Cork city Marathon - All Ireland Schools Roy Fahy (East Cork) made his intentions clear from the start of the Champion Sport Cork City Marathon by racing clear of the field from the gun. However, he was joined by Wieslaw Sosnoski and Eoin O'Connell and they passed the half way mark locked together. 
The closing stages belonged to Fahy as he raced clear of his rivals, agoing on to win in 2:33.55. London based Eoin O'Connell, better known as a triathle, finished second in 2:35.57, while Cathal O'Connell was third in 2:36.17, and Polish native Sosnoski fourth in 2:37.30. 
Lucy Brennan won the women's race in 2:54.47. Kit Kat All-Ireland Schools’ Track & Field 2008 The usual mixture of record breaking performances, exciting finishes, great atmosphere, heart-break and the enjoyment of watching young athletes perform to their maximum was there for all to see last Saturday at the KitKat All-Ireland Schools’ Track & Field Championships. We witnessed six records in all on a day that despite the cloudbursts was warm and sunny. 
The first cloudburst happened just as Tomas Cotter, St Mary’s Dundalk, set out on the Senior 2,000m Steeplechase. Undaunted Tomas ran from the front to record an excellent victory in 5.59.68 secs. What he could have done in favourable weather conditions is left to the imagination. 
The boys’ 400m events were those that were most eagerly awaited and they didn’t disappoint. Everybody expected Brian Gregan, St Mark’s CS Tallaght, to set new figures in the Senior Boys’ 400m and so it happened. Having broken the Leinster Schools’ record prior to this Brian ran 47.66 secs to break the mark set by Thomas Coman ten years previously. But it was the performance of Curtis Woods, Downshire School, in the Intermediate 400m that aroused most interest. Curtis had won the 200m in 21.87 secs earlier in the day. He ran a sensational 48.29 secs to beat Brian Gregan’s mark set two years previously. 
Joanna Mills, Ballyclare High School, was another record breaker. Joanna previously was best known as a combined eventer but her double on Saturday were excellent performances. Just before Curtis and Brian set there records Joanna ran superbly to win the Intermediate Girls’ 300m in 39.19 secs. Earlier in the day Joanna jumped 5.75m to win the Long Jump. 
We had two further records in the Intermediate Girls’ section. The first from an unexpected source, namely, Claire King, Bower Athlone, who jumped an impressive 11.73m in the Triple Jump beating Hannah Todd, Ballyclare High School, on the way. Claire Fitzgerald, Presentation Tralee, has been setting records since she began competing in the sport and on Saturday she set new figures in the Discus of 41.92m. Claire also won the Shot with 12.64m. 
Doubles were the order of the day in the Senior Girls’ events. They came from Niamh Whelan, Presentation Waterford, in the sprints, from Ciara Everard, Presentation Kilkenny, in the 400m and 800m and from Aoife Hickey, Loreto Kilkenny, in the Hammer and Shot. Kalyn Sheahan, Ursuline Waterford, competing in her last schools’ event after a distinguished career in schools’ athletics, narrowly missed out on a double. Kalyn had won the 400m Hurdles earlier but was pipped on the line by Sandra Lawler, St Mary’s Naas, in the sprint hurdles. 
In the Intermediate Girls’ we had a wonderful sprint double from Joan Healy, Col na Toirbhirte Bandon, 24.71 in the 200m and 12.17 in the 100m. An impressive front running performance from Ciara Mageean, Assumption Ballynahinch, in the 1500m with 4.28.0. while Tara Jameson, Dominican Wicklow, just held off Joanne Mills, Shimna Integrated, in the 3,000m. A fine 1.71m in the High Jump from Catriona Farrell, Athenry VS, came early in the day. 
