by Perri Williams
In the shadow of Castle Necarne as he came up the hill for the final time, the finishing line in sight, you could see the smile on Keelin Kilrehill’s face. A sweet smile of victory. He crossed the line to take gold and it was only then the enormity of his achievement hit him. He had won his first ever national senior title. The Moy Valley AC man had spent much of the race in the company of Nick Griggs. He must have known the presumptions of the athletic pundits and spectators. Griggs with Kilrehill – the former has the speed the latter the stamina. "With Griggs still there and 2,000m to, it was Griggs who had the gold medal". Not so. Just as the athletes were about to head out on the final lap, Kilrehill pushed ahead, creating a small gap between himself the u23 Ulster sensation. Could Griggs fight back? He couldn’t. He dropped out, discretely into the side where the finish and the final lap routes converge. Thankfully for the asute action by Donegal man Kieran Carlin, he hauled Griggs from the group and put him back into the race. It didn’t matter that Kilrehill was too far ahead. It didn’t matter than Niall Murphy (Ennis Track) another u23 athlete was about to overtake Cormac Dalton (Mullingar) and move into second. What mattered was that Griggs needed to stay in the race and help his CNDR team mates to take the inter club victory. What a memorial time at the podium. Keelin Kilrehill wept with joy as he was handed his gold medal. Niall Murphy held his senior silver and u23 gold in disbelief. The cup was raised by the CNDR lads as they did indeed emerge triumphant in the team competition. The u23 title was as previously stated was won by Niall Murphy (Ennis) with Nick Griggs (CNDR) second and a well-deserved bronze medal went to Cathal O’Rielly (KCH) as he fought so hard throughout the race, determined to avoid the disappointment of the two previous years. Success does come to those that keep trying. The triump of sucess over adversity.
The ladies race produced a stunning surprise. Ide Nic Dhomhnaill was rumoured by many to have the gold in the bag. And the West Limerick woman did try hard to live up to that expectation. However by the second lap as Niamh Allen (Leevale) took the lead Nic Dhomhnall had already dropped slightly behind the main bunch. By the time the athletes headed back up the back hill it was 44-year-old, National marathon champion Ann Marie McGlynn (Letterkenny) that took the lead. McGlynn did not just occupy that front position, she commanded a lead that stretched further and further as the race progressed. Behind her the minor medals were the ones being battled for. There were about five athletes that could stand on that podium. However, it was Niamh Allen that emerged as the second athlete as they headed up the hill towards the finish. Behind her Danielle Donegan was closing her down. Donegan had left it a little too late and just ran out of track as Allen cross the line to take silver. A concise victory just ten weeks after giving birth to her baby. The u23 title went to Emma McEvoy (DSD) as expected with a brilliant run from Amy Green (Finn Valley) in second. Roisie Roberts (CNDR) took the bronze. There was great excitement as Leevale won the team title, Donie Walsh being hauled in for the team photo.
The men’s u20 was billed as the race of the championship with about ten athletes vying for the top positions and the much-coveted places on the Irish team for the European Cross-Country. From the start it was fast and furious with the main players in the leading group. The end of the first lap was no closer to separating the top ten. Sean Quinn (DSD) and Jonas Stafford (UCD) were names mentioned as was Lughaidh (UCD), Noah Harris (Parnell) and Cillian Gleeson (Celbridge). Sitting quietly behind them was the unassuming Frank McGrath (Lagan Valley). McGrath has been discounted by many, mainly because he had not produced the form on the track or in the 2023 cross-country season. As the race progressed Sean Quinn tried to take it on and create some space between himself and the rest of the field. “I wanted to win” said Quinn in the aftermath of the race. He couldn’t shake Stafford who equally had a point to prove after an injury sidelined him for most of the earlier part of 2024. Some had even written him off. Stafford made his move about 600m to go and as hard as Quinn tried to respond he just could match the Wicklow man’s pace. Then came the surprise, Frank McGrath had passed Noah Harris and as they turned into the final straight he was heading towards Quinn with lightening speed. As Quinn struggle up the final short hill, McGrath produced one final surge and grasped that silver and made it his own. Noah Harris finished fourth with Lughaidh Mallon running a great race to take fifth. Harris won the u18 race with Caolan McFaddan 2nd and local athlete Harry McKenzie (Enniskillen) in third place. The u20 team title went to Clonliffe with Lagan Valley 2nd and DSD 3rd. The u18 team title went to Donore Harriers, with Nenagh second and Clonliffe in 3rd.
