Following on from the massive DCU success at last year’s European Cross Country Championships on
home soil in Abbotstown, Séan McGinley helped Ireland to a team silver medal at the 2022 edition of the championships in Turin.
Three DCU athletes travelled to Turin; McGinley (1st Year PE and Biology), Róise Roberts (1st Year Spanish and Law) and Aoife Ó’Cuill (Masters in Accounting). All faced travel chaos attempting to leave Dublin on Friday but ultimately made it to Italy with just over twenty-fours hours to go to their race.
The course was deemed by many to be the toughest European Cross Country course in years with a
number of difficult climbs. Respite was afforded to the athletes as they went through La Mandria
Castle indoors for fifty metres, before a downhill finish which also proved challenging to navigate.
McGinley was first to race in the Junior Men’s 6000m. The Donegal man who represents Finn Valley AC
made it no secret when he won the Autumn Open in Dublin in October that he hoped to race at the
European Championships. Despite being disappointed by his performance at the National
Championships in Downings in his home county, McGinley done enough to be selected for the team that
day finishing sixth.
Séan McGinley produces big performance at Euro Cross
Going into the race he was determined to deliver a big performance and did exactly that. He went
out strongly from the start and held his position for most of the race. He would ultimately cross the
line in 12th place, an outstanding achievement. McGinley was the third Irish athlete on the team to finish
and was a scoring member as they took a well-earned silver medal. It is the second year in a row that
a silver medal has came back to Glasnevin from the Junior Men’s race at Euro Cross after Cathal
O’Reilly was part of the Irish team that made the podium last year.
Róise Roberts of North Belfast Harriers competed in the Junior Women’s 4000m race for the second
year in a row. Having finished third at the National Championships, Roberts was in good shape coming
into the race and gave a very good account of herself to finish 66th. This represented a significant
improvement on last year’s 77th place finish and bodes well as she is still eligible to compete in the
junior race next year.
Aoife Ó’Cuill of St. Coca’s AC also travelled to race in the U23 Women’s 6000m race but
unfortunately had to drop out. We look forward to seeing her back in an Irish singlet in 2023.
Three former DCU students also made podiums. Mary Mulhare was the third scorer as the Irish
senior women’s team took a sensational and unexpected bronze in their 8000m, while recent
graduates Keelan Kilrehill and Jamie Battle also won team medals in the U23 Men’s event. Kilrehill
finished in the top ten as the Irish team won bronze.
Rory Cassidy
Image Credit: Sportsfile