Keith Kelly will not be seeking selection for next month's European Cross Country Championships in Sweden despite being one of the favourites for this Sunday's Inter-County championships in Dungarvan.

Those championships act as the traditional selection trial for the European event, which are to be held in Malmo on December 10th. But Kelly, who made a significant breakthrough by winning the American NCAA cross country championships in Iowa on Monday, and who has returned home specifically for the race, has made it clear he won't be interested in representing his country on this occasion.

"I'll be heading back to the States straight after the race on Sunday and it just doesn't fit into my plans to return again in December," he says. "The aim now is to get ready for the indoor season and the national club championships in February. They are the trials for the World Championships in Dublin and that's where I want to run well."

The Drogheda runner also has academic obligations to fulfil at Providence College before Christmas, where he is due to graduate next summer. That, however, won't take from a highly competitive race on Sunday, where there is sure to be a hard battle for the three automatic selection places for the top three finishers. The remaining three places are at the discretion of the selectors.

Defending champion Seamus Power from Clare has displayed the best early form this season, but Dublin's Peter Matthews has always provided a strong challenge in this race. Fellow Dubliner Cormac Smith has also been running particularly well of late, most evidently in his second place finish in last month's Loughrea road race. Dublin should take the inter-county title.

The battle for junior places should be equally tough. Last year the Irish team took home bronze medals from the European championships and there is the potential to produce something similar this year. In the women's race, Anne Keenan-Buckley will again defy her age and be favourite to take the title.