Healy and Gidey repeat in style in Clongowes
Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney) and Efrem Gidey (Le Cheile Tyrellstown) showed their class to retain their titles at the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships in the picturesque setting of Clongowes Wood College today (March 9).
Sarah Healy won her sixth cross country title in-a-row and did so in some style over 2,500m in the senior girls’ race while Efrem Gidey was equally impressive in the senior boys’ 6,000m. Full results are HERE
Healy had clear daylight from Lucy Holmes (Ard Scoil na nDeise, Dungarvan) in second who just held off Laura Nicholson (Bandon GS) in third. Close finishes were the order of the day in the 8-race-card programme. It was a good day for Waterford in the senior girls’ with St Angela’s winning the team title from Ballymena Academy and Ard Scoil na nDeise in third. This kept the team prize in the county with Waterpark having won last year.
The senior boys’ were packed together in the early stages but it was all over for the gold when Efrem Gidey making his move. He was a popular winner as he dished out the high fives in the finishing straight. Keelan Kilrehill (Colaiste na Iascaigh) was a clear second with Miceal McCaul (St Colman’s, Newry) third.
McCaul was third in the intermediate age group last year and had the added bonus of steering St Colman’s, Newry to the team title in an exciting team battle. Belvedere College were second with St Kieran’s College Kilkenny third.
The senior boys’ team title looks like the most challenging prize to win with Belvedere College, St Kieran’s Kilkenny, St Colman’s Newry and St Malachy’s in the hunt.
The underfoot conditions were superb in Clane and the flat course saw some fast running. The first winner of the day was Erinn Leavy (St Vincent’s Dundalk) in the minor girls’ 2,000m. She did much of the running throughout with a sea of fast finishers coming in very close behind her. Hollie Kilroe (Mercy Roscommon) swept in for second with Gara Williams (Castleknock CC) third.
Williams also led Castleknock CC to the team title from Dominican College Wicklow in second and Colaiste Mhuire Ennis in third.
The minor boys’ 2,500m was very much the same cavalry charge with Shane Buckley (Cashel) heading the field followed by Sean Lawton (Colaiste Pobail Bantry) and Lughaidh Mallon (Rathmore, Belfast). Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar won the team with Sullivan Upper, Holywood in second and St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny third.
Hannah Kehoe (Loreto Kilkenny) was a strong winner of the junior girls’ 2,500m from Avril Millerick (St Mary’s Midleton) in second who held off Catherine Martin (Down HS, Downpatrick) in the stretch.
Maynooth PP had a brilliant team win having been third in Leinster with Down HS, Downpatrick second with Strathearn, Belfast third.
St Malachy’s, Belfast missed out by an agonising point in the junior boys’ 3,500m team race where St Flannan’s College, Ennis started their victory roll. St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny got up for third.
Individually, it was equally exciting with Tadgh Connolly (Abbey CC) just having enough to beat Jack McCausland (Royal Belfast Academy Institute) for gold with Tom Lodge (St Kieran’s, Kilkenny) powering in for third.
Niamh O’Mahony (Presentation Tralee), second last year, went one better to top the podium with an impressive front-running display in the intermediate girls’ 3,500m. Roisin O’Reilly (Loreto Wexford) finished second with fast-finishing Holly Brennan (Sacred Heart Drogheda) third.
Loreto Kilkenny were the winners in the team spoils with Banbridge Academy second and Pobalscoil na Trionoide third.
Michael Morgan (Summerhill College Sligo) was a surprise winner of the intermediate boys’ 5,000m in the mud of Carriganore last year but he showed it was no fluke with an excellent display to retain the title.
Dean Casey ran strongly for second to steer St Flannan’s College, Ennis to an emphatic team title that saw them score the lowest team total of the day. Scott Fagan (Luttrelstown CC) was clear in third to round out the individual podium. St Malachy’s were second in the team chase with St Aidan’s, Whitehall third.
It was an exciting day of racing throughout with Clongowes Wood College proving excellent hosts once more.
Lead results
Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships, Clongowes Wood College
Girls
Minor 2,000m
1. E Leavy (St Vincent’s Dundalk), 2. Hollie Kilroe (Mercy Roscommon), 3. G Williams (Castleknock CC)
Team
1. Castleknock CC, 2. Dominican College Wicklow, 3. Colaiste Mhuire Ennis
Junior 2,500m
1. H Kehoe (Loreto Kilkenny), 2. A Millerick (St Mary’s Midleton), 3. C Martin (Down HS, Downpatrick)
Team
1. Maynooth PP, 2. Down HS,Downpatrick, 3. Strathearn, Belfast
Intermediate 3,500m
1. N O’Mahony (Presentation Tralee), 2. R O’Reilly (Loreto Wexford) 3. H Brennan (Sacred Heart Drogheda).
Team
1. Loreto Kilkenny, 2. Banbridge Academy, 3. Pobalscoil na Trionoide
Senior 2,500m
1. S Healy (Holy Child Killiney), 2. L Holmes (Ard Scoil na nDeise Dungarvan, 3. L Nicholson (Bandon GS)
Team
1. St Angela’s Waterford, 2. Ballymena Academy, 3. Ard Scoil na nDeise Dungarvan
Boys
Minor 2,500m
1. S Buckley (Cashel), 2. S Lawton (Colaiste Pobail Bantry), 3. L Mallon (Rathmore, Belfast)
Team
1. Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar, 2. Sullivan Upper, Holywood, 3. St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny
Junior 3,500m
1. T Connolly (Abbey CC), 2. J McCauslan (RBAI), 3. T Lodge (St Kieran’s, Kilkenny)
Team
1. St Flannan’s College, Ennis, 2. St Malachy’s, Belfast, 3. St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny
Intermediate 5,000m
1. M Morgan (Summerhill College Sligo), 2. D Casey (St Flannan’s, Ennis), 3. S Fagan (Luttrelstown CC)
Team
1. St Flannan’s College, Ennis, 2. St Malachy’s College, Belfast, 3. St Aidan’s, Whitehall
Senior
1. E Gidey (Le Cheile Tyrellstown), 2. K Kilrehill (Colaiste Iascaigh), 3. M McCaul (St Colman’s, Newry)
Team
1. St Colman’s, Newry, 2. Belvedere College, 3. St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny