Myles finishes a superb ninth
All-Ireland cross-country
THE ALL-IRELAND Juvenile even ages, Junior and Senior cross-country was held in Abbotstown recently on a cool, dry and cloudy day.
Conditions were fast underfoot and led to one of our Under-14 athletes, Ben Wall, falling badly, but he still got up and finished his race.
Joe Byrne (Under-14) was badly hampered at the start which knocked him out of the medals, but he still finished 24th.
Myles Hewlett ran a blinder to finish ninth and claim an individual medal, and he was a scorer on the winning Leinster team. Well done Myles.
Orlaith Deegan was our first competitor in the girls’ Under-12 and finished very strongly in 62nd place. Claragh Keane ran a great race to finish in 24th position, while Liam Turner (Under-18) finished 65th in his first All-Ireland.
The Senior women’s and men’s races were very competitive as they were for trials for the European cross-country championships which will be held in Italy on December 11.
Fiona Kehoe led the Kilmore ladies’ team home to silver medals in grade B and finished in an excellent 22nd place, her highest-ever position in this race.
Jackie Carthy was 46th, with Elaine Cardiff 67th and Sharon Kehoe 72nd. The county team finished fifth which also included Elizabeth Egan (54th) and Lillian Lawless (80th).
The county men’s team was incomplete, with Paul Gibbons 107th, Noel Kennedy 110th, Ger Maloney 131st and Willie Rossiter 147th.
Over 400 secondary school students from 18 schools across the county competed in the annual Mr Oil county cross-country on Wednesday in Good Counsel College, on a perfect day for cross-country.
The event is organised by Linda Rogers of Ramsgrange Community School each year, ably helped by Athletics Wexford volunteers. Most races had over 50 athletes participating, with many hardfought battles on a fast course.
The top six athletes in each event were awarded medals, as were the top three teams. This year saw a great spread across the country with these team medals going to Ramsgrange C.S., Gorey C.S., Creagh College, Bridgetown C.C., St. Peter’s, Loreto, Good Counsel, St. Mary’s (New Ross), C.B.S. Wexford, Our Lady of Lourdes (New Ross), C.B.S. Enniscorthy and Bunclody V.C.
Points were awarded from all these team wins to decide the winner of the Donna Foley Memorial Cup for best overall school.
Donna was an athlete of amazing talent who competed in our county in the 1980s and died tragically.
Her parents have kindly donated this cup to promote teenagers to run in county Wexford, something that was definitely achieved on Wednesday. The winners of this cup for 2016 were St. Mary’s (New Ross), capturing it for the first time.
Special thanks to Athletics Wexford and clubs throughout the county who provided helpers, United Striders (New Ross) who set up the course, and Good Counsel (New Ross) who kindly provided the venue once again.
Dates for your diary: December 18, Mr Oil Senior cross-country, Kilrane, starting at 12 noon; Wednesday, January 25, Athletics Wexford A.G.M.; Sunday, January 29, Mr Oil Masters and Juniors, Juvenile relays, Kilmore; Friday, February 3, awards night, time and venue to be confirmed.