by Perri Williams
From the flat plains of the Phoenix Park to the sloppy mud slopes and paths of Tramore Valley, Park (Cork) the two venues for the provincial schools’ cross-country championships could not have been more different.
Senior Boys and Girls
Emily Bolton (Institute of Education) was a convincing winner of the Senior Girls race in Leinster, finishing over 150m clear of her club and school mate Lorraine O’Connor. Eimer Cooney (Sacred Heart) managed to shake free of Dearbhla Allen (St Mary’s College), to finish third. Both athletes paying the price for their earlier fast pace. The Institute of Education were clear winners of the team event with the Sacred Heart Tullamore in second and Killina Secondary School in third. Offaly showing some depth with both schools from the county reaching the podium. Schools like Yeats College and the Institute of Education tend to do well in the senior races due to athletes attending these colleges for the final year of two prior to Leaving Cert.
The Senior Boys race was as competitive as ever with Noah Harris (ETTS, Wicklow) and Cillian Gleeson (Coláiste Chiaráin). Both athletes were European u18 finalist over 3,000m on the track last summer. Joining them in the hunt for a podium position was Ryan O’Neill (Terenure College), Lorcan Benjacar (Ard Scoil Ris) and Shay O’Donnell (St Mary’s). From the gun it was Harris and Gleeson who set the pace, relieving themselves from the main pack after less than 100m. Stride for stride both athletes had created a gap of over 130m by the end of the first lap. Behind then a group of fourteen athletes had formed – all racing for the bronze medal. This gap increased to over 250m by the end of the second lap, ensuring the gold and silver medals were going to be decided between Gleeson and Harris. Back behind them the chasing group had been split with three athletes detaching themselves, all clearly attempting to stake a claim on that final medal. Ruairi McEvoy had remained with the group for most of the third lap but started to drift over the final stage. Harris accelerated several times in the final stages, with Gleeson eventually caving. As the athletes approached the finishing chute Harris was 4 seconds ahead of the Kildare man with Gleeson marginally close for a final 3 seconds’ difference. It was Ryan O’Neill who took the bronze three seconds ahead of Lorcan Benjacar. Colaiste Mhuire (Westmeath) took the team title, from St Mary’s (Louth) with Ard Scoil Ris (Dublin) in third.
Things were very different for the seniors in Munster. The sloppy and mostly difficult conditions left no place for the pure track runner to hide. Each hill became a ski slope of mud, the flat ground a stream and there were ponds of water dotted over the course, with a spectacular one greeting the athletes on the run into the finish. The nights rain had not helped and the splashes on sunshine made little difference to the conditions. It was Caoimhe Flannery (Skibbereen) who took the girls race out, running some twenty meters ahead of the field. A group of five were chasing, most of the time trying to keep their footing rather than worrying about any gap. Over the final 500m the front running took its toll on Flannery and she was caught by Saoirse Twomey (St Mary’s Macroom). Twomey finished five seconds ahead. Moving fast too on the final lap was Eve Dunphy (Abbey CC). The Waterford schoolgirl had moved from 5th to 3rd with 800m to go. Closing down on Flannery, she was just four seconds adrift in the end. There is no point comparing times or paces between the Leinster and Munster competitions. Such an act would not give an apt reflection on an athlete’s ability overall. Mearly it would indicate how well an athlete can perform in atrocious conditions versus the relative pristine. The Abbey CC were the winners of the team title with St Aloysius Carrigtwohill in second and St Mary’s Macroom in third.
The Senior Boys race saw Diarmuid Moloney (CBS Nenagh) take a decisive victory amid sunshine but worsening underfoot conditions. Moloney probably had in the eyes of most, his name etched on the gold medal position ever before the race had begun. Fresh from his International appearance at the Celtic Cross Country in Leeds last weekend, the Nenagh athlete ran a solo race, finishing 28 seconds ahead of Mean Scoil St Nicholas (Ring), Naoise Mac Murchadha. Danile Dollard (Hamilton HS) was a further 19 seconds behind. St Brendan’s Killarney won the team title from Waterford College and Rice College Ennis.
Intermediate Boys and Girls
With International competitions at stake in the Intermediate and Junior All-Ireland’s there was of course the need to ensure qualification in both these age categories. Emma Hickey (St Mary’s New Ross) took the Leinster Inter girls title from Megan Brunt (Loreto Dalkey) and Lily Flood (Ratoath) in third. These three girls along with Tara Rose Smith (Sutton Park) had formed the leading group after just one lap. Hickey kicked for home with 500m to go, shaking up the group with no real battle between any of the medal contenders. With Sinead Cormack in 6th and Clodagh O’Callaghan in 7th, the presentation Kilkenny backed up by Amy O’Shea (28th) were runaway winners of the team title. Ratoath were second with Colaiste Iosagain (Portarlington) in third.