The ladies u20 saw Lucy Foster (Willowfield) own the race in one of the most impressive victories of the day. Foster had staged a bit of a comeback, rescuing her 2024 season in a convincing manner. She was 21 seconds clear of local athlete Annabel Morrison (Enniskillen) who was having the race of her life much to the delight of the home crowd. Back behind Morrison a gigantic battle was going on between Avril Mellerick (Youghal) and Eva Bartlett (Lagan Valley). Bartlett moved into third place, but Mellerick found another gear and moved bast the former St Senan’s athlete with 40m to go, to take the bronze. Bartlett was however rewarded with the u18 gold and the title of the Irish u18 champion. Megan Brunt (Blackrock) was 2nd and Emer McKee (Willowfield) was 3rd. Lagan Valley won the team title u18 with Willowfield second. Lagan Valley also won the u20 title with Clonliffe in second place. KCH finished 3rd. This was the first time in the 45 year history of the event that the junior ladies title went north of the border. Another success story for Lagan Valley.
The remainder of the juvenile programme produced some expected winners and some surprises. The u12 race saw the 2023 champion Kate Tighe (Moy Valley) take gold with Grace Foely (Sligo) in second and Finaith King (Dunleer) coming through nicely to take bronze. Foley led her Sligo AC team to the gold. It was Tom Doherty (St Josephs) that led out the boys u12, maintaining his lead for the first half of the race. While Doherty did fade (and made the top 12) the lead changed hands a few times over the latter part of the race. Despite almost falling Ronan Geaney (St Catherine’s) managed to gain composure and sprint clear of Philip Griffin (Claremorris) with Harry McVeigh (Newcastle and District) in third. The team title went to St Cronans, with Moy Valley in second and Youghal in third.
Local Enniskillen athlete Kate Kelly tried to make this a home victory and led for a substantial distance of the girls u14 race. Nellie Bateman (Belgooley) and the Templeogue pair of Ruby Farrelly and Ailbhe Finuchane along with Ruby Walsh (Mullingar) were chasing her down. As both Bateman and Kelly faded, Ailbhe Finuchane took the helm with the finish line in sight. The Templeogue girl took the gold from a fast-finishing Ruby Walsh with Sinead Fitzpatrick (St Abbans) producing a storming last five hundred meters to take the bronze. Finn Valley took the team title from St Abbans and Middleton.
There was an impressive display of front running in the boys u14 as Darragh Whelan left no stone unturned to take a very decisive victory. The Limerick AC athlete was almost 200m ahead of Eoghan Looney (Blarney/Iniscarra) as he crossed the line for gold. Rory Groddy (Swinford) took the bronze. The team title went to Ennis Track from Galway’s Clare River Harriers with Clonliffe in third.
There was no stopping Freya Renton (Westport) as she took yet another national title in the girls u16. For a time Madison Welby (City of Lisburn) looked like she may have posed a challenge. But a steep hill and a fast-approaching Holly Renton (Westport) laid those plans to rest. The Renton twins continued their relentless dominance on the girls u16 race to record a one, two just as they did when they won their first national title at u11. Newbridge AC won the team title led home by Rachael Keaney in sixth. Mid-Sutton took silver and Tullamore bronze.
Accidents can happen and Cross-Country can never guarantee a leader or the strategic runner the success they had planned for. Such was the case with Charlie O’Neill (Donore Harriers). O’Neill had placed himself perfectly in position to strike for home. Right on the shoulder of Cian Considine (South Galway0, he could taste victory. Just as they both rounded the final bend with the finishing line in sight, O’Neill started to make his move. He slipped. Fell to the ground. Getting up quickly he tried to regain the distance he had lost but Considine was too far ahead. It was Considine who took gold with O’Neill second and Luke Walsh (South Galway) in third. Leevale won the team title from Lagan Valley and Donore.
The local athletics club Enniskillen should be applauded on the excellent but tough course, with ample vantage points and an overall great day of Cross-Country running. As Keelin Kilrehill makes his way West and Niall Murphy South, we can all reflect and marvel at the magnificent display of athletic entertainment all the athletes gave us today.