Cian Mc Phillips wins All Ireland Bronze medal

 Cian Mc Phillips ran an outstanding race to win a bronze medal at the All Ireland Cross Country Championships in Adamstown, County Wexford on Sunday 09^th December in the boys under eleven 1500 meters final to wrap up an excellent cross country season.  Over 150 competitors from all over Ireland representing their clubs, counties and provinces competed on an excellent course which was expertly laid out by the local athletics club.  Despite a terrible start where Cian was at the back of the Connaught team pen, Cian worked his way through the field passing over 20 athletes to finish eight and winning his first national medal and finished within 5 seconds of 2^nd place competitor after running a strong race.  No doubt had Cian gotten a better start, he would have finished even higher up in the field and watching his pace over the last two hundred meters, Cian was certainly racing at the speed of the winner and those in front of him.  No doubt Cian will learn from his start position in this race and this in no way takes from what a super race he ran.  To put things in perspective, the second Connaught athlete finished in 17^th place and shows that Cian made the jump up in class to compete at the highest level in Ireland, the cream of Irelands under eleven boys were competing.  Winning Connaught titles is one thing but the ability to step up to compete at National level is a completely different challenge and especially so in cross country racing.  Cian ran with class through out the race and certainly learned from his last All Ireland experience in the Curragh at the end of 2011. It’s a long number of years since a Longford Athletic Club member has won a national medal and no doubt we will see more of Cian in the coming seasons.  When we look back at his cross country season, he has won the County Longford Primary Schools Cross Country Championships and went on the win the Connaught Primary Schools Cross Country Championships in Calry, Sligo over a tough demanding course in October.  Next up was the Connaught Region Cross Country Championships in Galway in November and he gave notice of his intentions that day of what he could achieve at the All Ireland event and he certainly delivered.  Everyone at Longford Athletic Club is proud of your performances to date. Your commitment and attitude to training has paid off with your National Bronze medal, well done.