The Inter boys was a much closer content. After the first lap, thirty-five athletes were still tightly packed with no clear contender. Though the athletes themselves knew not to dive into a deep sense of security. They knew who to watch out for as the race and the pace progressed. This group was reduced to 23 at the end of the second lap and the “almost” midway point. Charlie O’Neill (Belvedere College) was taking control of the race, at the front row. Just not quiet yet ready to make that decisive move ahead. As the third lap progressed, the medal deciders, the real race was happening. O’Neill was slowly ramping up the pace, making the final move for home with 600m to go. David Wajark (St Mary’s Portlaoise) was not letting him go. These two athletes were racing for gold down the finishing straight. Neck and neck, stride for stride. Though he tried hard, Wajark could not match the taller O’Neill and had to cede victory to the Belvedere man, just marginally. Jacob Ciomek (Rathcoole) passed Riely Connolly (St Paul’s Monsterevin) in the finishing straight to clinch the bronze. Belvedere College won the team title from St Kieran’s Kilkenny with St Pauls College, Raheny in third.
The Inter girls in Munster was a race where the medal positions did not oscillate too much after the first 1,000m. Ellen Goggin (Cresent College) had a good command on the race, carefully navigating her steps to ensure her rhythm maintained intact. Behind her Sophie Maher (St Flannan’s Ennis) posed no threat to Goggin, nor did Waterpark’s Ciara Ronan pose a threat to Maher. The team title went to St Angela’s Cork who had just one point to spare over fellow Cork team; Loreto Fermoy. The Ursuline, Thurles were third.
Ben O’Rielly (Douglas) as predicted set the pace for the first 1,000m but was quickly reeled in by Andrew Hinds (PBC, Cork) and Finn Yore (DLS Macroom), making it a clean podium sweep for Cork. The three Cork men together raced most of the remaining distance together, knowing at some stage the race for home would start. Yore and Hinds pulled away from O’Rielly narrowing down the competition for gold to just two candidates. Taking advantage of the hill and trying to pounce on any greenage he could possibly find Hinds made a dash for home. Avoiding the large pool of water 100m from home, he was ahead and from there remained ahead, crossing the line to take the gold. Although Luke Merrigan (Glanmire CC) narrowed the gap to within one second of Ruby Devereaux (Youghal) it was not enough to grab a fourth-place finish. Cork occupied the first nine positions; thus it was no surprise that they took the top three team places too. Doughlas took the gold, PBS second with De La Salle, Macroom in third.
Junior Girls and Boys
Lily Walsh (Loreto, Mullingar) has had a sterling cross-country season and will be hoping to top it off with a place on the Irish team for the SIAB Cross-Country next month. She is the correct milestone in accomplishing that goal with her Junior girls victory in the Phoenix Park. Walsh sprinted clear of Beth Ramsbottom (Santa Sabina) with Aoife Murphy (Loreto, Foxrock) in third. Santa Sabina won the team title.
Another athlete to have a magnificent cross-country season to date has been Wicklow’s Ethan Bramhill. Representing Greystones CC Bramhill added yet another Leinster title to his repertoire of victories. Sixteen seconds behind him Daire Beaucroft (St Ciarans CS) took silver with Samuel Redmond (Templeogue) taking the bronze. The team title went to St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny.
While the Munster Junior boys race was almost a foregone conclusion, the girls race produced a nice surprise. The conditions did not suit track athlete Nellie Bateman (Mount Mercy) who met her match with the vastly improved Saoire Ferguson (St Angela’s Waterford). A group of ten athletes stuck together for the first lap, with a gradual breakup on the second. There was no doubting the two dominant athletes, Bateman and Ferguson strode away from the chasing group to have a dual of their own. Rounding the “pond” as they approached the finish, the two athletes chased victory, neck and neck. It was just on the final hill as they approached the finish that Bateman, pushed marginally ahead, taking a half second victory. There was some consolation for Ferguson as her team took gold. St John Bosco CC were second with Pobal Scoil Inbhear Sceine in third.
Darragh Whelan was impressive. Just like he had been in his double national cross-country victory and in his track and field victories. The Castletroy student appears to be no match for the opposition, regardless of the surface or conditions. Finishing 300m behind the Limerick athlete was Cathal O’Rourke (Ennis) with Euan Wolfe (PBC Cork) in third. PBC Cork won the team title from Kinsale with St Declan’s Waterford in third.
Minor Girls and Boys
In Leinster the minor girls title went to Tara Hunt (Eureka) who was two seconds clear of Ailbhe Finucane (Loreto Stephens Green) who overcame the challenge from Robyn Browne (St Mary’s Naas) in the run to the finish. The team title was won by St Gerards. After a long hard-earned race it was Danny Davis (St Fintans HS) who emerged from a three way battle for victory to take the minor boys title. Jack Brennan (Patrician SS, Newbridge) grabbed the silver over Harry O’Meara (Gaelcolaiste Phiarsaig) who had to settle for bronze. Belvedere College took the team title.
In Munster, Chloe McCarthy (Carrigtowhill) was the winner of the minor girls from the St Flannans pair of Nicole Griffin and Emily Quinn. St Flannans took the team title. Glenn Hughes (Shannon) won the minor boys from Conor Martin (Scarrif) and Ruairi OConchuir (Gaelscoil Chiarrai). St Caimins Shannon won the minor team.
All athletes will now travel to Galway for the All-Ireland Schools on the 8th March.