Historic Day in Lurgan Park for Newcastle & District AC
Newcastle & District AC went to Lurgan Park on Saturday for the Northern Ireland & Ulster Cross-Country Championships full of expectation for successful outings in both the women’s and men’s race – the outcome was a best ever day on the country for the club in its 35 year history.

Senior Women’s 6k
First up was Shalene McMurray, winner three weeks ago in the Northern Ireland and Ulster Intermediate Cross-Country at Coleraine. As she did that day she set off in Lurgan with clear intent – after the initial quarter mile as they passed the ‘3 laps to go’ point she had already established a 10 metre lead over the rest of the field and she literally never looked back pulling away to win by nearly a minute. A fantastic achievement McMurray who has been putting in her first ever serious cross-county season and in winning the title emulates her club mate Kerry O’Flaherty who won the title back in 2008. Continue reading →

Successful Day for Newcastle AC at NI & Ulster Cross-Country Championships at University of Ulster, Coleraine

Photos on Facebook HERE

Women’s Intermediate

Two weeks ago Shalene McMurray (Newcastle AC) made her Northern Ireland debut on the country at the Antrim International at Greenmount College where she finished a very creditable 17th. Today, in a biting cold gale on the University of Ulster Campus in Coleraine, where the earlier snow had melted, she literally ran away from the field. The going was tough, but McMurray was even tougher. There was hardly a firm step on the 1,350m lap (which had been shortened due to the waterlogged conditions down towards the River Bann) but that did not deter McMurray as she ploughed around the course at great speed.  Continue reading →

By Bogboy
Photos by Gareth Heron from NI Running website (www.nirunning.co.uk).

Saturday saw the 39th edition of the annual IAAF-Permit international cross-country take place at CAFRE, Greenmount near Antrim. For most of its life the event took place in Mallusk and has also been based at Stormont Estate. 26 years ago in 1990, local Newcastle AC athlete Deon McNeilly finished 2nd in a start studded field. This year the local club had three representatives selected for the Northern Ireland team – Seamus Lynch in the men’s race and Shalene McMurray and Kerry O’Flaherty in the women’s race. Continue reading →

Newcastle Maidens shine in the Maiden City
By Muddy Fields

The annual outing to the Maiden City saw Newcastle AC cross country squads board the bus at the various pick up points and as the day was a one which there was a lot going on a schedule was drawn up and this would be strictly adhered to. All was going well for stage 1 – leaving Newcastle the squad followed the schedule. Stage 2 Castlewellan alterations were made to the departure time as Hen and Seamy were “stuck behind a snow plough” coming from Rathfriland “but there was no snow today Hen” “well it worked last week” he replied in an effort to explain his tardiness. Continue reading →