Ethan O'Neill Knockbeg

Report on Schools All-Ireland Cross Country 2010

This year’s schools cross country came to an exciting finale at a splendidly laid out course at Cork’s C.I.T. last Saturday. The dry weather of the last few weeks had dried out the ground completely and this combined with the flat course made it really suitable for the track athletes.

A sizeable group of local athletes had made it through the qualifying rounds and they travelled to Cork with high expectations of returning with some of the medals on offer.

Two locals managed to step on the podium with the performance of the day coming from Mary Ann O’Sullivan Gael Colaiste who finished second in the senior girls race behind Ireland’s hottest young running star at present Ciara Mageean from Co. Down. This was Mary Ann’s finest run of her career and is a welcome return to form for the Carlow girl.

In the Inter boys Stephen Attride Knockbeg made a gallant effort to take gold but found the relentless front running of Andrew Monaghan from Newry to much to handle. He was also passed late on by Sean Tobin Clonmel and ended with the bronze medal. Stephen will now go to England as part of the Irish Schools team. Ethan O'Neill Knockbeg College gets his first International cap for Ireland by finishing in 8th place in the junior boys race. Ethan had a fine race led into the last lap but faded a little and ended with a fine 8th place.

In the Inter boys race two Pres. College boys Graham Power and Danny Lawler who will be in this age again next year performed well finishing 14th and 28th. There were high expectations for Mary Ellen Doyle Borris V.S. in the Inter girl’s race but she never really got going finishing in 12th position.
Knockbeg travelled with two teams Inter and senior but both came away empty handed. The senior team were very unlucky losing the Bronze on count back. With there lead man Stephen Lawler unable to get into the top twenty and the others finding the hot pace hard to handle they were always scoring a little too high. The Inter team never really responded to the huge effort Stephen Attride was making up front and were never in a medal wining position

Competition now reverts to the track next month.

Leinster Cross Country Finals D.C.U Feb. 24th 2010.

Pres Carlow

By Billy Delaney
The finals of this year’s Leinster schools cross country was held in dreadful conditions at D.C.U. sport grounds Dublin last Wednesday. The driving rain and muddy ground made it a real test for the local athletes who had qualified from the South Leinster earlier in the month.
It proved to be a terrific day for Knockbeg College who finished leading boy’s school after the four boy’s races. Their star was without doubt Stephen Attride who won the Inter boys race in great style. In doing so he led his team to retain the team title they won last year. He got strong backup from Kevin Brennan in 7th place and they now go on to the All-Ireland where they will be strong contenders for the title they lost narrowly to Douglas last year. Douglas from Cork will also be there this year following their victory in Munster.
There were two other fine performances in this race from Pres. College boys Graham Power in 6th and Danny Lawler in 13th both making the All-Ireland.
Knockbeg have a second team through to the All-Ireland their senior team. They lost a very close battle with Drogheda but will be strong contenders for the All-Ireland in Cork in two weeks time. This is a strong experienced team led by Stephen Lawler with backup coming from Brian Kelly and James Griffin. Knockbeg also had success in the younger races with a fine forth place from Ethan O’Neill in the junior race but it was not enough to qualify his team. In the Minor race James Tyrell took an excellent silver medal while the Pres. College boys were unlucky not to get a team medal finishing 4th. Their best finisher was Conor Heffernan in 12th place.
There was not much success for the local girl’s schools with St. Leo’s having a team in the Minor Junior and Inter all of them out of the medals. We had to wait until the Inter and Senior races to see a local girl at the head of a race. Mary Ellen Doyle Borris V.S. took a magnificent bronze in the Inter race while Mary Ann O’Sullivan Gael Colaiste was almost as impressive as Stephen Attride when winning the senior girls race. This is a great return to form by Mary Ann after a lay off and she will be a contender for the top of the podium in Cork as will Mary Ellen for an Inter National cap.

Leinster Indoor Track & Field 2010

Molly and Ross

By Billy Delaney
St Laurence O’Toole Athletic Club had one of their most successful outings ever at last weekend’s Leinster indoor Track & Field championships held in Nenagh. The club had a huge entry at the championships with twenty one the athletes coming away with a total of 29 medals while many more made their finals and recorded personnel bests.
Two Carlow athletes who are at present without a club set high standards in there events. Adam Murphy took silver in both long jump and 60M at U15 level, while the weekend’s most impressive athlete, getting her first taste of Leinster competition was surely Molly Scott who took three gold medals in the U12 long jump, 60M and 60M Hurdles and set new Leinster records in all three competitions.

