Edgar and O'Reilly win Ulster Schools titles
James Edgar and Clodagh O’Reilly won the senior races at the Ulster Secondary Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Mallusk Playing Fields.
Edgar, the Friends’ School student was made to fight all the way to the line by Bangor Grammar’s Craig McMeechan. The pair had been prominent in a group of ten that led at the end of the opening lap.
It was only at the top of the final hill that Edgar finally injected the pace. McMeechan matched him stride for stride until Edgar’s speed told in sight of the finish. The impressive Stewart fought clear of the Rathmore duo to take the bronze medal. Lumen Christi’s Fintan Stewart won the bronze.
Clodagh O’Reilly (Loreto Cavan) took the lead from the gun in the senior girls and was pressed for a while by Limavady Grammar’s Aife McSheffrey and Edel Monaghan from Mount Lourdes in Enniskillen.
O’Reilly defended her title while McSheffrey easily withstood a late challenge from Monaghan for the silver medal.
Patrick McNiff (Banbridge Academy) was clear from the opening lap in the intermediate boys with Omagh CBS star Sean Corry left to settle for second. Peter Gracey from Aquinas put in a hard-working performance to take third.
A three-way battle was expected in the Intermediate Girls’ race but Olivia Nelson turned the race into a procession from the gun. With the Strathearn girl taking the gold medal, it was left to the Omagh Harrier team mates Niamh Heaney and Enya Haigney to fight out the minor podium places. In the end Heaney from Dean Maguire, Carrickmore prevailed over Loreto Omagh’s Haigney.
Both Junior age group races went to form with St. Colman’s Newry runner Conor Doherty defeating his cross town rival Sean Campbell from Abbey Grammar School who was Minor champion in 2015. Callum McCabe from Our Lady & St. Patrick’s Knock was a good third.
Rebecca Wallace was the victor in the war of attrition that was the Junior Girls’ race. After an unremitting battle among the leading group the Wallace High School girl came home ahead of Ballymena Academy’s Katie Agnew and last year’s All-Ireland Schools winner Jane Duffy from Ballybay CS.
Methody’s Matthew Smyth overhauled long-time leader Jakob Swann from Bangor GS to take the Minor Boys’ crown. Armagh Royal’s Joseph Haynes was a close-up third.
The Minor Girls’ race was only decided on the final straight when Victoria College’s Anna Hill moved away from Strathearn’s Amelia Kane after the pair had run shoulder to shoulder for most of the distance. St. Cecilia’s Lily Toorish took the early initiative and was rewarded with the bronze medal.
