Cliona Foley writes
ALISTAIR CRAGG could yet be a surprise inclusion on the Irish team for the upcoming European Cross-Countries in Santry Demesne next month.
The rest of the team was announced yesterday but a vacancy has been left to see if Cragg -- who has requested to be considered -- can prove his fitness in a high-quality 5km road race in San Jose tomorrow.
If not, the final slot on the senior men's team will go to Raheny's Mick Clohisey, who was fourth at the national inter-counties last weekend.
Cragg, like Martin Fagan, did not come home from America to compete in the inter-counties but Irish team manager, Ann Keenan-Buckley, said: "It would be very difficult to leave an athlete of his (Cragg's) calibre out if he is fit enough."
There were no other major surprises in yesterday's team announcement, although one obvious loss for the men's U-23 team will be David McCarthy.
His under-par performance at Monday's NCAA's Division 1 cross-countries -- where Raheny's David Rooney (McNeese) was Ireland's best performer in 58th and McCarthy was only 84th -- demonstrated that the West Waterford star has not recovered full fitness after a recent illness and, after consultations with his Providence college coach Ray Treacy, he was ruled out.
Two more of Treacy's ex-Providence stars -- Mary Cullen (North Sligo) and Martin Fagan (Mullingar Harriers) -- will lead the senior teams.
The first six senior women in Kilbeggan -- Cullen, Deirdre Byrne, Linda Byrne, Fionnuala Britton, Ava Hutchinson and Orla O'Mahony -- have been selected.
Like Fagan, Mark Christie's recent form was good enough to clinch selection, followed by the three on the senior men's podium last Sunday: Andrew Ledwith (Fr Murphys), Tallaght's Sean Connolly and Clonliffe's Mark Kenneally.
Sarah-Louise Treacy (Moynalvey/ Kilcloon AC), who took the U-23 title last weekend, leads the women's U-23 team that includes a quartet from Dundrum South Dublin -- Bryony Treston, Maria Walsh, Breffni Twohig and Laura Huet -- and Newbridge's Roseanne Galligan.
Michael Mulhare, the new county U-23 champion, leads the equivalent men's team, and another memeber of the talented North Laois family, his sister Mary, has also made the junior women's team to be led by rising star Ciara Mageean of Lisburn.
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