Mac the mighty!
Leinster Schools championship news
THE IRISH Life Health Leinster schools track and field championships took place at Morton Stadium, Santry, over two days recently.
Weather conditions on both days were ideal for both athletes and spectators.
The highlight of the championships was undoubtedly David McDonald’s Senior sprint double. The Wexford C.B.S. student was in a class of his own.
Starting with Minor girls, there was gold in the high jump for Orlaith Deegan of F.C.J. Bunclody (1.50m).
Rachel Gregg (Presentation Wexford) was fourth (1.40m).
Saidhbh Byrne (Coláiste Bhríde Carnew) won the shot putt with a best of 9.02m.
Sophie Kelly of Presentation Wexford was sixth in the same event (8.01m).
Saidhbh went on to the silver in 75m hurdles (12.09s). Eimear Halpin (Loreto Wexford) won the discus with a throw of 25.22m. Aisling O’Brien of St. Mary’s (New Ross) was third with 21.82m.
Ciara Mooney (St Mary’s, New Ross) was second in javelin with 25.02m, just four centimetres behind the winner.
In the 800m, Sinéad O’Reilly pulled up, in some discomfort, on the second lap.
In Junior girls, Aoibhinn Crean (Coláiste Bríde, Enniscorthy) won silver in the 1,200m walk (6.40.56 mins).
Brídín Doyle (Coláiste Bhríde, Carnew) was just behind her in third (6.43.49m).
Triini Jurisoo (Loreto Wexford) was runner-up in the hammer (29.33m), while Aisling O’Brien of St. Mary’s (New Ross) took the bronze (24.34m).
Ellie Cooney (St. Mary’s, New Ross) was third in the triple jump (9.32m).
Elizabeth Gahan (Gorey C.S.) has shown that she can deliver in the longer distances as well as the sprints.
Running the 100m, she was unfortunate to miss the podium by one place, finishing fourth in 13.14s.
In the 800m, Eimear Fortune (Loreto Wexford) was the width of a singlet away from a podium place, her time of 2.27.44m being 0.01s behind the bronze medal winner.
In Intermediate girls, Róisín O’Reilly (Loreto Wexford) started her Leinster campaign with a silver medal in the 1,500m steeplechase (5.23.05).
She went one better in the 1,500m when she won a spirited last-lap duel to take the gold in a time of 4.51.34.
She must now choose which race to go for in the All-Irelands.
Aisling Kelly (Loreto Wexford) placed a very respectable fourth in a high-class 100m final in a time of 12.33s.
Sabia Doyle of Presentation Wexford placed fifth (12.46s), picking up an injury in the process. Danika Gilshinan (Loreto Wexford) placed fifth in 800m (2.29.54).
In the high jump, a heavily-strapped Maeve Hayes (Loreto Wexford) was happy to qualify for the nationals with a silver medal-winning 1.50m jump.
She will be hoping that the injury that has curtailed her activities over the past couple of months is behind her.
There was a 1-2 in the triple jump for St. Mary’s (New Ross), with Tara Doyle taking gold (10.46m) and Grace Cloney getting the silver (9.90m).
Éadaoín Stafford of Coláiste Bríde was second in the shot putt with 10.55m and third in the discus with 25.16m.
Kate Jackman (St. Mary’s New Ross) was third in the javelin with a throw of 28.88m.
The Loreto Wexford 4 x 100m relay team of Liadh Dwyer, April Keeling, Rachel Power and Aisling Kelly took a brilliant silver behind a very strong St. Vincent’s (Dundalk) team.
With a little technical work they should be in the mix at the All-Irelands.
Senior girls had relatively few Wexford athletes taking part, but pretty much all of those are serious contenders for podium places at the All-Irelands.
Lystus Ebosele (Coláiste Bríde) won the shot putt by over two metres with a best effort of 11.67m.
She was also second in the discus with 37.74m, with Marguerite Furlong of St. Mary’s (New Ross) in the bronze medal position (35.14m).
Her schoolmate, Sonya Mooney, was fourth in the javelin (23.98m).
Amy Forde (Loreto Wexford) was a good third in the hammer with 33.63m.
Just behind her in fourth place was Bronagh O’Hanlon, Presentation Wexford (28.95m). Tríona Mooney took bronze in the 3,000m walk.
In the Minor boys, Peter McDonald of Good Counsel (New Ross) was second in the javelin with a throw of 36.52m.
Moving up to Junior boys, Good Counsel (New Ross) had a trio of sixth place finishes.
First was Darragh Flannelly in 800m (2.14.13 min). With the improvements he has made in the past year, he would perhaps have expected a higher placing.
Evan O’Toole placed sixth in the high jump (1.60m). Finally there was Cormac Byrne in the javelin with a best effort of 31.45m.
Nathan Murphy (Wexford C.B.S.) should be pleased enough with his sixth place in Under-16 boys’ mile (4.51m) as he is still only dipping his toe in the middle distance pool.
In the Inter boys’ category, Dara Casey (St. Mary’s C.B.S., Enniscorthy) was second in the 100m hurdles. James Hanlon (Ramsgrange C.S.) took a bronze in the 2,000m walk (11.00.24); in fourth place was Ryan Keith of Good Counsel (11.13.18).
Corben Browne (St. Peter’s College) was fifth in the 1,500m steeplechase.
Jack Forde (Wexford C.B.S.) was third in the high jump with a best jump of 1.80m.
He picked up another bronze in the triple jump, his best of 12.02m being less than 40 cms. behind the winner.
Jack’s schoolmate, Gergely Pap, was second in the shot putt with a best of the day of 12.81m, and third in the discus with 33.44m.
Joshua Hewlett (New Ross C.B.S.) was runner-up in the javelin with a best effort of 53.35m.
Enniscorthy C.B.S. placed fifth in the Inter boys’ 4 x 100m relay (50.28s). The winning time of 44.60s gives them a target to aim for this time next year!
Our top result in Senior boys was, as alluded to above, the sprint double by David McDonald of Wexford C.B.S.
He looked super impressive as he won the 100m in cruise control, his time 10.81s.
He then went on to delight the crowd with an exhibition of stylish control and poise as he won the 200m in 21.66s.
His club and schoolmate Aaron Tierney-Smith was most unfortunate to miss out on a medal in the 110m hurdles, his fourth place finish (15.25s) being just 0.02 seconds off third place.
Ryan Carthy-Walsh of Good Counsel won the high jump with 1.95m, some way off his best.
He said that, of late, athletics has been taking a back seat to his Leaving Cert. exam studies. Sensible lad!
Pádraig Hore (New Ross C.B.S.) won the discus with a best of 44.24m which put him well clear of the field.
He also placed third in the shot with a solid 13.40m.
Enniscorthy C.B.S. placed sixth in the Senior boys’ 4 x 100m relay.
On June 2 those who have made it out of Leinster will head to the All-Ireland finals in Tullamore.