ATHLETICS:Only after enduring the sharpest of duels in the most testing conditions did Peter Mathews secure the National Inter-club Cross-country title yesterday, edging out defending champion Séamus Power by just four seconds.
It was one of those days when the two athletes that have dominated this event for much of the last decade finally collided at their peak. And with that came one of the greatest championship contests in a long while, one that defied the leg-wrecking course that in places was simply a river of mud.
With hard rain falling throughout the morning, a pool of water settled nicely around the ALSAA Complex in Dublin. By the time the senior men's race started off it was clear the 12km course would be a true test of both strength and will.
As expected, though, it took something special to beat Power over the country. Going for his third title in a row, the Clare man had been unbeaten by his domestic rivals this season and in fairness he never made it easy for Mathews.
But in the end Mathews was able to dig that little bit deeper. Both men were shoulder to shoulder as they entered the final 400 metres and suddenly Mathews was gone - crossing the line in 43 minutes and 20 seconds for the most deserving of victories.
"Well, to win this is even more special with Séamus Power right there behind me," said Mathews, who also led his club Dundrum South Dublin to the team title.
"I mean Séamus has been the man for the last eight or nine years and has won everything. I wouldn't regard this as a true national title unless Séamus was in there as well."
Mathews has so often been on the heels of Power, but in truth he has also suffered more than his fair share of illness and injury. The 32-year-old first won the title back in 1994, regained in 1998, and on yesterday's performance is sure to add a couple more.
"I do like those muddy conditions, to be honest," he said. "I felt good and just kept the head every time he tried to come back at me or went ahead. But I always felt strong and just relaxed, and felt I could out-kick him at the end. I did have a hard time with illness over the New Year, but then had a solid run at that European Club championships three weeks ago and that helped set me up for this."
Power ran his typically surging race yet just couldn't open a significant distance on Mathews. He still looked the one to beat when they entered the last of the six laps together, and had no regrets about the way he ran. These two athletes often train together and their rivalry is based solely on respect for each other.
Though it was a two-man race from the start, further back there was an intriguing battle for the team race and the right to represent Ireland at next month's World Championships in Leopardstown. The Lombard brothers from Leevale in Cork, Cathal and Fiachra, came into the form at the right time after their pre-Christmas training in Kenya and took third and fourth respectively.
With Power already pre-selected, those two will definitely join Mathews on the team as the three automatic qualifiers, although the final selection won't be made until the short-course trials in a fortnight. Leevale clubmate Martin McCarthy is also in the mix, as he took fifth, as is Galway's Paul McNamara, who ran splendidly to take sixth.
Anne Keenan-Buckley avoided a similar duel in the senior women's race by getting away and staying away from Rosemary Ryan right from the start. The 40-year-old Laois athlete had 22 seconds to spare at the finish, reversing the result of a year ago when Ryan came through at the finish.
It was another remarkable display of frontrunning from Keenan-Buckley, who simply ignored the tiresome conditions with her relentless pace. Back in third there was welcome return to form for Clare's Marie McMahon, with Finn Valley also regaining their dominance in the team race.
The two junior races also demanded the most determined of efforts, with Mullingar's Mark Christie securing the men's title from Dundrum's Joseph Sweeney and Kevin Seaward of St Malachy's. Pre-race favourite Martin Fagan was forced to withdraw through illness.
Fionnuala Britton successfully defended her junior title despite a late challenge from the Dundrum duo of Linda Byrne and Michelle Gallagher. But the reward for all three is a place on the line in Leopardstown.
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