Cork IT              13th March 2010

Great Races in an Ideal Setting

This was one of those very enjoyable days in cross country running – some great races, a dry and pleasant day, a spectator friendly course, good atmosphere and a well-run event.

Once again it was Ciara Mageean, Assumption Ballynahinch, who showed her great promise with a smooth win in the Senior Girls’ race. Behind her Maire Aine Ni Shuilleabhain, Gael Colaiste Ceatharlach, held off Niamh Denny, Our Lady’s Grove, and Fiona McKenna, Loreto Dalkey, for 2^nd place. 100313 ISAA CC Results

Lavin and Veale shine at Schools’ International

Sarah Lavin with a sprint double and Kate Veale taking a full minute off the 3,000m Walk record were the stars of the Schools’ International stages at the Antrim Forum today. In reasonable weather conditions a weakened Irish team performed admirably with some gutsy performances and many personal bests.

The track started well for the Irish when Kate Veale set off at a blistering pace to not only destroy the field but also to take a minute off Serena O’Keefe’s 1998 record when recording 13.09.02. Emma Prindibhil gave good support to Kate by coming home in 2nd place. Not to be outdone the boys produced the same result with James Treanor and Oisin Oliver taking the gold and silver.

Although she has been around for a few years Sarah Lavin came of age at these championships. Sarah won an astonishing three gold medals against the best in these islands when winning the 100m, 200m and anchoring the Irish Girls’ team to victory in the 4 x 100 Relay at the end of the day.

The only other Irish winner was in the Boys’ 800m where Mark English dominated the race throughout to take gold in 1.58.90. In fact it looked at one stage as if Ireland might fill the first two places but Dean Cronin could not sustain the challenge through the line and had to be satisfied with 4th place.

Marco Pons was another to exceed expectations when finishing second in the Discus with a throw of 48.45m and third in the Shot with 14.77m. Third places were achieved by Ailish Sheehan in the Javelin with 34.30m, Zoe Scanlon in the Discus 36.75m, Joseph Dowling in the 400m in 49.84, Patrick Coleman in the Steeplechase in a new personal best of 4.35.42, Ben McGillian in the Triple Jump with 12.78m, James McCabe in the Hammer with 57.72m and the Boys’ 4 x 100 Relay team.

There were two other records on the day when the cream of the talent in these islands came to Antrim. The first was in the second event of the day when Toni Wells of Wales threw 51.53m in the Girls’ Hammer to break Rachel Akers record of 49.70m. Shortly afterwards Freya Jones of England threw the Javelin 46.61m to add over 3m to the existing record.

At the end the match was won comfortably by the English Schools’ with the Irish in Second place. All in all a super day of athletics in a lovely venue.

John Shields

AVIVA SIAB Schools’ Cross Country International

Faenol estate, Bangor, Wales                          Saturday 28^th March 2009

An outstanding performance by Ciara Mageean, Assumption Ballynahinch, in the Senior Girls’ race at the Annual Schools’ Cross Country International in picturesque Bangor. Ciara showed why so many predict a great future for her when she ran away from the field to win with some ease. Laura Shaughnessy, Loughrea VS, ran a fine race to take second place and Eimear Black, Dominican Belfast, was fourth.

Best of the Irish in the Senior Boys’ race was John Travers, Inchicore VS, with back up coming from Chris Jones, St Fintan’s, in seventh and Dan King, St Eunan’s, in eighth to ensure an Irish victory.

In the Junior Boys’ race Shane Fitzpatrick, St Joseph’s Rochfortbridge, and Graham Power, Presentation Carlow, were at the front all of the race and finished a magnificent second and third respectively. Ireland took the silver medals in the team competition behind England. The diminutive Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner, Colaiste Iosagain, ran the race of her life to finish second in the Junior Girls’ race and with back up from the rest of the team also took second place to England in the team race.

The Intermediate Boys’ were third team behind England and Scotland with Adam Ingram, Hazelwood College, best of the Irish in sixth place. Mary Mulhare, Presentation Portlaoise, was best of a young Irish team in 19^th place in the Intermediate Girls’ race.

Senior Girls’

1.            Ciara Mageean                  Ireland

2.            Laura Shaughnessy         Ireland

3.            Emily Stewart                    Scotland

4.            Eimear Black                       Ireland

5.            Deirdre Doyle                    Ireland

7.            Rachel Campbell               Ireland

8.            Fiona McKenna                 Ireland

12.          Susan Smyth                      Ireland

16.          Niamh Ryan                        Ireland

Team Result

1.       Ireland 27pts

2.       Scotland 68 pts

3.       Wales 114 pts

Senior Boys’