Limerick girls’ Sarah Lavin, Castletroy College, and Amy O’Donoghue, Villiers School, recorded doubles in the Junior section. Sarah’s was in the 200m and 75m Hurdles while Amy had impressive wins in the 800m and 1500m. An exciting 800m in the Senior Boys’ events saw Anthony Leighio, Crumlin College, win in 1.53.53. Christopher Russell, Waterpark College, added the 200m to the 100m he won last year. Barry Pender, Knockbeg College, attempted a record in the High Jump but the elements were against him. Another to retain his title and just fail in a record attempt was Ian Rogers, DLS Raheny, in the Pole Vault. Gerard Kelly, St Gerald’s Castlebar, threw the hammer 57.31m for a well deserved win in the Hammer. Shane Quinn, De La Salle Waterford, won the Intermediate 1,500m in a useful 3.59.87. While the cross country champion, Jake Byrne, St Joseph’s Rochfordbridge, showed that he can win on the track as well with 8.49.77 from Ryan Creech, Glanmire CC. In the Junior Boys’ Section we had doubles from Adam Ingram, Hazelwood Integrated School Belfast, in the 800m and 1,500m and from Ciarain Greene, St McDara’s CC Dublin, in the sprints. We finished with some very exciting relay races especially the Senior Boys’ when a superb run from all four boys from Larne Grammar School just pipped Castleknock College on the line. Once again a good day’s sport in a magnificent setting. Results
The closing stages belonged to Fahy as he raced clear of his rivals, agoing on to win in 2:33.55. London based Eoin O'Connell, better known as a triathle, finished second in 2:35.57, while Cathal O'Connell was third in 2:36.17, and Polish native Sosnoski fourth in 2:37.30. Lucy Brennan won the women's race in 2:54.47. Kit Kat All-Ireland Schools’ Track & Field 2008 The usual mixture of record breaking performances, exciting finishes, great atmosphere, heart-break and the enjoyment of watching young athletes perform to their maximum was there for all to see last Saturday at the KitKat All-Ireland Schools’ Track & Field Championships. We witnessed six records in all on a day that despite the cloudbursts was warm and sunny. The first cloudburst happened just as Tomas Cotter, St Mary’s Dundalk, set out on the Senior 2,000m Steeplechase. Undaunted Tomas ran from the front to record an excellent victory in 5.59.68 secs. What he could have done in favourable weather conditions is left to the imagination. The boys’ 400m events were those that were most eagerly awaited and they didn’t disappoint. Everybody expected Brian Gregan, St Mark’s CS Tallaght, to set new figures in the Senior Boys’ 400m and so it happened. Having broken the Leinster Schools’ record prior to this Brian ran 47.66 secs to break the mark set by Thomas Coman ten years previously. But it was the performance of Curtis Woods, Downshire School, in the Intermediate 400m that aroused most interest. Curtis had won the 200m in 21.87 secs earlier in the day. He ran a sensational 48.29 secs to beat Brian Gregan’s mark set two years previously. Joanna Mills, Ballyclare High School, was another record breaker. Joanna previously was best known as a combined eventer but her double on Saturday were excellent performances. Just before Curtis and Brian set there records Joanna ran superbly to win the Intermediate Girls’ 300m in 39.19 secs. Earlier in the day Joanna jumped 5.75m to win the Long Jump. We had two further records in the Intermediate Girls’ section. The first from an unexpected source, namely, Claire King, Bower Athlone, who jumped an impressive 11.73m in the Triple Jump beating Hannah Todd, Ballyclare High School, on the way. Claire Fitzgerald, Presentation Tralee, has been setting records since she began competing in the sport and on Saturday she set new figures in the Discus of 41.92m. Claire also won the Shot with 12.64m. Doubles were the order of the day in the Senior Girls’ events. They came from Niamh Whelan, Presentation Waterford, in the sprints, from Ciara Everard, Presentation Kilkenny, in the 400m and 800m and from Aoife Hickey, Loreto Kilkenny, in the Hammer and Shot. Kalyn Sheahan, Ursuline Waterford, competing in her last schools’ event after a distinguished career in schools’ athletics, narrowly missed out on a double. Kalyn had won the 400m Hurdles earlier but was pipped on the line by Sandra Lawler, St Mary’s Naas, in the sprint hurdles. In the Intermediate Girls’ we had a wonderful sprint double from Joan Healy, Col na Toirbhirte Bandon, 24.71 in the 200m and 12.17 in the 100m. An impressive front running performance from Ciara Mageean, Assumption Ballynahinch, in the 1500m with 4.28.0. while Tara Jameson, Dominican Wicklow, just held off Joanne Mills, Shimna Integrated, in the 3,000m. A fine 1.71m in the High Jump from Catriona Farrell, Athenry VS, came early in the day. Limerick girls’ Sarah Lavin, Castletroy College, and Amy O’Donoghue, Villiers School, recorded doubles in the Junior section. Sarah’s was in the 200m and 75m Hurdles while Amy had impressive wins in the 800m and 1500m. An exciting 800m in the Senior Boys’ events saw Anthony Leighio, Crumlin College, win in 1.53.53. Christopher Russell, Waterpark College, added the 200m to the 100m he won last year. Barry Pender, Knockbeg College, attempted a record in the High Jump but the elements were against him. Another to retain his title and just fail in a record attempt was Ian Rogers, DLS Raheny, in the Pole Vault. Gerard Kelly, St Gerald’s Castlebar, threw the hammer 57.31m for a well deserved win in the Hammer. Shane Quinn, De La Salle Waterford, won the Intermediate 1,500m in a useful 3.59.87. While the cross country champion, Jake Byrne, St Joseph’s Rochfordbridge, showed that he can win on the track as well with 8.49.77 from Ryan Creech, Glanmire CC. In the Junior Boys’ Section we had doubles from Adam Ingram, Hazelwood Integrated School Belfast, in the 800m and 1,500m and from Ciarain Greene, St McDara’s CC Dublin, in the sprints. We finished with some very exciting relay races especially the Senior Boys’ when a superb run from all four boys from Larne Grammar School just pipped Castleknock College on the line. Once again a good day’s sport in a magnificent setting. Results
