Fantastic performances at Leinster cross-country
DAY ONE of the Leinster cross-country championship took place in Tyrrellstown, Co. Westmeath, and Wexford had some fantastic individual and team performances.
The weather conditions were extremely mild and kind to runners which made for good running.
The course itself was challenging with plenty of up and down hills. However, the course did hold up very well, leaving the surface slightly easier underfoot for the athletes.
The Under-12 girls was the first championship race and, with the first twelve to qualify for national finals, S.B.R’s Oralith Deegan put in a fantastic individual performance, finishing twelfth and earning herself the final place on the Leinster team.
The girls’ Under-12 county team were unfortunate not to qualify for the national finals, finishing fifth with a score of 198 (the first four teams qualifying).
The team to score for the county comprised Orlaith Deegan (S.B.R.), Niamh English (Adamstown), Sinéad O’Reilly (Menapians), Orlaith Byrne (S.B.R.), Kennedy Cullen (Kilmore) and Ellie O’Mahony (D.M.P.).
The boys’ Under-12 final saw fantastic performances from the Wexford athletes as three qualified as part of the Leinster team for the national finals: Myles Hewlett (United Striders, fourth), James Hegarty (D.M.P., ninth) and Eoin Shannon (United Striders, twelfth).
It was no wonder then that Wexford were placed second in the county team event, with Alex Lafferty (D.M.P.) 13th, David Kirwan (S.B.R.) 30th and Ben Myers (United Striders) 34th completing the scoring of 102.
Finbarr Kelly (United Striders), Tim Ivers (Craanford), Caolan Costello and Seán Lennon of United Striders will complete the team for the county for the national finals.
The boys of United Striders also picked up second place in the club Under-12 team event, with Myles Hewlett, Eoin Shannon, Ben Myers and Finbarr Kelly scoring 92.
Running out of age did not hold back the ever-impressive Clara Keane who earned her place on the Leinster team as she finished in ninth place in the girls’ Under-14 3,000m.
The Wexford team of Erinn Shannon (36th), Danika Gilshinan (Menapians, 39th), Katie English (Adamstown, 41st), Laura Ivers (Craanford, 48th) and Eve Byrne (United Striders, 54th) garnered a total of 227, with the team finishing in sixth place.
The boys’ Under-14 final saw S.B.R’s Joe Byrne back to top performance at Leinster level, fin- ishing second over 3,000 metres. Aidan Shannon, running out of age, finished an impressive tenth place, earning himself a place on the Leinster team.
For the second time Wexford scored 102 points and finished second county team similar to the Under-12 boys earlier in the day.
Adam O’Connor (United Striders), Robert and Ben Wall (Adamstown), and James Redmond-Boggan completed the scoring for the county.
Darragh Flannelly and Owen Lennon of United Striders, Nathan Murphy (Menapians) and Oisín Mac Eochaidh (United Striders) complete the county team for national finals.
The girls’ Under-16 saw the United Striders being the only representatives for the county, with Grace Costello finishing 38th closely followed by Rebecca Bawden (41st) and Alannah Byrne (52nd).
The Under-16 boys had six representing the county, and Cian Flanagan was the first of the Wexford boys home in 38th place.
The girls’ Under-18 final saw Katie Daly of Kilmore finish 20th, with Annalise Crean (Adamstown) closely behind in 22nd place.
Liam Turner (D.M.P.) and Joseph Hanlon (Taghmon) ran in the Under-18 boys’ event, with Liam finishing 32nd and Joseph in 44th place.
One hundred ladies took to the starting line in the Leinster Novice 4,000m championship, but unfortunately we had a low turn-out from the county. County Novice champion Elaine McCabe was the first of the Wexford women home in 45th place, followed by Christine Stone (D.M.P.) in 61st place.
Martina O’Mahony (D.M.P.) and Catherine O’Connor (Menapians) completed the ladies’ results in 85th and 87th place.
The county Novice men’s team were fourth in the 6,000m event, scoring 292, with John McGrath (United Striders) taking 21st place, Pat Foley (Croghan) 47th, Thomas Cousins (Kilmore) 49th, Alan O’Connor (United Striders) 51st, John Stone (D.M.P.) 58th and Andrew Dowse (Croghan) 66th.
New Forest Golf Club, Tyrrellstown, Co. Westmeath is the venue again for the Juvenile uneven age groups, Junior and Senior championships on Saturday, November 13.
We are hoping for a strong turn-out for the Senior as it is a good lead-up to the inter-club and county national championships in Abbottstown on November 27.
Well done to all Wexford athletes who completed the Dublin City Marathon.