Cragg to lead Ireland in Edinburgh

Athletics: Alistair Cragg and Fionnuala Britton are among the athletes named in Ireland's team for the forthcoming World Cross…

Athletics:Alistair Cragg and Fionnuala Britton are among the athletes named in Ireland's team for the forthcoming World Cross Country Championships.

Athletics Ireland has announced a team of 22 athletes for the Championships, which take place in Edinburgh on the 30th of March.

The full team was selected following Saturday's Irish Inter Club Cross country Championships in Belfast, which was won by Cathal Lombard in only his third competitive race since returning from a two-year ban for testing positive for steroids.

Despite his win, Lombard opted not to take part in the Championships, leaving Alistair Cragg, who took second place in Saturday's race, to lead the men's team.

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Cragg will be joined on the team by Vinny Mulvey who finished 16 seconds behind Cragg in third place.  Mulvey's Raheny Shamrocks club-mate, Mick Clohissy, will also travel to Edinburgh after coming fourth in Belfast.

Drogheda and District's Keith Kelly is also included in the men's team after he put in an impressive performance in America at the weekend clocking a 50.40 in a ten mile road race.

Andrew Ledwith, who won both the 5000m and 3000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Washington is also named in the squad.

The women's team will be headed by Fionnuala Britton who was in top from again at the weekend as she won the women's race in Belfast to retain her title.  Britton came home a minute ahead of the 2006 winner Maria McCambridge, who will join her on the women's team.

McCambridge's Dundrum South Dublin club-mate, Linda Byrne, who finished third on Saturday will also travel to Edinburgh.  The senior women's team is completed by Orla O'Mahony from Raheny Shamrocks, Deirdre Byrne from Sli Chulainn and Lagan Valley's Suzanne McCormack.

The men's junior team will include six athletes.  The winner of Saturday's junior race, Michael Mulhare (North Laois AC), is included along with Togher's Craig Murphy and Finn Valley's Ian Ward, who came second and third respectively.  David Flynn (Clonliffe Harriers), Liam Tremble (Metro/St. Brigid's AC) and Patrick Hogan (Ferrybank AC) complete the men's junior team.

Sarah Louise Treacy from Moynalvey/Kilcoon AC will be the only Irish representative in the women's junior section.  Treacy finished third behind the Ffrench O'Carroll twins, Charlotte and Rebecca, on Saturday but the Dundrum South Dublin runners are unable to compete due to exams.

Irish Team - World Cross Country Championships - Edinburgh, Scotland 30th March 2008

Senior Men:

Alistair Cragg                            Clonliffe Harriers

Vinny Mulvey                            Raheny Shamrocks

Mick Clohissey                         Raheny Shamrocks

Chris Cariss                              Cloniffe Harriers

Brian Maher                              Kilkenny City Harriers

Paul McNamara                        Athenry AC

Gary Thornton                           Galway City Harriers

Andrew Ledwith                        Fr. Murphy AC

Keith Kelly                                Drogheda & District AC

Senior Women:

Fionnuala Britton                       Slí Chulainn

Maria McCambridge                Dundrum South Dublin

Linda Byrne                              Dundrum South Dublin

Orla O'Mahoney                       Raheny Shamrocks

Deirdre Byrne                           Slí Chulainn

Suzanne McCormack                Lagan Valley AC

Junior Men:

Michael Mulhare                        North Laois AC

Craig Murphy                            Togher AC

Ian Ward                                   Finn Valley AC

David Flynn                               Clonliffe Harriers

Liam Tremble                            Metro/St. Brigid's AC

Patrick Hogan                           Ferrybank AC

Junior Women:

Sarah Louise Treacy                  Moynalvey/Kilcoon AC