Offaly brothers selected for prestigious cross country international

TWO Offaly brothers have been selected for a prestigious cross country international in England in November.

Barry and Kevin Minnock, from Clonmore in the Cappincur catchment area, have been selected on the Irish team for the British and Irish Masters Cross Country International in Roundhay Park, Leeds on Saturday, November 15.

Sons of Pat and Rose Minnock, it will be a memorable occasion for their families and their siblings, Derek, Aidan, Niall, Fiona and Niamh.

The two are members of Tullamore Harriers and have developed into serious running machines. Barry was the trend setter, taking up athletics almost twenty years ago while Kevin is a more recent phenomenon, having just opted out of playing football for Cappincur this year – he came on as a sub in the Senior “B” Football Championship final loss to Clonbullogue last year and has given years of great service in their attack.

Barry also played football with Cappincur up to his 20s but focused on athletics at an earlier age. Working and living in Dublin, he initially concentrated on extreme mountain running and endurance events, taking on some tough challenges in the USA and across Europe. The work he did in those early years laid a powerful foundation when he turned his attention to more conventional distances.

The third oldest in his family, Barry has worked and lived in Dublin for years and competed for Rathfarnham AC there until fulfilling a long held ambition by switching to and competing for his home athletics club in Tullamore Harriers a couple of years ago.

He set a sensational Offaly record of 2.17.40 for the marathon in Hannover and has posted some fantastic times over the distances, and is strongest at the longer events.

His switch to Tullamore Harriers co-incided with Kevin Minnock’s decision to begin to wind down his football career and turn to athletics. Kevin has made phenomenal progress in the past couple of years and won a few of the races in the very popular Offaly Athletics 5k race series this year, running 15 minutes consistently.

There is a very healthy, friendly rivalry between the brothers as they drive each other on. Kevin is the youngest in the family and the age gap and his running freshness is a help in him being able to get the better of Barry in a number of races, though Barry can always point to his personal bests if any comments are passed! – Kevin will compete in the over 35 class in Leeds while Barry has joined the over 50 ranks.

Kevin is likely to follow Barry’s path into long distance events in the coming years. He ran 1.14.01 in the Tullamore half marathon in August with Barry not far behind in 1.15.22. Barry had a super run in the Dublin marathon on Sunday when he ran 2.37.32 and was third in a very competitive over 50 category.

The British and Irish Masters is an annual event that brings together top masters athletes from over 35 up from England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

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The Irish team was selected after the recent Autumn Open Cross Country in Abbotstown when Kevin was fourth in the over 35s and Barry won the over 50s.

Barry has represented Ireland in this event previously but it is a first international selection for Kevin and a unique occasion for their families, a proud Cappincur community and the Tullamore Harriers club.

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