McElhinney to the fore in Carriganore

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McElhinney to the fore in Carriganore

23 February 2018

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McElhinney to the fore in Carriganore

Biting cold and blustery conditions didn’t deter the competitors at an exciting Irish Life Health Munster Schools Cross Country Championships at the WIT Sportsgrounds in Carriganore today (February 23).

Darragh McElhinney (Pobalscoil Bheanntrai) won the big duel of the day to beat Charlie O’Donovan (Colaiste Chriost Ri) in the senior boys 6,000m. Frank O’Brien (Midleton CBS) made up ground at the end to finish third. O’Donovan had the consolation of leading his school to the team title.

The course is a true test of strength and with it very much undulating to really capture the phrase “what goes up must come down.” This will be where the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships will be hosted on March 10th. The toughest part of the course is a 500m stretch which includes a short, sharp steep hill which flattens and then develops into a long drag to test the hardy souls.

Sarah Butler (Laurel Hill Secondary School) was the first winner of the day in the minor girls’ 1500m with Pobalscoil na Trionoide winning the team title.

Niamh Clinneen (St Mary’s Nenagh) won the junior girls’ 2,000m with Pobalscoil na Trionoide winning out once again in the team standings.

Aimee Hayde (St Mary’s Newport) was dominant from the start in the intermediate girls 3,500m to win comfortably in her customary pink knee-high compression socks. Loreto Fermoy won team gold.

It went from team gold to individual gold for Loreto Fermoy in the senior girls’ 2,500m where Laura Hayes finished strongly on the last lap to cross the line first. International race walker Anna O’Connor finished second and led her school Waterpark to the team prize.

Tommy Fennell (St Augustine’s) headed the minor boys’ 2,000m with St Joseph’s Nenagh capturing the top team spot.

The St Flannan’s College dream team found their fourth scorer to romp home in the junior boys’ 3,000m. The Casey twins, Dean and Dylan, went 1-2 with Luke Griffin rounding out a clean sweep for the Ennis school on the podium. Crucially Barry Conway was 17th to dominate the team standing. Last year they were missing a good fourth counter which cost them dearly in the All Irelands.

Tommy Connolly (CBC Cork) won the intermediate boys’ 4,500m with St Flannan’s proving the strongest once more in the team standings.

The curtain will be raised once more in WIT on Saturday March 10th for the quest for ultimate gold at the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools. The fittest and strongest will win out.

Full results are HERE