Michael Murphy is now the National and Leinster cross country champion.
The midlands has a new national cross country champion.
Michael Murphy of the Tullamore Harriers added the National novice title to his Leinster crown after the novice championships in Navan on Saturday.
The offaly runner had initially crossed the line in second place, but found himself promoted to the top step of the podium after Kevin McGrath of Bohermeen Athletics Club was discovered to be ineligible to compete at novice level.
Murphy finished the 6km route in Meath in a time of 19:37, he was chased all the way to the line by Craughwell AC's William Fitzgerald (19:35), with Dylan Casey of Ennis AC coming home in third in a time of 19:51.
Cian McDonald of Ballyroan Abbeyleix & District A.C finished 8th, while James Keegan (21:39) of the Mullingar Harriers came home in 48th, his club mate Andy Boyhan finished 63rd in a time of 22:01.
Ian McCormick was the third Mullingar athlete home (22:14) to finish 69th, with Alan Crowley (23:10) next for the Westmeath club in 101st.
Ballyroan Abbeyleix runner Thomas Dunne followed just over a minute behind for a 121st in 24:21.
Selected results:
Gary Whittle (Tullamore Harriers, 24:37)
Liam Byrne (Tullamore Harriers, 25:09)
Tony Doran (Mullingar Harriers, 25:16)
Brian Martin (Mullingar Harriers, 25:46)
Gerard Gavin (Mullingar Harriers, 25:47)
Sean Reynolds (Tullamore Harriers, 27:12))
Peter Bennett (Tullamore Harrier, 29:21)
Michelle Bohan was best placed (81st) of the midlands athletes in the women's novice contest for Mullingar Harriers in a time of 18:02.
Club mates Aisling Corcoran (87th) and Ciara Dillon (90th) followed her closely home in times of 18:24 and 18:44 respectively.
Linda Cunningham from the Westmeath club finished in a time of 19:31, and Aisling Farrell in a time of 19:55.
The race was won by West Waterford AC's Lucy Holmes in 14:43.
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