Finn Diver of Belfast school St. Malachy’s was a clear winner of the boys’ 4000m at the annual Brother Clonliffe Harriers Schools Cross-Country held not in Santry demesne but in the Trinity grounds next door on Wednesday (October 4).
Diver broke away from a lead pack of five about halfway through the race. Lorcan Benjacar of Ard Scoil Ris finished second and and Jamie Whelan from Ardgillan Community College third with St Aidan’s CBS taking the team title.
Most competitive of the girls’ races came at intermediate level where Goda Buiuydyte from St. Dominic’s Cabra was the winner ahead of Megan Brunt from Loreto Abbey Dalkey and Laura de Burca of Loreto Stephen’s Green. St Dominic’s took the team title by just four points from Loreto Dalkey with Loreto Stephen’s Green third.
On a good day for St Dominic’s, Cliodhna Ryan won the senior girls 2000m and helped her team to victory. Hazel Kenny of Dominican Griffith Avenue was second and Sorcha O’Connor, running as an individual, third.
Winning the boys’ inter race was Reece Johnston from Pipers Hill College. James Foot of Blackrock College was second, while in third place, Jude McGann was leading St Malachy’s to a comfortable team victory over St Colman’s Newry, with St Paul’s Raheny a close third.
Junior winners were Charlie O’Neill of Belvedere, with Oatlands best of the teams in the boys’ race and Rachel Murdoch of Holy Child Killiney best of the girls, with Holy Child the team winners.
At minor level, Cate Beddy of Loreto St Stephen’s Green won the girls’ race, with St Dominic’s the winning team, and Euan Attebery from Coláiste Eoin first home of the boys and Willow Park the winning team.
Overall team title went to St Dominic’s with three wins from the four races. In the primary schools competition, with races in three age groups,, St Vincent de Paul were the girls’ winners and St Bridget’s Foxrock best of the boys.