With the exception of World cross-country champion Sonia O'Sullivan, a strong Irish team for the Europa Cup in Lithuania on June 6th-7th contains all of Ireland's top track and field athletes. Interestingly, the Berlin and London marathon winner Catherina McKiernan is scheduled to run in the 5,000 metres, her first serious track assignment for some time.
World Championship finalist and Olympic Games semi-finalist Susan Smith will also take part in both the 100m and 400m hurdles. Smith has wintered in Athens, Georgia and has her sights set firmly on the European Championships in Budapest this summer where she is one of Ireland's potential medallists.
In the men's event Nick Sweeney and Terry McHugh are the more experienced duo in the discus and javelin respectively with James Nolan in the 800m, Niall Bruton in the 1,500m and Cormac Finnerty in the 3,000m combining for what is a talented Irish side. Sprinters Neil and Gary Ryan are also included. Ireland will face Lithuania, Austria, Iceland, Estonia, Croatia and Slovakia in the two-day meeting.
In Dublin the new look GV Ryan/Louis Vandendries Interclub Invitational takes place this Sunday at Santry at 11.00am with host club Crusaders hoping to defend the men's title they won last year for the first time since 1980. The top six men's and women's clubs from last year's National League will contest the meet.
A number of figures who will also travel with Ireland to the Europa Cup will take part, including national 400m record holder, DCU's Tom McGurk. Gary Ryan, the 200m record holder from Nenagh and national cross country champion Peter Matthews will also compete with DSD's Matthews opting for the 3,000m.
Crusaders are the holders of the men's title, having beaten Clonliffe by four points last year. They will represent Ireland in the European Club Championships in Luxemburg at the end of the month. DSD will be looking for their fourth successive title in the women's competition.
