Athletics: It's said that in Irish athletics the only thing as good as winning a national cross country title is defending it. Mainly because it's not easily done.

That's the prime motivation for Martin McCarthy ahead of Sunday's national inter-clubs championships, to be staged on the fast but demanding turf of Roscommon racecourse.

A year ago McCarthy put several frustrating seasons behind him by winning his first senior title, and he's clearly not about to surrender it without a fight. Peter Mathews and Séamus Power, respective champions of the previous two years, are among his main rivals, but the Cork athlete feels he's coming into form at the right time.

"I always felt I'd have to try and defend that title," he says. "It's a little different to last year in that I mightn't be as sharp, but I do feel stronger. I haven't been preparing specifically for this race, because the London marathon in April is the main goal, so the last month has included a lot of bulk work.

"But I'm looking forward to it now, and I'm excited by it. It's the only cross country race I've got planned, and the World Championships just don't fit into my plans for London. But I know Peter and Séamus are gearing towards London as well so they'll be in a similar position.

"And last year I did feel something was missing because those two weren't there. They're always tough, but we'll see how it goes this time around."

Others sure to be in the mix are Dubliners Killian Lonergan and Vinnie Mulvey, and although the top three home are assured of a place on the Irish team for the World Cross Country in Brussels at the end of March, most of the top finishers will be by-passing the event in favour of London.

The women's team for the World Cross Country has lost the services of Sonia O'Sullivan, who, it has emerged, picked up a stress fracture in her lower right leg while training in Australia.

Yet there is still plenty of interest in the senior women's race, with Catherina McKiernan continuing her quest to return to the top of world athletics by attempting to win a title last secured in 1993, which at the time was her fourth in succession.

But for Rosemary Ryan, the champion of 2001 and who finished well ahead of McKiernan in the European cross country in December, the title is also something she's been eyeing for several weeks now, and that will guarantee a race of real class.