Sonia O'Sullivan saw off the challenge of Catherina McKeirnan

Sonia O'Sullivan and Catherina McKiernan scored an easy one-two in the Great BUPA Ireland Run in Dublin.

It was encouraging form from the two Irish stars ahead of December's European Cross Country championships.

O'Sullivan controlled the 10K race in Phoenix Park from start to finish, winning in a highly respectable 32 minutes 24 seconds.

But the Irish selectors will probably have been more delighted with the performance of McKiernan who continued her comeback some 40 seconds behind.

McKiernan, a four times world cross country silver medallist whose career has been on hold for the last two years through injury and motherhood, left the meeting a satisfied athlete.

"It was a really hard race but proved that I am on the way back," she said.

"After the way I ran here, of course I want to run at the Europeans."

O'Sullivan is also hoping to return for the championships in Edinburgh on 14 December.

"We will see how things are once I have had a rest and got back into training in Australia," said O'Sullivan.

Third placed teenager Charlotte Dale left Dublin knowing that on a flatter course she could have bettered her UK junior record of 33:10.

Last year's European Cross Country junior champion was only 10 seconds shy of that time as she pushed Australia's Benita Johnson into fourth place.

There was a victory for Australia to celebrate in the shape of Craig Mottram's 31-seconds win ahead of John Mayock and Seamus Power.

A thrilling team race based on the aggregate times of the first three finishers saw Ireland win in 92:12, four seconds ahead of England. Third place was claimed by Australia in 92:21.

Men's result: 1. C Mottram (Aus) 28mins 36secs, 2. J Mayock (Eng) 29:07, 3. S Power (Irl) 29:27, 4. M Bartoletti (Ita) 29:42, 5. S Haughian (Eng) 29:46, 6. E Hedrit (Ger) 29:51, 7. M Dent (Aus) 29:54, 8. S Van Den Broek (Bel) 29:58, 9. V Almeida (Por) 30:11, 10. L Novo (Por) 30:13.