Santry set for another Leinster showdown

Great races in store at Leinster Schools

A good day of racing is in store tomorrow at the Irish Life Health Leinster Schools Cross Country Championships in Santry Demesne (February 13) as athletes and teams bid to qualify for the All Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships next month.

Efrem Gidey (Le Cheile Tyrellstown) will be one of the headline runners in the senior boys’ 6,000m as reigning All Ireland Schools’ Cross Country champion. Gidey will be aiming to capture the Leinster crown having only finished third last year.

Shay McEvoy (St Kieran’s College Kilkenny) will be among his rivals with Belvedere College and Colaiste Mhuire Mullingar among the leading teams.

Last year’s defending Irish Life Health senior girls’ 2,500m winner Sarah Healy (Holy Child Killiney) won’t be running as the competes in the Athlone International Grand Prix in the evening over 1500m.  

The likes of Abbie Taylor will look to guide Wesley to team gold while Loreto Kilkenny should also have a good team. Amy Rose Farrell will also be another strong contender for Mount Anville should she run.

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 Clongowes Wood College on March 9th.

Neasa Reilly will lead a good St Vincent’s Dundalk team in the intermediate girls’ 3,500m which should have a good field. 

The intermediate boys’ 4,500m has a very strong field with the likes of Sean Donoghue (St Declan’s Cabra) and Scott Fagan (Luttrelstown Community College) in the ranks.

The junior girls' 2,000m will see teams such as Loreto College Mullingar, St Vincent’s Dundalk and Loreto Kilkenny among the strong team contenders. .

The junior boys’ 3,000m should be open with plenty in the hunt for medals.

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