Superb performances at Loughrea The staging of the KitKat Irish schools and Irish universities cross country championships at the Dartfield Equestrian Centre in Loughrea Galway brought together some of Ireland’s established senior international athletes and the best underage athletes in Ireland. Torrential overnight rain together with a gale force wind conspired to make this a true test of stamina for each and every athlete. 
Fionualla Britton added her second Irish title in the space of a week when she added the universities title to her Woodie’s DIY inter club title won in Belfast a week ago. She took over the outright lead well before halfway of this 4k race and then eased her way to an easy victory over fellow DCU runner Linda Byrne. 
Colm Turner (DCU) was one of a group of four who broke away from the rest of the field early on in the men’s 10k race over five laps. Going up the hill to the start of the fourth lap he made his break and from then on was never going to be caught, running on his own for the final two laps. Diarmuid Grant (UU) was second and Irish intermediate champion Dan Mulhare (Waterford IT) third. Michael Clohissey, who was part of the four man break away, dropped out with a lap to go. 
The senior boys race was almost a re-run of last week’s Irish junior championship in Belfast. As happened in Belfast Craig Murphy (Douglas CS) and Michael Mulhare (Portlaoise CS) broke way from the field early on. Then, going up the hill to the start of the second of three laps, Mulhare pushed on and opened a lead on Murphy. Going out the last lap he appeared to have the race at his mercy. However, with half a lap remaining, he visibly tired, while Murphy was at the same time getting going again. The gap closed and they both came together with 600m to go. Murphy was the stronger and he went ahead and crossed the line worthy winner, reversing last week’s result. 
There was a repeat of last week’s junior women’s race when Charlotte Ffrench O’Carroll (Loreto Stephen’s Green) and her twin sister Rebecca finished 1-2 in the senior girl’s race. Both of them entered the finishing straight together with Charlotte just proving the stronger. Suzanne Huet (Loreto Foxrock) was third. 
There was another head-to-head in the intermediate boy’s race. Ryan Creech (Glanmire CC) pushed the pace throughout with some strong front running, but was unable to shake the attentions of Jake Byrne (Rochfordbridge). The pair were together with 600m remaining but Byrne was the stronger and he raced on to an excellent win, with Christopher O’Brien (Thurles CBS) third. 
Eimear Black (Dominican College) was a worthy winner of the intermediate girl’s race, with Tara Jameson (Dominican College Wicklow) second and Ciara McGeean (Assumption Grammar) third. 
The Monaghan twins (St. Colman’s Newry) dominated the junior boy’s race with Patrick the stronger, winning from Andrew with Adam Ingram (Hazelwood Integrated) third. 
Kate Kirk (Sullivan Upper) won the junior girl’s race from Sophie Magee (Dominican College) with Claire Brennan (Coolmine CS) third. 
Results Junior Girls 1. Katie Kirk Sullivan, Upper School Belfast 2. Sophie McGhee, Dominican College Fortwilliam 3. Claire Brennnan, Coolmine CS 4. Elizabeth Carr, Coolmine CS 5. Kate Veale, St Augustine’s College Dungarvan 6. Amy O’Donoghue, Villier’s School Limerick Teams 1. Ballyclare High School - 54 POINTS ( 9,20,25) 2. Coolmine CS – 64 Points ( 3,11,59) 3. Ursuline Waterford – 71 points ( 18,22,31) Intermediate Girls 1. Eimear Black, Dominican College Fortwilliam Belfast 2. Tara Jameson, Dominican College Wicklow 3. Ciara McGeean, Assumption Grammar Ballynahinch 4. Joanne Mills, Shimna Integrated. 