 Cullen in the All-Ireland semi-finals, All-Ireland Junior Club Football Championship in the twinning final, Stewartstown of Turun defeating Glasgow Gales 2-10 to 2-5. Here in Donegal, under-21 B semi-final, Arua Ballishan in 1-11, Len Finn a goal in 12 points and in the under-21 Hurling Championship semi-final, which was also played in Convoy, Satanta beating St-Union's 2-18 to 5 points. As we turn to athletics, delighted to say that we are joined live from just outside Turun by Theresa McDade, the women's team lead for the Irish team at the European Cross Country Championships and also a number of the Donegal participants who had a quite memorable afternoon. Firstly, we'll cross over to Theresa and I know you've had a team meeting, Theresa. This has been a great day for Donegal and indeed Irish athletics. Thanks very much, Chris. Yeah, we've had special dispensation from the management team to come on and talk to you now, and Helen really won't believe the team meeting early. So the fact that we have so many people that ran so well here on the call, I think that's why we've got such dispensation, Chris, so we're absolutely delighted. From an Irish perspective, I think it's actually we've said this evening that it's been our best ever European Championships and we didn't think we would top last year but here we are again. So all credit to all the athletes and all the coaches and we're absolutely delighted with all the performances today. So let's go through some of the highlights of the day and I suppose we might just start off with Sean McGinley and what a day for him and his fellow teammates. Yeah, thanks very much. It was a really nice day. I didn't really expect to perform as well as I did individually. I kind of set out the goal, top 15, top 20, but I wasn't too sure. I suppose, you know, how the race could go was a big headache in the course and I wasn't too sure how some lads are. I might handle that if I got too hard and stuff like that there but luckily enough, I paced the race well and came through strong in the end. I was happy to come 12th and you'll be the third counter for the team and I was very proud to stand on the podium and get the silver medal for the team and yeah it was a good day overall I think. Absolutely and Nick Griggs with the silver, Dean Casey with the bronze and coming up towards the line Sean, I mean had you any idea just whether you were in contention for a medal? What was that sir? As you approached the line yourself did you know that the Irish team were in contention? I suppose we had hoped based off last year's performance that we'd be, you know, we would be close enough to a medal. I know it was just kind of we thought we weren't too sure what colour that might be and you know whenever I crossed the line the first kind of question was you know how did the team do, where did Nick and Dean come because I would say it couldn't really know during the race and once they came second and third I thought there was a strong chance of maybe winning like but then here now the British lads done with first, fourth and fifth place finishes. We kind of knew you know it was going to go their way and go their way unfortunately but here to get second medal at the European Championship is you know more than that there it couldn't be happier with it like so I'm delighted with it and yeah kind of took a wee bit to kind of suppose you know find out after the race but yeah I was delighted to get second place in there. And great no doubt for you I think you'd have a family support over there as well and cheering being cheered over the line? Yeah it was nice having a few of the kind of my brother I was like and a few of the cousins as well so it was very nice having them out for a bit of support. Unfortunately me and my dad and my coach as well their flight was cancelled yesterday morning but yeah I was delighted to have the cousins and my brother out and it was definitely nice having done a goal supporter there, we're doing goal supporters there and a few doing goal flags and a glen swally flag as well which is really nice kind of kept me going throughout the race it was nice seeing that and sadly. And I suppose what a way to finish off the year and getting getting the medal in Europe? That's it yeah it's a nice way to finish it off couldn't really ask for a better way then in the season and after nationals three weeks ago it didn't quite go my way so I was delighted to get another chance to kind of you know prove that I'm better than that there like and I think I did that today and I proved it to myself anyways and hopefully now you know a few weeks off can then come back stronger next season again so nice way to finish off the year. Great Sean look we appreciate you being there and taking this call with us many congratulations and we wish you a safe trip home well done indeed Sean McGinley 12th overall along with Nick Griggs with the silver Dean Casey of the bronze so a great day for the Irish under 20s side team medal Callum Morgan was 18th Jonas Stafford 33rd and Mark Hanrahan 53rd well let's move on to the Irish senior women's team and well what a day it was not least for Eilish and Russian Flanagan who the twins helping the team and along with Annmarie McGlynn to secure a bronze winning medal position and I suppose with the withdrawal of Kira McGean that was a blow but certainly things went good on the day and I think we can be joined now by perhaps those three that I've mentioned Eilish and Russian and Annmarie and what a performance you must all be delighted. Yeah I think it's very to say we're pretty buzzing um I think we weren't really expected to get a medal and so just especially without Finola and Kira happened to drop out and I think just seeing Annmarie's reaction honestly whenever we find out we got third medal um it was yeah a day to remember for sure. So tell us a little bit about the race