Mayo club athlete seeks to defend Autumn Open title this weekend

Keelan Kilrehill of Moy Valley AC, Ballina, will seek to defend his senior cross country title at the Autumn Open International Cross Country Festival this weekend.

The ninth edition of the festival, held in association with Fingal County Council, will take place at the Sport Ireland Campus this coming Sunday (October 19), with a host of star names joining Kilrehill across a busy schedule.

The senior men's race will get underway at 2.20 p.m., preceded at 1.40 p.m. by the senior women's race, where England's Sophie Tarver will be back to defend her 2024 title.

This year’s Autumn Open is part of the World Athletics Cross Country Tour (Bronze), and will for the second time incorporate a Mixed Senior Cross Country Relay (11 a.m.), which will see the top two clubs qualifying to represent Ireland at the European Club Cross Country Championships next year.

The National Juvenile Mixed Relays will take centre stage from 11.30 a.m. and are sure to offer their customary thrills and spills as the next generation of cross country stars take to championship action.

Kilrehill will be bidding to make it three in a row at the Autumn Open. The Moy Valley AC athlete used last year’s win as a stepping stone towards his first national cross country title in Fermanagh, and another bold showing can be expected.

He won’t have it all his own way, however, with the fast underfoot conditions likely to suit several of the seasoned cross country specialists. Challenges from Great Britain come in the form of Max Walk and Terry Fawden, while Micheal Power (West Waterford AC), Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers), Callum Morgan (CNDR Track) and Lughaigh Mallon (UCD AC) will all look to position themselves with the leaders from the gun.

The senior women’s race looks set to be an ultra-competitive affair, with Íde Nic Dhómhnaill (West Limerick AC) set to return as she bids to regain her 2023 title. Nic Dhomhnaill put in a brave defence of her title last year, ultimately having to settle for second place behind Tarver, who looks a leading contender once more.

Fiona Everard (Bandon AC) was third last year and will look to better her podium position, while another Moy Valley athlete, Kirsty Maher, will ensure strong Irish representation towards the front of the race alongside Róise Roberts (CNDR Track), Faye Dervan (DCH), Cheryl Nolan (St. Abban's), Sorcha Nic Domhnall (West Limerick AC), and Emma McEvoy (DSD).