Gerry Brady

14 March, 2010

Junior girls: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157623868294647/
Junior boys: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157623992887038/
Intermediate girls: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157623868913577/
Intermediate boys: http://www.flickr.com/photos/24280411@N06/sets/72157623993557246/

Another schools cross-country year is over. This one ended with two mountain runners taking individual medals in the senior races. Emmet Jennings chased home Leinster schools mountain running champion John Travers in the boys race while Niamh Denny took the bronze medal ahead of her 2009 World championships team-mate Niamh Kearney (5th) who helped Loreto Dalkey to the team title. St. Dominic's Cabra were runners-up led home by two mountain runners Sinead Cronin and Aislinn Moorehouse. Eoghan Totten winner of the British and Irish under 16 race last year was 13th in the senior boys.

Kevin Dooney was a very close 5th in the intermediate boys. Michael Treacy worked his way up to the leaders mid-race after a fall at the start before losing some places towards the end. This age group is so competitive there is no room for even a slight mishap. Claire Ni Chartaigh was 9th in the intermediate girls just ahead of Meghan Ryan. Claire Brennan ran very strongly for a long time before losing ground towards the end of the race. These five runners are all strong contenders for the Irish teams for the International Youths Challenge in June.

Ethan O'Neill running for Knockbeg finished 8th in the junior boys while Una McCarthy Deering was 19th in the junior girls. IMRA's John Maye continues his good work to keep athletics in Carlow at the top at national level.

In the colleges race Niamh O'Boyle ran a very strong race on her own chasing the group that was in pursuit of the leader. By the finish she had worked her way through some of them to finish 8th. Eoin Pierce was the best placed hill runner in the men's followed by junior international Michael Dowling, Maulin winner Colm Hill and Gerard Butler.

Junior girls
19. Una McCarthy Deering (Holy Child Killiney) 8:07

Junior boys
8. Ethan O'Neill (Knockbeg College) 11:27

Intermediate girls
9. Claire Ni Chartaigh (Colaiste Iosagain) 12:42
11. Meghan Ni Riain (Colaiste Iosagain) 12:47
18. Claire Brennan (Castleknock Community College) 12:58
22. Sorcha Nic Umfraidh (Colaiste Iosagain) 13:08

Intermediate boys
5. Kevin Dooney (CBC Monkstown) 15:12
16. Michael Treacy (High School Rathgar) 15:36
24. Kevin Brennan (Knockbeg College) 16:13

Senior girls
3. Niamh Denny (Our Lady's Grove) 7:29
5. Niamh Kearney (Loreto Dalkey) 7:36
15. Sinead Cronin (St. Dominic's Cabra) 7:56
17. Aisling Moorehouse (St. Dominic's Cabra) 8:03
21. Carol Huet (Loreto Foxrock) 8:14
25. Aisling Walsh (Loreto Foxrock) 8:22

Senior boys
2. Emmet Jennings (Oatlands College) 18:50
13. Eoghan Totten (St. Patrick's Downpatrick) 19:42
31. Declan Power (Dungarvan CBS) 20:29
37. James Griffin (Knockbeg College) 20:44
46. John Harrington (MICC Dunmanway) 21:15
49. Vincent Molumphy (Thurles CBS) 21:19

Colleges women
8. Niamh O'Boyle (TCD) 17:29

Colleges men
18. Eoin Pierce (DIT) 26:01
24. Michael Dowling (WIT) 26:21
44. Colm Hill (DIT) 27:21
53. Gerard Butler (IT Tallaght) 27:04