following two years and first today,” said a delighted Harty.

“Having turned 42 two days before, he sees age as no barrier to performance, paying tribute to Kilkenny’s Brian Maher who he described as his inspiration.

“Brian is three years older than me and I wouldn’t be here today only for Brian Maher of Kilkenny City Harriers.”

The Cloyne-man also gave credit to his employers, Dairygold in Mogeely.

“Dairygold are extremely supportive of me and I’m very fortunate to have an employer who allows me to take four or five weeks away in Kenya, so I’m very thankful to them.”

Sinead O’Connor continued her impressive year to take her first Cork senior title.

Having won the Echo Mini-Marathon two weeks before to add to her national 10km on the road back in April, her victory didn’t come as easy as expected as she was pushed all the way by Fiona Everard from Bandon.

Everard, in her first cross-country race since March 2020 having suffered a stress fracture, stayed with O’Connor until the final lap before the Leevale athlete’s superior speed proved decisive.

“Yes, it was tough, Fiona gave me a great race,” admitted O’Connor who led her club to a clear team victory over St Finbarr’s.

Fiona Santry of East Cork took the bronze medal with Denis McCarthy from the same club creating his own bit of history by competing in his 40th Cork Senior Cross-Country Championship.

Results:

Men (10km):1 M Harty (East Cork) 32:46; 2 P Hartnett (East Cork, U23)) 33:06; 3 T O’Donoghue (East Cork) 33:24; 4 J Shine (Leevale) 33:45; 5 F O’Brien (East Cork, U23) 34:16; 6 C McAuley (Leevale) 34:32.

Team: 1 East Cork 11; 2 Leevale 29; 3 St Finbarrs 68.

Women (6km):1 S O’Connor (Leevale) 21:58; 2 F Everard (Bandon) 22:09; 3 F Santry (East Cork) 22:45; 4 M Kiely (St Finbarr’s) 23:00; 5 M Kenny (Leevale) 23:05; 6 S O’Brien (Cork TC, U23) 23:14.

Team: Leevale 21; 2 St Finbarr’s 42; 3 East Cork 57.