Great races in store at Leinster Schools

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Great races in store at Leinster Schools

There promises to be another great day of action at the Irish Life Health Leinster Schools Cross Country Championships in Santry Demesne tomorrow (February 21) as athletes and teams bid to qualify for the All Ireland Schools Cross Country next month.

Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney) has been in scintillating form this year setting Youth and U20 records indoors over 1500m and 3,000m. She oozed class in winning the 3,000m at the Irish Life Health National senior championships and she steps up to the senior girls’ 2,500m race this year having won the intermediate race last year.

Abbie Taylor will look to guide Wesley to team gold while Annie McEvoy also leads a strong Loreto Kilkenny. Amy Rose Farrell will also be another strong contender for Mount Anville should she run as will Niamh Ní Chiardha (Coláiste Íosagáin) who is an individual qualifier.

There will be close battles throughout with the top 15 individuals and top three teams advancing to the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships in Waterford IT on March 10th.

Sean O’Leary (St Aidan’s) returns as defending senior boys’ champion with two crack teams in Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar and St Kieran’s Kilkenny looking for team gold over 6,000m. The Mullingar school have the likes of Jamie Battle and Ciaran Nolan while the black and white vests of St Kieran’s have Shay McEvoy and Adam Fitzpatrick in their ranks.

Aine Kirwan will lead another good Loreto Kilkenny team in the intermediate girls’ 3,500m while Roisin Tracey (St Gerard’s) will be among the individuals in contention for the podium.  

The intermediate boys’ 4,500m has a very strong field with the likes of Louis O’Loughlin (Moyle Park), Sean Donoghue (St Declan’s Cabra), Sean Dalton (Malahide CS) and Matthew Whelan (Naas CBS) in what is a deep entry. Belvedere College will be among the teams looking to book a ticket to the All Irelands.

Mount Sackville’s Sadbh Mohan and Ratoath’s Aimee Doherty and Ava O’Connor (Scoil Chriost Ri Portlaoise) should be at the head of the pack in the junior girls' 2,000m with Loreto College Mullingar among the strong team contenders. .

The junior boys’ 3,000m should be open with Morgan Clarkson (Colaiste Eoin) one of the individuals in contention.

The minor girls’ 1500m and minor boys’ 2,000m will provide an exciting platform for the new wave of runners coming into the system.

For the timetable click HERE

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