Gold medals went to:
Mark Furey U16 Shot
Ger Curran U15 Shot
Marcus Lawler U16 60M and 200M
Paul Byrne U18 400M
Lauren Kealy U13 600M
Robert Crowley U12 600M
Grace Lawler U14 60M
Lauren Dwyer U15 Long Jump
Emma O’Toole U18 Long Jump
Nicole Keogh-Dowling U12 Shot
Keith Noctor U16 60M Hurdles
Molly Scott U12 Long Jump 60M and 60M Hurdles

Silver medals went to;
Clare Murphy U17 Long Jump and 60M Hurdles
Hannah Brady U17 High Jump
Aideen Brophy U18 Long Jump and 60M Hurdles
Paul Byrne U18 Long Jump
Danny Lawler U16 800M and 1500M
Deana Kealy U12 High Jump
Conor Brennan U12 Long Jump
Johnny Furey U15 Shot
Ruth McDermott U18 200M
Adam Murphy U15 Long Jump and 60M

Bronze medals went to:
Paul Byrne U18 200M
Conor Brennan U12 60M Hurdles
David Lawler U14 Walk
Ross Dumphy U13 60M
Laura Ward U12 600M

Further afield in the British championships at Birmingham on Sunday Simon Doyle finished 6th in the U20 AAA long jump with a jump of 6.79M still waiting for that elusive 7M jump.
Simon was unlucky with receiving an ankle injury and was unable to take his last three jumps. Simon’s next outing will be at the All Ireland indoors in Nenagh in three weeks time

Simon Doyle

In the Celtic Cup in Cardiff on Sunday there were a number of notable performances by Irish athletes. Carlow, Laois and Kildare athletes were part Celtic Indoor Cup and U20 International teams which incorporated U16 Celtic Schools International for the Colin Jackson Trophy. The schools international competition includes Ireland, Scotland and Wales

There were also several personal bests achieved by a number of athletes by a team were made up of some experienced athletes.

Barry Pender of St. Abban’s AC won the Men’s High Jump in 2.10m. Barry holds the meeting record in the junior for this event set in 2008 at 2.14m and won the event last year with a jump of 2.06.

Rose-Anne Galligan of Newbridge AC won the Women’s 1500m in 4.17.05 minutes just outside the qualification for the World Indoor Championships of 4.15 minutes.

Mark English of Letterkenny AC had an exceptional run to win the Junior Men’s 800m in a personal best of 1.50.67. This time is also inside the qualifying standard of 1.51.00 for the World Junior Track and Field Championships that will take place in Canada later this year.

Eoin Kelly St Abban’s AC was 2nd in the triple jump 14.94m and Francis Egan from the same club jumped 14.07 to claim 2nd place in the junior triple jump.

Simon Doyle St Laurence O’Toole AC. was looking to get the qualifying standard for the Long Jump to qualify him for a place on the European team to compete in the Youth Olympic Games which will be held in Singapore this summer. Simon came 2nd with a jump of 6.76m after sustaining an ankle injury in an early jump. The Carlow man came fractionally close to the standard in Belfast setting a personal best of 6.83m in the men’s senior indoor long jump to take 4th place. Simon will compete next in the AAAs in Alexander Stadium Birmingham on 27th February.

Marcus Lawler St Laurence O’Toole AC in the Irish schools colors ran a powerful double by winning the 60m in a time of 7.26 and the 200m in 23.13. Marcus ran the final leg of the relay team for Ireland with a 3rd place finish they won the International Colin Jackson Trophy.

Gavin Curran St Laurence O’Toole competed in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.60.

Billy Delaney Pres Carlow was team manager of the Irish schools team and was very happy with the overall achievement.

The re-fixed Leinster cross country championships took place on Sunday 14th Feb in Kilmacow, Co Kilkenny. It was ideal opportunity for athletes to stretch their legs before the National Inter clubs in March.
Local interest was in the men’s 6000m junior and the girls under 12 relays. Stephen Attride St Abbans who is in great form this year ran a very clever race and toyed with the leaders up to the last 800m where his speed gave him the title from a quality field. Stephen lead his club home to collect silver ahead of Raheny Shamrocks of Dublin. St Abbans team with 42 points were Stephen Attride , Stephen Lawler , Kevin Brennan and Brian Kelly. St Laurence O’Tooles squad put in a blistering performance to collect the bronze medals with 44 points with Shane Lawler leading the team home in 8th place with Graham Power in 10th, Niall Murphy 12th and James Griffin 14th.
The Leinster juvenile relays were held early in the day and St Laurence O’Toole had two teams in the girls under 12 with bronze medals going to Leah Hutton, Bett Fennell, Eve McCanny and Meghan Fitzpatrick. The second O’Tooles team ran well but did not get among the medals were Shiefra O’Flaherty, Shinna Carr and Ella Hyland.

The Celtic Cup Cardiff University Sunday February 21st.
Three athletes from St.Laurance O’Toole club will represent Ireland at next Sunday’s Celtic Cup which will take at the magnificent indoor arena at the University of Wales in Cardiff. Two will represent Irish Schools and the other the Irish U20 team.
The Irish schools representatives are Marcus Lawler C.B.S. will have a busy day doing the 60M, 200M and the 4x200M relay. Gavin Curran Pres. College goes in 60M hurdles and is part of the relay squad. Simon Doyle after his wonderful performance in the Odyssey last Sunday gets his first recognition from AAI and is picked for the Under 20 long jump. It is another attempt to break the 7 meter barrier and improve on his 6.83m P.B. from last week.