Mulcaire and Everard underline their class

Kevin Mulcaire and Fiona Everard underlined their class at the GloHealth Munster Schools Cross Country Championships in Tramore Valley Park, Cork today.

As ever the minor races produced their innocently fast starts with Grainne Egan (St Mary’s Mallow) and Ted Collins (Glenstal Abbey School) winning the respective girls 1500m and boys 2,000m. Rice College Ennis won the team in the girls while St Augustine’s Dungarvan took the boys title.

In the junior ranks Lucy Holmes (Ard Scoil na nDeise) impressed over 2,000m to triumph over Tara Ramasawmy (Presentation Waterford) in second and Alyce O’Connor (Pobal Scoil Inbhearsceine Kenmare) in third. Ard Scoil na nDeise won the team title.

Chris O’Reilly (Douglas) shone brightly in the junior boys over 3,000m in his fluorescent yellow singlet and shorts. The diminutive athlete glided over the grass to take the win over Jake Bagge (Ardscoil na Mara Tramore) who claimed silver over Finn Looney (St Anne’s CC, Killaloe) who won the bronze. St Augustine’s Dungarvan headed the team competition.

The intermediate Girls 3,500m saw Tamzin Muldowney (St Mary’s Midleton) usurp Claire Rafter (Ursuline Thurles) in second with Sasha Brent (Tarbert CS) finishing third. Rafter had the consolation of guiding her school Ursuline Thurles to the team title.

There was a real duel in the intermediate boys 4,500m where Charlie O’Donovan (Colaiste Chriost Ri) went tit for tat with Darragh McElhinney (Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai). McElhinney’s front-running tactics were unable to shake O’Donovan who surged clear a little over halfway to a decisive win.  Donal Devane (St Flannan’s, Ennis) finished third and led his team St Flannan’s Ennis to the gold.

Avril Deegan (Presentation Thurles) set a fast pace in the senior girls 2,500m but ultimately it was Fiona Everard (MICC Dunmanway) who had too much for the field to take a consummate victory. Rhona Pierce (St Angela’s Cork) who is just getting back into full training came through for second while Aisling Kelly (Spanish Point) got up for third. The gutsy Deegan had to settle for fourth as Ursuline Thurles were the team winners.  

Kevin Mulcaire (St Flannan’s Ennis) lived up to his billing as favourite in the senior boys 6,000m sweeping his rivals aside. There was an initial pack in the early stages as Mulcaire settled in the middle wearing a black beanie hat to set him apart from the field. The All Ireland Schools champion tossed away his hat midway through as he set a pace too hot to handle for the rest  of the field.  David Fox (CBC Cork) was the best of the rest in second with Fearghal Curtin (Midleton CBS) third. Mulcaire had the bonus of steering his school St Flannan’s Ennis to the team title to boot. He will race next Thursday over 5km at the Brooks Armagh 5k as he bids to defend his All Ireland Schools Cross Country title in Sligo Race Course on March 5th.

Provisional top three individual and team results below

Results

GloHealth Munster Schools Cross Country Championships, Tramore Valley Park, Cork

Minor Girls 1500m

G Egan (St Mary’s Mallow), 2. E Lynch (Colaiste na Trocaire, Rathkeale), 3. M Carr (Loreto Fermoy)

Teams

Rice College Ennis, 2. Waterpark College, 3. Kilrush CS

Minor Boys 2,000m

T Collins (Glenstal Abbey School), 2. P Hartnett (Colaiste an Chraoibhin Fermoy), 3. M Hanrahan (St Flannan’s Ennis)

Teams

St Augustine’s Dungarvan, 2. Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai, 3. St Flannan’s Ennis

Junior Girls 2,000m

L Holmes (Ard Scoil na nDeise), 2. T Ramasawmy (Presentation Waterford) , 3. A O’Connor (Pobal Scoil Inbhearsceine Kenmare)

Teams

Ard Scoil na nDeise, 2. Pobal Scoil Inbhearsceine Kenmare, 3. Ursuline Waterford

Junior Boys 3,000m

C O’Reilly (Douglas Community School), 2. J Bagge (Ardscoil na Mara Tramore), 3. F Looney (St Anne’s CC, Killaloe)

Teams

St Augustine’s Dungarvan, 2. Dungarvan CBS, 3. Charleville CBS

Intermediate Girls 3,500m

T Muldowney (St Mary’s Midleton), 2. C Rafter (Ursuline Thurles), 3. S Brent (Tarbert CS)

Teams

Ursuline Thurles, 2. Ursuline Waterford, 3. Colaiste Muire Ennis

Intermediate Boys 4,500m

C O’Donovan (Colaiste Chriost Ri), 2. D McElhinney (Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai), 3. D Devane (St Flannan’s, Ennis)

Teams

St Flannan’s, Ennis, 2. Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai, 3. St Joseph’s SS Tulla

Senior Girls 2,500m

F Everard (MICC Dunmanway), 2. R Pierce (St Angela’s Cork), 3. A Kelly (Spanish Point)

Teams

Ursuline Thurles, 2. St Augustine’s, Dungarvan, 3. Ard Scoil na nDeise

Senior Boys 6,000m

K Mulcaire (St Flannan’s Ennis), 2. D Fox (CBC Cork), 3. F Curtin (Midleton CBS)

Teams

St Flannan’s, Ennis, 2. De La Salle, Waterford, 3. Colaiste Treasa Kanturk