RYAN McDermott warmed up for next weekend's European Championships when he was a comfortable winner of the feature race at the Malcolm Cup Cross-Country in Ballyclare.
The Annadale Strider had four seconds to spare over City of Derry's Declan Reed after four miles of muddy going with Ballymena's Jarlath Fall proving to be the best of the rest.
Reigning NI cross-country champion Eimear Mullan scored her second win in a month, coming home almost a minute clear of Cathy McCourt in women's race which was combined with the masters' competition.
Jill Scott claimed the minor podium place as City of Derry completed a double with both men's and women's teams finishing top of their respective listings.
Springwell's Philip Tweedie was a runaway winner of the masters' contest, finishing over half-a-minute clear of David Wright. East Down's Francis Tumelty was a somewhat surprise third beating Nat Glenn by a mere two seconds. Paul Elliott was the first M60 across the line in seventh overall.
There was a good turn-out for the second Sperrin Harriers Winter League with Omagh Harrier Paul Barbour first home in 16:18. Dean Corey from the host club took second, while 52-year-old Anne Paul showed the rest of the women a clean pair of heels before winning in 19:57.
Meanwhile, Ciara Mageean suffered a rare domestic defeat when she was beaten in the Jingle Bells 5K in the Phoenix Park. The Portaferry woman went over on her ankle some weeks ago but returned in good form to set a new personal best of 15:48. She had planned on running the U23 race at the European Cross Country but will now concentrate on the indoor season.
Former European Indoor bronze medallist Mary Cullen put 10 months of injury behind her to take the victory in an impressive 15:38. The North Sligo woman went through the opening kilometre in 3:20 with Mageean hot on her heels. The second kilometre proved critical with Cullen forging a lead that she was able to maintain to the finish line.
"I was nervous beforehand," said Cullen. "I felt very heavy-legged going around. I wanted to break 16 minutes going in so I'm happy with that."
Like Mageean, she will also focus on an indoor campaign in the new year.
Newcastle athlete Kerry O'Flaherty took fifth in 16:36.
The mercurial Donore Harrier John Travers was the winner of the men's race in a record 14:06. City of Derry's Conor Bradley finished strongly to take the runner-up spot in 14:20, while his training partner Danny Mooney was well off the pace with a seventh place finish in 15:15.
Armagh's Danielle Fegan scored her biggest win to date when she took the National Novice Cross Country title at Santry yesterday.
Leevale's Ben Thistlewood was the men's winner. Cavan athlete Clodagh O'Reilly took the girls' U19 title.
Elsewhere, Martin Fagan and Lizzie Lee took the top prizes in the Waterford AC half marathon running 64:16 and 74:30 respectively. Lee gave birth five months ago and has come back better than ever with a new personal best.