5. Ellie Hartnett, Loreto Dalkey 6. Niamh Denny Our Lady’s Grove Teams 1. Loreto Dalkey - 39 points ( 5,8,26) 2. Dominican Wicklow – 56 points ( 2 19,35) 3. St Dominic’s Cabra – 66 points ( 15,18,33) Senior Girls 1. Charlotte Ffrench-O’Carroll, Loreto Stephens Green 2. Rebecca Ffrench-O’Carroll, Loreto Stephens Green 3. Suzanne Huet, Loreto Foxrock 4. Grace Sweeney, Loreto Foxrock 5. Lorraine McCarthy, St Augustine’s Dungarvan 6. Tekea Gebrezgi, St. Dominic’s Cabra TEAMS 1. Loreto Foxrock- 23 Points ( 3,4,16) 2. Loreto Stephens Greens -29 points ( 1,2,26) 3. St Dominic’s Cabra – 60 points ( 6,24,30) Junior Boys 1. Patrick Monaghan, St Colman’s Newry 2. Andrew Monaghan, St. Colman’s Newry 3. Adam Ingram, Hazelwood Integrated 4. Kevin Dooney, CBC Monkstown 5. Stephen Attride, Knockbeg College, Carlow 6. Finn Corrigan, St Michaels Enniskillen Teams 1. St Colman’s Newry- 58 points ( 1.2,15, 40) 2. St Michaels Enniskillen – 121 points ( 6,33,38,44) 3. St Eunan’s Letterkenny – 139 points ( 9,29,46,55) Intermediate Boys 1. Jake Byrne, St Josephs Rochfordbridge 2. Ryan Creech, Glanmire CC 3. Christy O’Brien, Thurles CBS 4. Cian O’Reilly, St Patricks Cavan 5. Niall Cullen, St Michaels, Enniskillen 6. Fionn McGowan, Summerhill Sligo TEAMS 1. St. Malachy's 98 Points 2. Douglas CS- 100 POINTS ( 8,26,31,35) 3. St Kieran’s Kilkenny – 107 points ( 7,15,37,48) 4. Knockbeg College- 165 points ( 17,40,53,55) Senior Boys 1. Craig Murphy, Douglas CS 2. Michael Mulhare, Portlaoise CS 3. Ian Ward, Royal & Prior 4. Dan King, St Eunan’s Letterkenny 5. David Flynn, Coolmine CS 6. Patrick Hogan, De La Salle Waterford TEAMS 1. St. Aidan’s CBS- 77 POINTS ( 19,13,22,23) 2. St Malachy’s Belfast, 87 points ( 7,18,25,37) 3. St Eunan’s , Letterkenny – 95 points ( 4,15,20,56) Varsity Women 1. Fionnuala Britton, DCU 2. Linda Byrne, DCU 3. Aileen Morrison, UU 4. Ciara Durkin, DCU 5. Bryony Treston, TCD 6. Becky Woods, TCD 7. Judith Graham, QUB 8. Niamh Devlin, DCU 9. Joanne English, RCSI 10. Maire NicAmhlaoibh, DCU 11. Aoife Cooke, UCC 12. Michelle Finn, UL Varsity Men 1. Colm Turner, DCU 2. Diarmuid Grant, UU 3. Dan Mulhare, Waterford IT 4. Patrick Hamilton, UU 6. Kevin Lawlor, DCU 7. John Coghlan, DCU 8. Sean O’Heigeartaigh, TCD 9. Rory Chesser, UL 10. Patrick Brennan, Galway Mayo IT 11. Eoin Everard, DCU 12. Andrew Connick, Waterford IT.
Fionualla Britton added her second Irish title in the space of a week when she added the universities title to her Woodie’s DIY inter club title won in Belfast a week ago. She took over the outright lead well before halfway of this 4k race and then eased her way to an easy victory over fellow DCU runner Linda Byrne. Colm Turner (DCU) was one of a group of four who broke away from the rest of the field early on in the men’s 10k race over five laps. Going up the hill to the start of the fourth lap he made his break and from then on was never going to be caught, running on his own for the final two laps. Diarmuid Grant (UU) was second and Irish intermediate champion Dan Mulhare (Waterford IT) third. Michael Clohissey, who was part of the four man break away, dropped out with a lap to go. The senior boys race was almost a re-run of last week’s Irish junior championship in Belfast. As happened in Belfast Craig Murphy (Douglas CS) and Michael Mulhare (Portlaoise CS) broke way from the field early on. Then, going up the hill to the start of the second of three laps, Mulhare pushed on and opened a lead on Murphy. Going out the last lap he appeared to have the race at his mercy. However, with half a lap remaining, he visibly tired, while Murphy was at the same time getting going again. The gap closed and they both came together with 600m to go. Murphy was the stronger and he went ahead and crossed the line worthy winner, reversing last week’s result. There was a repeat of last week’s junior women’s race when Charlotte Ffrench O’Carroll (Loreto Stephen’s Green) and her twin sister Rebecca finished 1-2 in the senior girl’s race. Both of them entered the finishing straight together with Charlotte just