Dick Hooper of Raheny Shamrocks, one of the enduring personalities in Irish marathon running, is to seek another success in the national championship at Killenaule on Sunday.

Some 20 years after winning his first title, Hooper returns to lend authentic class to an entry which had earlier been described as somewhat less than imposing.

Victory on Sunday will almost certainly carry an invitation to compete in the European championship in Budapest in August and on the basis of a fine run in the United States recently, Hooper will be a strong favourite to claim it, if he so chooses.

Another interesting entry is that of Peter Maher, the American-based runner who has been entered from the North Cork club. Maher, who turned down the chance of competing for Ireland in the World Championships in Rome in I987 and later wore Canada's colours in the Olympic Games, intimated two years ago that he now wishes to be reconsidered for selection by Ireland.

His reinstatement came too late to permit him to be considered for selection for the Olympic Games in Atlanta but, almost certainly, he would relish the chance of wearing a green singlet in the European championships.

At his best, he would be expected to finish closest to Hooper but there will also be some support for the experienced Dundrum man, Gerry McGrath, who has a fine record of consistency in the national cross-country championship.

Billy Gallagher of Sligo has on occasions run well in the Irish championship but, like the rest, he has a lot of improvement to find if he hopes to beat Hooper.