here you were sort of chipping away as the laps went on but you'd still had a lot to do on the final lap. Yeah it definitely wasn't over until until the final lap I think just maintaining position honestly at that point a lot of people were falling back I think the course is pretty demanding and so I think we raced it smartly and yeah just gave it a roll going that last hill. You Eilish you know you came in at I suppose a late stage with the withdrawal of Kira and you must be doubly over the moon because not only did you help the team and along with your sister there I mean the fact that the two of you came in and given I think the same time it's quite remarkable. Yeah for sure like I think a lot of people probably would have preferred to have seen Kira out there and they were a pretty big base to fill and I was grateful for the opportunity nonetheless and I think had a bit of a chip in my shoulder and so that definitely got me going but yeah. So Mary Mulhair the third counter coming in 27th Annmarie McGlynn also there. Annmarie you've been involved in many big events over the years and I'm sure this ranks right up there with them. Yeah yeah you know I think I was talking yesterday and I thought on paper we were probably optimistically hoping for sixth maybe fifth at a push so whenever I heard that we were one and a half points away I thought oh here we go again it was like 2014 all over again and I just had to just keep my position and I was roaring at Mary up in front of me to keep pushing and yeah and the girls up front like just phenomenal 11th and 12th you know that's what we needed and those girls got us up there in contention and me and Mary Eva and Michelle just held it together at the end like so yeah it's a great way at the end of the year so I'm happy yeah. Yeah I think you beat Spain by five points in the end what were the conditions like out on the course? Yeah there were it was tough like I don't think I've ever ran in a tougher course it was slippy on the uphills and the downhills was steep and yeah it was tough like it was just one of those ones where you had to stay on it stay focused and just yeah just keep your position and try and hold off people there were dropping like there was big names standing at the side at the end like and yeah we just took the opportunity and got Spain in the end so. So great credit to all involved now the the journey home and finishing off the year I mean it's it's been a wonderful end to a great season. Yeah definitely end in 2022 with the on a high and I think it's a great step for us all going into 2023 without being another big year um yeah I'd say we're all delighted to end it with a medal. So well done indeed again we might get Teresa back on the line as well just to round things up and what's been a super day for Donegal and Irish athletics. Teresa the Irish overall finishing second jointly with Spain and France in the medal table I mean that is quite an achievement. Yeah it's kind of hard you know when you say that out loud you kind of think oh really did that happen it was about the same last year yeah so I think you know we've had very much that sort of kind of year on year in the last number of years where we have you know systematically come right up through the rankings and right up through you know onto the medal table and onto good performances and I think it's just that consistency there and I think where you know particularly in middle distance running has just moved on significantly and it has moved on significantly in Irish athletics as well and even even in terms of not only you know for middle distance running across country but also you know with massive representation at European award indoors European championships world championships on the track at endurance events as well too and obviously on the road as well too with our marathons our Munich so yeah listen we're we're in a good place and we're excited and we're really really proud of all our athletes and all our coaches and all our team together. And finally this this really does all auger well for the future. Oh absolutely of course and you know there's there's opportunities out there and more than even today in that women's race like I think on the first lap the girls were in eighth team position you know so they plugged away and they kept tracking people down and coming through that field and and really taking that opportunity when it was there today so and along with certainly from even last week of the week before when we had our awards and it makes you reflect on the year and you take our other track athletes and in Oregon yeah it's uh at all certainly always well and um I hope we're all there to keep enjoying it and I look forward to it. And also just a word briefly on the men's under 23 team um a number of really notable performances there as well. Yes and you know a team that would have came obviously last year at over 23 that would have been gold and I think to that depth in it you know and when you're looking at teams you're always looking for depth that you're not just down to your score and three or your score and four it's actually and you know as we actually said just there now at the team meeting clearly Darren Mechelhani was was very very disappointed as indeed was there from at their individual performances but the fact that a team can still come out and get a bronze medal with so you know with poor individual performances or unexpected individual performance or was really well for a team and it just shows that depth and that's that's really important. Great Trisa many thanks for joining us thanks to everybody there and we appreciate you taking the call well done indeed congratulations we wish you all a safe trip home so Trisa Mcday the women's team lead there with the Eilish and Russian Flanagan and Sean McGinley a great day for Donegal athletics for Irish athletics at the Europe.