Kirsty Downey takes Ulster Intermediate bronze, leads Inishowen AC to team medals

Kirsty Downey took individual bronze and guided Inishowen AC to team bronze at the Ulster Intermediate Cross Country Championships.

At Templemore in Derry, Inishowen had a fine day with their M50 masters men winning team silvers, while there were masters silvers for Jon-Jo Doherty (Finn Valley) and Helen McCready (Rosses) with Leoni Cooke (Finn Valley) earning bronze.

In the intermediate women’s race, Inishowen AC’s Downey was third while Kevea Gallagher from Rosses AC finished in sixth.

Downey, who was second in the 2024 Waterside Half Marathon, had Annadale Striders pair Catriona Edington and Lucy Backus - a native of Donegal - ahead of her and she held off the advances of City of Derry Spartan Hannah Wade to get on the podium.

Downey was backed up by Saramarie Doherty (10), Aileen Devlin (12) and Lizzy Deery (15) to take team bronze medals for Inishowen AC. 

Inishowen also took team silver medals in the M50+ masters event. Pauric McKinney, who came 14th, was the first Inishowen runner to finish while Liam Bradley (42) and Martin McLucas (45) also scored. 

In the Ulster intermediate men’s race, Doherty was beaten only by Omagh Harriers’ Eoin Mullan while Conan McCaughey of North Belfast Harriers was third. 

Rosses AC’s Helen McCready was the masters women’s silver medalist. McCready was the leading W40 runner and was just behind Sarah McNutt of North Belfast Harriers with Finn Valley AC’s Leoni Cooke in third.

McCready led Rosses AC to team silvers in the W35+ grade. Fionnuala Diver, who was fifth, ninth-placed Bernie Boyle and Martina Mulhern, who placed 20th, also scored for Rosses.

Cooke was the lead runner as Finn Valley AC grabbed W35+ team bronze. She was joined by Kay Byrne (10), Ita Kelly (24) and Noreen Bonner (32).

Martin Kerr of Milford AC was the first M70 with Letterkenny AC’s Brian McBride third in the same category.

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Finn Valley AC’s Diarmait Keogh was the first Donegal athlete to finish in the intermediate men’s race, crossing the line in 14th.