Fionnuala McCormack spearheads Irish Cross Country challenge

Fionnuala McCormack will headline a 36-person Irish squad for the European Cross Country Championships that take place at Laeken Park, Brussels on Sunday (live on RTÉ2).

The 29th edition of the event will see Irish athletes compete at Under-20, U23 and senior level as they look to maintain recent success.

Last year's championships in Piemonte saw Ireland claim a record five medals which resulted in finishing in second place on the overall medal table alongside Spain and France.

McCormack, who last weekend become the first Irishwoman to qualify for five Olympic Games after running 2:26.19 at the Valencia Marathon, will be the main player in the senior women’s team.

Twelve months ago the Irish team took bronze.

The 39-year-old, a gold medallist in the event from 2011 and 2012, is competing in her 18th European Cross-County Championships, and will be joined on an experienced Irish senior women’s team by Eilish Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Roisin Flanagan (Finn Valley AC), Mary Mulhare (Portlaoise AC), Fionnuala Ross (Armagh AC), and recent national champion Fiona Everard (Bandon AC).

The senior men’s team includes national cross country champion Cormac Dalton (Mullingar Harriers) who will be ably supported by Irish 5,000m record holder Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock), Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC), Keelan Kilrehill (Mov Valley AC), Fearghal Curtin (Youghal AC), and a resurgent Kevin Mulcaire (Ennis Track Club).

Danielle Donegan - pictured above - of Tullamore Harriers is one of a few medal winners from last year looking to replicate those exploits in Belgium.

She will lead the women’s U23 team, while on the men’s side, Dean Casey (Ennis Track Club) graduates from the U20 category following last year’s bronze medal performance.

Nick Griggs w