Newcastle top of the League for Christmas but City of Derry closing in…
Race 6 of the Athletics NI Cross-Country League took place in Gransha hosted by the City of Derry Spartans. For the first time in recent history a bus left the quiet corner of County Down packed full of athletes, would-be athletes and never will be again athletes. 2014 has been the club’s most successful year in its history over the cross-country – winning the NI Junior Team title in January in Lurgan, the Comber Cup in February and now in the current winter season the Bobby Rea Memorial team title at Jordanstown in October and the McConnell Shield at Ballyclare in November. The club headed to Derry top of the league and 8 points clear of nearest rivals City of Derry. Continue reading →

Tent christening and still top of the league…

There was a big Newcastle AC turnout at Sixmilewater Park in Ballyclare on Saturday past to unveil the latest in gazebos – emblazoned in red and yellow, constructed and commissioned on the course, yes, on the course – too close to the runners as they finished each lap, but McNeilly wasn’t for moving it.

David McNeilly’s new Club Masterpiece (with the racing line just a metre to the right of Seamie Lynch’s arm)

Just as well for the Ladies Race was at 1.15pm and not soon after it, they had revised their cool-down to a cup of tea in the tent. Worse still, as the men’s team arrived, some were consuming cups of tea as warm-up. It took the diminutive Annadale Striders’ organiser, John McLaughlin, standing at the tent entrance to stop the party-goers staggering into the incoming runners. Continue reading →

Newcastle secure McConnell Shield and move further ahead in Cross-Country League

Results

The 4th race of 9 in the Athletics NI Cross-Country League, the McConnell Shield took place on Saturday in Ballyclare promoted by East Antrim Harriers. It was the 80th running of the race and 13 men (well some barely grown-up boys) and 2 women (ladies) made the trip from deepest County Down. The rain that wasn’t supposed to arrive at all set in around 11am and stayed incessantly right through the races turning the park along the Sixmilewater to mud as the hundreds of runners ended up ploughing around the 1-mile loop. Continue reading →

Newcastle Stay top of the league
by David McNeilly
Third round of cross country league took place on Saturday at coleraine.
Newcastle had 9 seniors and 1 lady make the long journey, what a worth while trip it proved to be.

Rita Devlin ran a steady race to finish in 53rd place in the 3 miles ladies race.

The men’s race was a fast start with Seamus hitting the front early closely follow by David O’Flaherty and McNeilly. Continue reading →

Results
Newcastle hit the top of the League
by bogusboy

Just before the Bobby Rea, Newcastle AC Junior runner Eve Kenneally represented County Down in NI and Ulster even age cross-country championship, finishing 12th to qualify for the All Ireland Cross Country championship and helping County Down win Gold in the team event.

The ‘dirty dozen’ from Newcastle & District AC journeyed to University of Ulster at Jordanstown for the annual Bobby Rea Memorial Cross-Country Races. It was the second race in the Athletics NI cross-country league, two weeks after the first race at the Billy Neil Football Centre near Dundonald.

That race was the season opener, the Comber Cup, back to its traditional slot in the calendar. Defending champions, the boys just failed to retain the title coming home one point behind North Belfast Harriers in the narrowest of finishes and vowed to go one better next time out. Continue reading →

Newcastle AC Oh So Close To Retaining Cup At Comber
Report by David McNeilly
After a superb end to the cross country season at start of year by winning NI Junior, Comber Cup and Stormont cross country team events, the start of this years season was always going to be hard to live up to!!!

On Saturday 11th October the first round of the Athletics NI cross country league took place at the Billy Neill just outside Comber. The host club Ballydrain Harriers, done a super job running this event not once but twice in the one year! Thanks for all the food after the race. Continue reading →