Smooth running Strid
All four seasons experienced as warm d
THE LEINSTER Juvenile uneven ages (Under-11 to Under-19) and Senior cross-country championships took place in Adamstown on Sunday.
Notwithstanding the heavy and persistent rain of the past week, the sod was remarkably firm. At least to start with.
For this was a day that, in the space of a few hours, raced through all four seasons. A day that started warm and mild with glorious sunshine clouded over in the early afternoon, and when those clouds opened the rain was relentless and merciless.
Thunder, lightning and hailstones followed. These conditions made it very difficult for athletes in all races from the Under-15 girls onwards, with the course cutting up a little more with each race.
The day opened with the non-championship Under-9 races. In the boys’ race, Shane Laffan of Bree ran a really strong gun to tape race to finish in third place. Clubmate Billy Doyle finished strongly to take eighth place.
The United Striders boys, Fionn Mac Eochaidh and Matthew Wall, finished eleventh and twelfth respectively.
In the girls’ race, Kayleigh Butler of Taghmon placed fifth, Saoirse Flanagan (D.M.P.) eighth, and Éabha Wilson (Bree) twelfth.
The first championship races on the programme were the Under-19, 4,000m for the girls, 6,000m for the boys.
At the Leinster Junior cross-country held two weeks ago in Navan, Aedan Rogers was very much in contention when he was forced to retire through injury. There were no injury worries for the young Striders man in Adamstown.
The talented Kilkenny City Harriers athlete, Shay McEvoy, took off from the gun and quickly built up a lead on a smaller chasing pack led by Aedan. As the race progressed, Shay consolidated his lead while Aedan and Mullingar’s Jack Moran did their best to reel him in.
Into the last lap and Aedan upped the tempo and broke away from Jack who himself was overhauled by Willie Kelly of St. Abban’s. While Shay galloped on to take the win, Aedan could sense that, as he came through the muck in the final gap, the hounds were baying behind him.
He responded and came home to take a well-deserved silver.
Other Wexford finishers: 23, James Boland (U.S.); 31, Peadar Byrne (D.M.P.); 32, Rory Cassidy (Kilmore).
Wexford’s first big team success of the day came in the girls’ Under-11 race in which they took the county team title with 109 points, one point ahead of Kildare on 110, with Meath third (127).
The team was led home in fine style by Emma McCarthy of St. Killian’s in fifth place, with Grace Kelly of Menapians running her best race yet to take the tenth spot. As both girls finished in the top twelve, they received individual medals. Both automatically qualify to compete on the Leinster team at the All-Irelands.
In placing 13th, Rayna Thompson of Kilmore just missed out on an individual medal and a place on the Leinster team
Other Wexford placings: 16, Éabha Keane (D.M.P.); 22, Sarah O’Mahony (D.M.P.); 43, Ava Barry (Kilmore); 51, Heather Costello (U.S.); 72, Stephanie O’Connor (Enniscorthy); 87, Lea Bolger (Bree); 96, Sarah Kirwan (S.B.R.).
In the boys’ Under-11 race, the Bree duo of Cian O’Donovan (ninth) and Jayden Kenny (16th) led the club to a fifth place finish. With clubmates Tom Finn 48th and P.J. Breen 60th, the team placed fifth, missing out on qualification for the All-Irelands by two points.
Wexford also placed fifth in the inter-county competition. Cian makes the Leinster team for the All-Irelands.
Other Wexford finishers: 24, Aidan Bowe (S.B.R.); 43, Tomás Brennan (Enniscorthy); 58, Enda Byrne (S.B.R.); 69, Cormac Delaney (United Striders); 78, Conor Leacy (S.B.R.); 87, Darragh Stone (D.M.P.); 95, Paddy O’Neill (S.B.R.); 96, Oisín Larkin (Enniscorthy).
The county’s first top three finisher of the day was D.M.P’s Claragh Keane in the girls’ Under-15 3,500m. Claragh was one of a small early group which defied the driving rain and hailstones to pull away from the main pack.
By the last lap she was clear in second place behind the classy Hannah Kehoe of Gowran who would go on to win. Coming up to the turn into the short home straight, Amy Geoghegan of Mullingar Harriers began to eat into Claragh’s lead over her.
With less than 20 metres to go she managed to nip in front, relegating Claragh to the bronze medal position. Overall, the D.M.P. girl should be very happy with her run.
Other Wexford placings: 30, Aoibhinn Mernagh (D.M.P.); 34, Eimear Halpin (Menapians); 44, Kate O’Flaherty (Kilmore); 54, Arwyn Thompson (Kilmore); 61, Therese Lawles O’Mahony (D.M.P.); (Kilmore); 70 Emma C was sixth club and th also sixth.
Ben Wall of Unite better in the boys’ U finishing a very gutsy fine St. Senan’s athle Ben’s clubmate, Myl closely to take the br
With Striders pack Shannon 15th, Dar and Robert Wall 22n to see them taking inter-county competi second with 90 poi neighbours Kilkenny Meath (164 points).
Other Wexford p Hegarty (D.M.P.); 4 (U.S.); 58, Jack Byrne McDonald (Adamsto (U.S.); 75, Oisín Mac Ross O’Flaherty (Kilm
Róisín O’Reilly of M another impressive mance for the count