Super results in tough tests
Leinster cross-country races
THE LEINSTER uneven championships took place in Tyrrellspass recently and Wexford clubs
and county teams had some fantastic performances on a tight and difficult course.
The first four teams qualified for the All-lrelands in all races. The Under-11 girls was the first event, with Layla Stafford 38th, Aoife Byrne 56th, Moya Corbett 73rd, Danielle Stone 80th, Cara Kelly 120th, Shannon Codd 131st and lrene Hanlon 137th. This team finished out of the medals but competed very well in their first Leinsters.
ln the Under-11 boys, Con Mernagh finished a brilliant fifth to claim an individual bronze medal and
qualify on the Leinster team for the All-lrelands. Kevin O’Mahony was 24th, with Ronan Shannon 32nd, Robert Stirling 40th, Seán Lennon 48th, Cian O’Dowd 63rd, Tadhg O’Leary 92nd, Sam Myers 93rd, Luca
O’Connor 111th and Rian O’Dowd 123rd. This team finished fifth.
The Under-13 girls saw the ever-improving Clara Keane of D.M.P. finish tenth and qualify for her second All-lreland on the Leinster team, Aoibhinn Mernagh was 15th, with Eimear Fortune 36th, Orlaith Byrne 45th, Rachel Gregg 46th, Leona Berry 50th, Kennedy Cullen 52nd, Theresa Lawless 61st, Brídín Doyle 63rd, Ellie O’Mahony 82nd, Flora Doran 84th, Ciara Murphy 92nd, Arwyn Thompson 94th, Kiera Dempsey 97th, Kelly Corbett 108th, Dawn McKenna 115th, Grace Byrne 117th and Ciara Mooney 132nd. The team placing was fifth.
The Under-13 boys’ county team finished a brilliant first, taking gold medals, and the United Striders club team also won gold, a fantastic achievement. Aidan Shannon of U.S. led this team home in a brilliant second place followed by Myles Hewlett in sixth, and both qualify on the Leinster team.
James Hegarty was 18th, with Ben Wall 22nd, Robert Wall 23rd, James Redmond-Boggan 24th, Darragh Flannelly 25th, Eoin Shannon 28th, Alex Lafferty 40th, Owen Lennon 53rd, Finn Kelly 58th, Eoin Ormonde 64th, Mark Hennessy 66th, Alex Gregg 89th, Oisín Mac Eoghaidh 94th, Ben Myers 96th and Jack Byrne 98th. The top ten Wexford finishers will represent the county in the All-lreland.
The Under-15 girls’ county team finished seventh. Erinn Shannon was 36th, with Róisín O’Reilly 43rd, Clodagh Foran 58th, Eve Byrne 59th, Gráinne Bates 53rd, Aisling Power 66th, Aoibhinn Crean 68th, Ellie Quinn 86th, Aoife O’Connor 95th and Aoife Nic Eochaidh 99th.
The Under-15 boys’ county team finished in fourth place and qualified for the All-lreland, with Joe Byrne 13th, Cian Flanagan 22nd, Oisín Woolmington 24th, Aaron Browne 30th, Conor Keane 33rd, Daragh Collins 34th, Ryan Kielty 57th, Adam O’Connor 62nd, James Hanlon 70th and Darragh Whelan 73rd.
The Under-17 girls’ county team was incomplete due to illness. Mairéad Crean ran a fantastic race to finish tenth and qualify on the Leinster team, with Grace Costello 29th, Rebecca Bawden 38th, Gráinne Flannelly 42nd and Alannah Byrne 44th.
The Under-17 boys’ team was also incomplete due to injuries, with Aidan Rodgers 25th, Joseph English 35th, Joseph Hanlon 46th and Tony Rowe 49th. Jack Doyle injured his ankle midway through the race while going well.
The Under-19 girls saw Katie Daly finish twelfth, qualifying on the Leinster team, with Annalise Crean 14th. An athlete showing steady improvement, Liam Turner, finished 17th in the Under-19 boys.
The Senior women’s race had three athletes battling for medal colours after the first lap. Fiona Ke- hoe of Kilmore went into the lead on lap two from Barbara Cleary (Donore Harriers) and Catherine Mullens (Metro St. Brigid’s) chasing hard, but at the start of the final lap Cleary went clear by ten metres from Fiona, who chased her all the way to the line. Barbara Cleary was first, with Fiona Kehoe second and Catherine Mullens third.
Kilmore finished in third place, with Fiona second, Elaine Cardiff 22nd, Sharon Kehoe 27th and Fidelma Rossiter 34th. The Wexford county team also came third, and the scorers were Fiona, Elaine, Sharon and Christine Stone who was 30th.
The Senior men missed out on medals, finishing fourth. Ger Forde pulled up injured on lap two while running well. Scorers were John McGrath who was 23rd, with Alan O’Connor 30th, Billy Reck 37th, John Stone 38th, Ger Moloney 40th and Ted Flannelly 51st.
Meanwhile, Jackie Carty (Kilmore) finished third in the Over-45 Masters women’s cross-country recently and led the Irish team to second place. Well done to her.