How quickly the seasons come round and on Sunday yet another athletics year begun at Donegal County Board level with the staging of the Donegal Masters and even age championships. at Carndonagh.
Despite wintery weather a good day’s cross-country action got us on our way .
Topping the list were the Masters championships and a team victory was recorded by the Finn Valley women getting in ahead of Inishowen scoring squad led by Linda Emery, with support from Noleen Merritt, Kay Byrne and Marie Harper .
The mens team on 36 points garnered silver team spot behind Letterkenny AC on 21 points.
Mark Connolly showed how it’s done winning the county over  50 category a case of leading by example.
The underage section always proves interesting and with a team victory the under-10 boys were led by Conor Gallagher and it was a close team battle, 24 for Valley against 28 for LAC.
Best of the girls in this age division Emily Kelly, second, and the team also in silver.
There followed team victories for the under-12 and under-14 girls with the former having 13 points to spare over Lifford /Strabane with the under-14 group capably led by Sarah Bradley, ably supported by Eimear O’Brien. Crossan and Hannah Murray with additional back up of a high standard if required as athletes push to make scoring team.
The new county champion in the age category scored a convincing victory with a solid squad behind her .
Finn Valley boys under-12 got the silver team spot while the under-16 girls had a team victory Andrea Browne, Abby O’Connor, Emma Murphy and lead Valley athlete Sara O’Neill whose mum Lynn had taken part in the Masters earlier.
OIsin Toye, the young Deele College lad, had an excellent run in the under-16 boys and was a very encouraging second to Sean McGinley (Olympian AC) in this one.
Finally to the under-18 age group Karen Gallagher second in her event to Sarah Kelly ofInishowen while Ben Carr looked impressive in winning the equivalent boys taking Valley to a team victory with Chris Kearns, Karol McGinley and Oran O’Donnell in support to score
This Sunday the journey moves on to Finn Valley Centre, Stranorlar for the Donegal novice and uneven ages starting with under-9.
It’s a 12 noon start for novice with juvenile races due for 12.50pm.