proving the stronger. Suzanne Huet (Loreto Foxrock) was third. There was another head-to-head in the intermediate boy’s race. Ryan Creech (Glanmire CC) pushed the pace throughout with some strong front running, but was unable to shake the attentions of Jake Byrne (Rochfordbridge). The pair were together with 600m remaining but Byrne was the stronger and he raced on to an excellent win, with Christopher O’Brien (Thurles CBS) third. Eimear Black (Dominican College) was a worthy winner of the intermediate girl’s race, with Tara Jameson (Dominican College Wicklow) second and Ciara McGeean (Assumption Grammar) third. The Monaghan twins (St. Colman’s Newry) dominated the junior boy’s race with Patrick the stronger, winning from Andrew with Adam Ingram (Hazelwood Integrated) third. Kate Kirk (Sullivan Upper) won the junior girl’s race from Sophie Magee (Dominican College) with Claire Brennan (Coolmine CS) third. Results Junior Girls 1. Katie Kirk Sullivan, Upper School Belfast 2. Sophie McGhee, Dominican College Fortwilliam 3. Claire Brennnan, Coolmine CS 4. Elizabeth Carr, Coolmine CS 5. Kate Veale, St Augustine’s College Dungarvan 6. Amy O’Donoghue, Villier’s School Limerick Teams 1. Ballyclare High School - 54 POINTS ( 9,20,25) 2. Coolmine CS – 64 Points ( 3,11,59) 3. Ursuline Waterford – 71 points ( 18,22,31) Intermediate Girls 1. Eimear Black, Dominican College Fortwilliam Belfast 2. Tara Jameson, Dominican College Wicklow 3. Ciara McGeean, Assumption Grammar Ballynahinch 4. Joanne Mills, Shimna Integrated. 5. Ellie Hartnett, Loreto Dalkey 6. Niamh Denny Our Lady’s Grove Teams 1. Loreto Dalkey - 39 points ( 5,8,26) 2. Dominican Wicklow – 56 points ( 2 19,35) 3. St Dominic’s Cabra – 66 points ( 15,18,33) Senior Girls 1. Charlotte Ffrench-O’Carroll, Loreto Stephens Green 2. Rebecca Ffrench-O’Carroll, Loreto Stephens Green 3. Suzanne Huet, Loreto Foxrock 4. Grace Sweeney, Loreto Foxrock 5. Lorraine McCarthy, St Augustine’s Dungarvan 6. Tekea Gebrezgi, St. Dominic’s Cabra TEAMS 1. Loreto Foxrock- 23 Points ( 3,4,16) 2. Loreto Stephens Greens -29 points ( 1,2,26) 3. St Dominic’s Cabra – 60 points ( 6,24,30) Junior Boys 1. Patrick Monaghan, St Colman’s Newry 2. Andrew Monaghan, St. Colman’s Newry 3. Adam Ingram, Hazelwood Integrated 4. Kevin Dooney, CBC Monkstown 5. Stephen Attride, Knockbeg College, Carlow 6. Finn Corrigan, St Michaels Enniskillen Teams 1. St Colman’s Newry- 58 points ( 1.2,15, 40) 2. St Michaels Enniskillen – 121 points ( 6,33,38,44) 3. St Eunan’s Letterkenny – 139 points ( 9,29,46,55) Intermediate Boys 1. Jake Byrne, St Josephs Rochfordbridge 2. Ryan Creech, Glanmire CC 3. Christy O’Brien, Thurles CBS 4. Cian O’Reilly, St Patricks Cavan 5. Niall Cullen, St Michaels, Enniskillen 6. Fionn McGowan, Summerhill Sligo TEAMS 1. St. Malachy's 98 Points 2. Douglas CS- 100 POINTS ( 8,26,31,35) 3. St Kieran’s Kilkenny – 107 points ( 7,15,37,48) 4. Knockbeg College- 165 points ( 17,40,53,55) Senior Boys 1. Craig Murphy, Douglas CS 2. Michael Mulhare, Portlaoise CS 3. Ian Ward, Royal & Prior 4. Dan King, St Eunan’s Letterkenny 5. David Flynn, Coolmine CS 6. Patrick Hogan, De La Salle Waterford TEAMS 1. St. Aidan’s CBS- 77 POINTS ( 19,13,22,23) 2. St Malachy’s Belfast, 87 points ( 7,18,25,37) 3. St Eunan’s , Letterkenny – 95 points ( 4,15,20,56) Varsity Women 1. Fionnuala Britton, DCU 2. Linda Byrne, DCU 3. Aileen Morrison, UU 4. Ciara Durkin, DCU 5. Bryony Treston, TCD 6. Becky Woods, TCD 7. Judith Graham, QUB 8. Niamh Devlin, DCU 9. Joanne English, RCSI 10. Maire NicAmhlaoibh, DCU 11. Aoife Cooke, UCC 12. Michelle Finn, UL Varsity Men 1. Colm Turner, DCU 2. Diarmuid Grant, UU 3. Dan Mulhare, Waterford IT 4. Patrick Hamilton, UU 6. Kevin Lawlor, DCU 7. John Coghlan, DCU 8. Sean O’Heigeartaigh, TCD 9. Rory Chesser, UL 10. Patrick Brennan, Galway Mayo IT 11. Eoin Everard, DCU 12. Andrew Connick, Waterford IT. 
