Double Novice Champions
Our ladies and men’s novice teams swept the boards at the county championships in Annamult last Sunday as they took gold in both team races. It’s been 12 years since the last men’s victory and in all the club have won the event on just three previous occasions.

Meanwhile it was a hive of activity at the County ‘B’s’ as our juveniles were stung into action and they certainly had the place buzzing!! Our U/15 girls took team gold and silver, while there were individual medals for Tara Lacey, Dervala Kearns, Rosanne Kennedy, Chloe Laffan and Janet Moore. Read on.

Garden of Eden
Appropriately, it was an Eve who was first lady into action, as Eve Lacey and Sinead McEvoy competed in the girls U/7 race and both showed great promise. At the finish they were in 4^th and 5^th places, so well done to our newest recruits. 
In the U/9 race, the girls set off at a cracking pace with Tara Lacey and Dervala Kearns contesting the lead up the steep hill. Also well placed was Clare McEvoy and at the finish Tara won silver, Dervala bronze with Clare having a fine run in 6^th place. With the addition of Hannah Irish there is the making of a very talented young team in this age group. 
In the U/11 race we also had a newcomer as Eimear Lawrence ran a very good race finishing just outside the medals. 
Our first team into action was in the U/13 race, where twins Orla and  Aoife Butler along with Aisling McDonald ran strongly, with the team finishing an unlucky 4^th. 
In the U/15 race the club took it’s first team gold as both Rosanne Kennedy and Chloe Laffan fought their own personal duel up the finishing straight, to finish in 2^nd and 3^rd places. A great run by Sarah Dollard and Eimear Breathnach saw them place 4^th and 5^th with Fiona Dennehy and Michelle Drohan filling the next two places to secure the silver medals for our ‘B’ team in the same race. 
In the U/17 race Janet Moore ran strongly despite a knee injury to take bronze and round off a great day for our girls squad.

Out on his Eoghan
The Wallis twins Eoghan and Gerard along with Fearghal Lawrence were our first boys into action in the U/9 age group.  The tearaway twins placed 5^th and 7^th, two excellent runs, while young Fearghal showed plenty of promise taking 11^th place. 
Donagh Meyler was our only entry in a competitive U/11 race and ran well to place 10^th. Another athlete who had a good run was David Walsh in the U/13 age group. David finished strongly in 5^th place and continues to improve with each outing. Another improving athlete is William Walsh as he also placed 5^th, while John Vereker had his best run to date in 7^th place. Well done to all our young juveniles on another great performance.

Golden Girls
In the ladies novice held over a two mile course our ladies team of Catherine Fennelly, Cait Caulfield and Mary Phelan put in a great performance to scoop the team gold. From the start Catherine Fennelly went with early leader Jeanette Boran and both girls ran shoulder to shoulder for most of the race. On the last lap the Castlecomer athlete opened a small lead and held it to the line, with Catherine running on strongly to take silver. A strong run by Cait Caulfield saw her tmove through to 4^th place, while Mary Phelan showed plenty of strength over the last lap to place 6^th and ensure top honours for the St Senan’s team. A great show girls, roll on the county senior on 18^th December.

Magnificent Seven
Having seen the ladies take gold, the pressure was on our men to repeat the performance. This promised to be a keenly contested race and so it proved, with over 30 athletes going to the line. Colin Butler went with the fast early pace as did James Howley. Robert Duggan was just a shade behind, with Damien Walsh and PJ Dwyer also showing early on. Nicholas Halley  and Martin Delahunty were a little way back on lap one but gradually working their way through the field. Over the next three laps the leaders were all together with David Bird of St Josephs and Colin forcing the pace. On the final lap it was a Butler and Bird duel with James, Robert and Nicholas also now well placed in 5^th, 7^th and 8^th positions. In the final sprint to the line it was David Bird who had the final say, the St Joseph’s man having a fine win. Colin took silver and led the St Senan’s team to top honours and the splendid Smithwicks Novice Cup. Great running by PJ Dwyer, Damien Walsh and Martin Delahunty ensured that the team had plenty of back-up if needed.

Well done to both our novice teams on a glorious golden double.

Remember When
St Senans first won the men’s novice title in 1979, the team that year was Father Flavin, Noel Walsh, Richard Walsh, Rafael dePonse, Tom Dollard and Michael Dollard. Our next victory was in 1982, the scorers that year being Robert Duggan, Tommy Tobin, Michael Ryan and Johnny Dollard. Our third win came in 1993, when Alan Fox, PJ Irish, Fearghal Walsh and Liam Rockett took the title. Who’ll be next, as the saying goes, it could be you!!

Best Wishes
Best of luck to all our juveniles at the All Ireland cross country championships in Sligo next Sunday. Following on from their great running in the Leinster races, confidence will be high and we look forward to some top performances on the day. The squad travel up the day before, so if James and Brendan can keep them away from the Red Bull, they should all be well rested and ready to rock come Sunday morning.

Strong Squad
The addition of Owen Gahan to the Kilkenny team, will give them a great chance of getting among the medals in the senior Intercounties race also in Sligo on Sunday next. The team includes Mick Kelly, Brian Maher, Tommy Evans, Mark Ginnity, Paul Cody, Aidan Lanigan, Sean Caulfield, Willie Hoyne and Denis O’Sullivan among others and will be strong contenders in the Grade ‘B’ section.

Straight Up
That’s the route this years Paddy Byrne Winter League takes up the Cork Road each Thursday and over 200 runners went to the start at the RSC last week. It’s a great event open to all athletes over 16 years of age and among those who ran last week were Andy Dollard, PJ Dwyer, Damien Walsh and Nicholas Halley from St Senans. Check out the Waterford Road Runners column in this section of the paper or you can find all the results and info on their website at www.waterfordroadrunners.com.

On the Rocks
My old training partner Derek Tebay was on the rocks in Tenerife recently, or at least wife Mary was. The story goes that as she was being helped out of an sea water swimming pool by the bold Derek, he inadvertently left her slip back on the rocks, causing multiple contusions, concussion and abrasions. As she wiped herself down she softly said, “Derek you really should be more careful”, or words to that effect. Well as every one knows the only real cure for such headache and heartache, is the hair of the dog that bit you, so he marched her off to the jewelers, where a fancy rock on a ring helped ease the pain. What ever happened to Aspirin, Paracetamol, Disprin, Nurofen, or a big hug, I ask you. You’re setting a dangerous precedent there for the rest of us I fear!!