 St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall, Dublin, Ireland |
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| St Aidan's CBS, Whitehall, Dublin, Ireland |
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IRISH TIMES SPORTS SECTION, THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21ST, 2008.
With Ireland due to host the European Cross Country championships in 2009, some of its younger athletes got the chance to try out the course when the Leinster Schools CC championships were staged at Santry Demesne yesterday.
Located just behind Morton Stadium, the testing terrain produced some fine runs, with St. Aidan's CBS underlying their credentials having been crowned All-Ireland Intermediate Champions last year.
The Whitehall establishment claimed best school in the boys category, while Micheal Mulhare led from the front from the start to take the senior boys race which was run over 6,000 metres.
The Portlaoise CBS student had headed a three-man group which had included St Aidan's duo Larry Bratty and Mark McDonald.
In the closing stages, the Cool-mine CS pairing of Liam Tremble and David Flynn replaced them near the head of the leading group but Mulhare maintained his lead to win out.
The senior girls 2.5km race, meanwhile, was dominated by identical twins Charlotte and Rebecca French O'Carroll in a strong field, with Charlotte winning the chase to the line.
The Leaving Cert student from Loreto, St Stephen's Green won a silver medal at last summer's European Youth Olympics hi the 3,000 metres.
After the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country championships in Loughrea in March, French O'Carroll will look to the World Youth Games in Poland where she hopes to make the qualifying time for the l,500 metres.
Tara Jamieson meanwhile, captured the intermediate girls title, with Shane Boggs outrunning club-mate Jake Byrne to capture the boys' intermediate race.
BOYS: Senior 1 - M Mulhare (Portlaoise CBS), 2 L Tremble (Coolmine CS), 3 David Flynn (Coolmine CS). Teams: 1 St Aidan's CBS 56 pts, 2 Coolmine CS 78 pts, 3 St Kieran's Kilkenny 119 pts. Intermediate 1 - Shane Boggs (St Finian's, Mullingar), 2 Jake Byme (St Joseph's, Roch-fordbridge) 3 Emmet Jennings (Oatlands). Teams: 1 St Kieran's, Kilkenny 78 pts, 2 Knockbeg College 87 pts, 3 St Aidan's CBS 96 pts. Junior - 1 S Attride (Knockbeg College), 2 T Moriarty (St Paul's, Raheny), 3 K Dooney (CBC Monkstown). Teams: 1 St Fintan's, Sutton 91 pts, 2 St Benildus College 121 pts, 3 Belvedere College 122 pts. Minor 1- C Turner (St Aidan's CBS), 1T Lanu Lynn (Mullingar CBS), 2 G Power (Mullingar CBS), 3 G Power (Presentation Carlow). Teams: 1 St Aidan's CBS 48 pts, 2 St Kieran's, Kilkenny 101 pts, Colaiste Eoin 117 pts}. Overall best boys' school - St Aidan's CBS Whitehall. GIRLS: Senior 1 - C FFrench-O'Carroll (Loreto St Stephen's Green), 2 R Ffrench-O'Carroll (Loreto, St Stephen's Green), 3 S Huet (Loreto Foxrock). Teams: 1 Loreto, St Stephen's Green 15 pts, 2 St Dominic's, Cabra (29pts), 3 Loreto, Foxrock 35 pts. Intermediate 1 - 1 Jamieson (Dominican, Wicklow), 2 N Kearnej (Loreto, Dalkey), 3 M Mulhare (Col Chriost Ri Portlaoise); Teams: 1 Dominican Wicklow 3] pts, 2 St Dominic's, Cabra 51 pts, 3 Loreto Foxrock 57. Junior - 1 I O'Donnell (Sante Sabina, Sutton), 2 L Byrne (Coolmine CS), 3 S McGinley (Our Lady's, Templeogue). Teams: ] Coolmine CS 60 pts, 2 Loreto, Foxrock 63 pts, 3 Scoil Dara, Kilcock 65 pts. Minor -IS McDon-nell (Eureka Kells), 2 A Keys (Our Lady's, Temple ogue), 3 C Conroy (Mount Sackville). Teams: ] Colaiste losagain 35 pts, 2 St Dominic's, Cabre 73 pts, 3 Loreto, St Stephen's Green 88 pts Overall best girls' school: St Dominic's Cabra. • The top 15 finishers and the first thret teams in senior, intermediate and junior event qualified for the All-Ireland championships to be held in Dartfield Equestrian Centre, Loughrea or March 8th, starting at noon.