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28 November, 2009

Irish Schools Mountain Running Championships
Report by Douglas Barry
Strong individual performances by Niall Duncan (Douglas Community School) and Derbhla Mulligan (St. Louis Carrickmacross) in the senior races were the highlight of the Irish Schools Mountain Running Championships held at St. Columbas College on Wednesday the 1st March 2000. The pair had convincing wins and must be strong contenders to make the Irish team for the British & Irish junior Championships to be held in England in October.
Nearly 300 runners did the six courses held over the tricky terrain on Kilmashogue mountain in Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin. The weather proved kind and, while some established mountain runners could not make it due to the imminent Schools Cross Country Championships, more than enough new talent was on the hills dazzling the spectators. Next year, a clash with this event and the National Indoors will have to be avoided. However, all in all, Pat Donlon, Alan Cox, and their team of organisers were rewarded with a tremendous event.
First off were the Junior Girls. Cora Russell made the race her own and led St, Olivers, Drogheda to the team prize ahead of Wilsons Hospital and Holy Faith, Clontarf coached by former 1500 metre specialist Enda Fitzpatrick. Cora proved that she could certainly climb and put a good lead into Louise Moore and Joan Collins before consolidating it on the descent.
In the Intermediate Girls race, a close battle for the lead was resolved firmly in favour of Irish international Laura McDonnell ahead of her fellow internationals Maria Slattery and Karen Guthrie. Laura charged ahead on the descent to take a clear win. However, she wasn't in the team medals as Newbridge College held off hosts St. Columbas and Firhouse Community School for the gold.
The Senior Girls race proved to be an impressive showcase for the talents of Derbhla Mulligan of St. Louis Convent, Carrickmacross. The Ulster Cross Country champion pushed hard on the climb and distanced herself from a classy field that included international Anne Marie Gilsenan. Eileen Rahill ran hard to take the silver and lead her team mates from St. Olivers Oldcastle to the team gold. Caroline Harvey took the bronze after an excellent race.
The next set of races were all boys' ones. Willow Park's Hugh O'Connor had a ding dong battle on the descent with Con Gilsenan (St. Olivers Oldcastle) and Roy Murray (Killinarden C.S.), before he finally took the Junior Boys title from his chasers. The strong packing team from Mullingar's Wilsons Hospital School took the team gold with St. Olivers Oldcastle in silver, and Headfort Preparatory taking the bronze to the delight of their headmaster Lingard Goulding.
In the Intermediate boys race, Patrick O'Reilly showed that a training background of the Cooley mountains were no disadvantage as he picked off the leaders and took the gold in another close race. Behind him came three Colaiste Raithin runners from Bray, Co. Wicklow. Lorcan Doyle and Martin Kavanagh had to settle for second and third respectively, but had the satisfaction of leading an emphatic raid on the team gold medals. Bush Comprehensive and Oldbawn Community School took team silver and bronze behind the Wicklow boys.
After his comprehensive demolition of the opposition in the Munster Championships, all eyes were focussed on the appearance of Douglas's Niall Duncan in the Senior Boys race. Was he going to cut it with some of the experienced mountain runners on show? Yes, he was. Niall disappeared into the distance from the gun: the race was over. His spirited descending on the tricky terrain shouted aloud the word "natural", and the gold was his.
Behind him, an impressive and delighted Seosamh O'Muircheartaigh who has only moved up to the Senior Boys in 2000 came through to take an unexpected silver. International Emmet Dunleavy got the better of Kevin English by only one second to take the bronze. Douglas Community School with a team of fit and versatile rowers took team gold, with St. Jarlath's Tuam and Colaiste Eoin taking silver and bronze respectively.
Further report and results shortly.
Results - Irish Schools Mountain Running Championships
Junior Girls
1 Cora Russell St. Olivers, Drogheda
2 Louise Moore St. Josephs, Rochford Bridge
3 Joan Collins St. Olivers, Drogheda
Teams
1 St. Olivers, Drogheda
2 Wilsons Hospital
3 Holy Faith, Clontarf
Intermediate Girls
1 Laura McDonnell Kilinarden CS, Dublin
2 Maria Slattery St. Marys, Arklow
3 Karen Guthrie Firhouse CS
Teams
1 Newbridge College
2 St. Columbas
3 Firhouse CS
Senior Girls
1 Derbhla Mulligan St. Louis, Carrickmacross
2 Eileen Rahill St. Olivers Oldcastle
3 Caroline Harvey St. Josephs, Rochford Bridge
Teams
1 St. Olivers Oldcastle
2 St. Columbas
3 St. Josephs, Rochford Bridge

Junior Boys
1 Hugh O'Connor Willow Park, Dublin
2 Con Gilsenan St. Olivers Oldcastle
3 Roy Murray Kilinarden CS, Dublin
Teams
1 Wilsons Hospital
2 St. Olivers Oldcastle
3 Headfort Preparatory
Intermediate Boys
1 Patrick O'Reilly Bush Comprehensive, Carlingford
2 Lorcan Doyle Colaiste Raithin, Bray
3 Martin Kavanagh Colaiste Raithin, Bray
Teams
1 Colaiste Raithin, Bray
2 Bush Comprehensive, Carlingford
3 Oldbawn CS, Dublin
Senior Boys
1 Niall Duncan Douglas CS
2 Seosamh O'Muircheartaigh Colaiste Eoin
3 Emmett Dunleavy Sligo
Teams
1 Douglas CS, Cork
2 St. Jarlaths, Tuam
3 Colaiste Eoin, Dublin