Killarney’s Ryan Vickers wins bronze at PostPrimary Schools National Crosscountry finals

AFTER qualifying through the South and North Munster races, and then through the Munster Schools Championships, all paths led to Tymon Park in Dublin on Saturday for Kerry’s 33 cross-country athletes. The testing course zig-zagged around the park and included some steep ramps for the runners to tackle.

Ryan Vickers (St Brendans Killarney) made the podium again coming in a strong third in the Minor Boys to take the national schools bronze medal. Jack Ó’Coileáin (Gaelcholaiste Chiarrai) had a superb run in the Junior Boys, showing his track speed at the end to secure seventh spot, noting that the top 10 in each race earn selection for the Irish Schools Team. Jack’s schoolmate, Shane Ó’Donabháin, competing in his first National Championships, wasn’t far behind having a great run to come home in 19th place.

Méabh Ní Chonchúir (Gaelcholaiste Chiarrai) had an impressive run to be the first Munster runner home in the girls Intermediate race finishing in 12th place. Abbey Stephenson (Presentation Tralee), running in the Intermediate category for the first year, ran well to come home in 42nd, and will have another year in the same category.

To complete the Gaelcholaiste Chiarrai quartet that have performed so well this year, Avril Ní Dhúghaill came 22nd in the Junior Girls, with Killarney runner Kirsten Kenney (St Bridgid’s Killarney) finishing 33rd.

In the Senior races, the Kerry runners packed well in the Girls race with 34th Grace O’Meara (St Brigids Killarney), Maria Murnane (PSIS Kenmare) and Noelle Dillon (Presentation Listowel) finishing 34th, 35th & 39th respectively. Ted O’Gorman (St Brendan’s Killarney) led the Kerry runners home in the senior race in 57th place.

National University Cross-Country Championships

FIVE Kerry runners made the trip to Belfast to compete in the very competitive Irish University Cross-Championships in Queens University Belfast on Saturday. In the men’s 8km race, it was a mixture of emotions for Tralee man Oisin Spillane who finished fourth for the second year in a row but in doing so, helped his University Limerick team to win the gold medal in the team event.

Oisin Murray worked his way nicely through the field and showed a fast finish to take eighth place out of the 120 strong field, helping his University Galway team to third place. There was a nice debut run by Kenmare’s Tommy Arthur to make the top 50 running for Queens, a few places in front of Killarney’s Darragh O’Leary running for University of Limerick.

In the women’s 5km race, Kerry were represented by Amy Pollman-Damaan who had an impressive top 10 finish to help her UCD team to second place in the team event.