BY PATSY McGONAGLE: We in Finn Valley have been so lucky in 2012 with the weather to date coming off a successful floodlit meeting on the crisp new track Wednesday it was back to the mud and cross country – coming now to a conclusion for another year – week by week that’s the way its always been.
There has year on year been new talent emerging this particular Sunday in Lough Key Forest Park it was a young boy from Gleneely NS Jack Gillespie (right) who took the limelight winning the U -11 boys very impressively in the end leading a Donegal team to silver with Diarmuid Mc Hugh on board for a medal.
The under 15 girls win their team section led by Emer kelly with strong support from Eloise Carlin and Denise Mc Laughlin and later in the day minus a complete team the under 19 lads produced a strong run from Mark Bonner 2nd and Ryan Porter 3rd.
Then it was on to the Masters ,women first up team medals for over 50 county and club Noreen Bonner ,Gloria ,Mary Bond and Christine Feely scoring the mens over 50 bronze medals with Dominic Bonner who had an outstanding run he really is unique winning over 50 category with Pat Hegarty Mark Connelly and Drew Doherty closing in.
Martin Irwin back in action in the sport after a break for many years prior to that he was scoring on Donegal / Ulster Valley gold medal winning teams but bringing life up to date on this day Donegal over 40 silver team as was P J Boyce, Gary Crossan ,Pauric Mc Kinney,Joe Mc Kinney ,Brian Thursby .and a great victory for Letterkenny in team ahead of Raheny and North Belfast , Well done to them and to Cieran Doherty a runaway individual victor.
The relays gold for under 12 county relay boys sent on their way by Glenfinns Aaron Mc Glynn and joined by Thomas Mullen, Luke Gavigan and Pat Loughrey , Aoife Mc Grath played her part in a bronze medal team under 12 and finally under 14 girls and a battling Leanne Kelly getting up for silver .
The journey moves indoors next weekend to the Odyssey