1.            Callum Hawkins               Scotland

2.            John Travers                      Ireland

3.            Dewi Griffiths                    Wales

6.            James O’Hare                    Ireland

7.            Chris Jones                         Ireland

8.            Dan King                              Ireland

9.            Liam Tremble                     Ireland

17.          Emmet Jennings               Ireland

21.          Darren McBrearty            Ireland

24.          Colm Murray                      Ireland

Team Result

1.       Ireland 49 pts

2.       Scotland 58 pts

3.       Wales 78 pts

Inter Girls’

1.            Emilia Gorecka                                  England

2.            Annabel Cummow                          England

3.            Emily Walbank                                   England

19.          Mary Mulhare                                   Ireland

20.          Eva Laverty                                         Ireland

21.          Kate Veale                                          Ireland

22.          Emma Mitchel                                   Ireland

23.          Maire Aine Ni Shuilleabhain        Ireland

26.          Lorna Fitzpatrick                               Ireland

28.          Claire Brennan                                  Ireland

Team Result

1.       England 22 pts

2.       Scotland 75 pts

3.       Wales 91 pts

1. Ireland 131 pts

Inter Boys’

1.            Tom Curr                                             England

2.            Richard Goodman                            England

3.            Ross Matheson                                 Scotland

6.            Adam Ingram                                     Ireland

13.          Christopher O’Brien                        Ireland

15.          Peter Hanrahan                                Ireland

18.          Aidan Kearney                                  Ireland

19.          Stephen Kerr                                     Ireland

20.          Danny Mullins                                   Ireland

24.          Stephen Attride                               Ireland

25.          Patrick Coleman                               Ireland

Team Result

1.       England 34 pts

2.       Scotland 62 pts

3.       Ireland 91 pts

Junior Girls’

1.            Jessica Judd                                        England

2.            Siofra Cleirigh-Buttner                   Ireland

3.            Alice Wright                                        England

11.          Ciara Hewson                                    Ireland

15.          Blaithin Lynch                                    Ireland

17.          Aoife Keyes                                        Ireland

19.          Niamh de h’Ora                                Ireland

20.          Lorraine Daly                                      Ireland

23.          Linda Conroy                                      Ireland

27.          Elizabeth Carr                                    Ireland

Team Result

1.       England 27 pts

2.       Ireland 84 pts

3.       Scotland 106 pts

Junior Boys’

1.            Finlay Rae                                            Scotland

2.            Shane Fitzsimons                             Ireland

3.            Graham Power                                 Ireland

12.          Glen Willis                                           Ireland

17.          Eoin Taggart                                       Ireland

19.          Ian O hAirtead                                   Ireland

20.          Eoin O’Donnell                                  Ireland

25.          Thomas Lynn                                     Ireland

28.          Niall McKeever                                 Ireland

Team Result

1.       England 39 pts

2.       Ireland 73 pts

3.       Scotland 85 pts

Another successful day for the KitKat Irish Schools’ Teams at the annual Schools’ Combined Events Indoor International held at the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow on Saturday last 13^th December. In all the young Irish athletes produced 36 personal bests and never gave up.

Pride of place goes to Joanna Mills, Ballyclare High School, who won the Girls’ Under 18 Individual title. The fact that she is eligible for this competition next year makes her performance even more impressive. A magnificent back-up performance by her teammates, Orla Finn, Kinsale CS, and Rebecca McAllister, Antrim GS, saw them just pipped for the team title by 4 points by England. Joanna produced an impressive series with a 9.13 sec 60m Hurdles, a 1.62m High Jump and a 5.63m Long Jump.

Brave performances from the Irish Girls’ Under 16 team saw them take a deserved bronze in the team event being beaten by an outstanding English team. The young English girl, Jazmin Sawyers, showed her great potential in jumping 1.77m in the High Jump and hurdling 8.92 sec. Katie Hyland, Sacred Heart, Westport, Megan Kiely, Ursuline Waterford, and Rachel Healy, Alexandra College, put in some excellent results.

The Under 16 Boys team was a creditable 3^rd in the team event. Paul Byrne, Presentation Carlow, was the leading performer in 5th place.

An exceptional performance from UK record holder, David Guest, Wales, in the Boys’ Under 18 event saw him win by over 260 points. The Irish kept trying right to the end with Eamonn Fahey, Kings’ Hospital,, leading the way in 6^th place with 4 personal bests.

Under 18 Boys’ Individual Results:

1. David Guest, Wales 3,707 points

2. Jamie Courtney, England 3,444 points

3. Jack Andrew, England 3,368 points

6. Eamonn Fahey, Ireland 3,228 points

8. Timmy Crowe, Ireland 3,116 points

12. Stephen Kelly, Ireland 2,938 points

16. Simon Doyle, Ireland 1,764 points

Team Result:

1. England 10,026 points

2. Scotland 9,805 points

3. Wales 9,580 points

4. Ireland 9,282 points

Under 18 Girls’ Individual Results:

1. Joanna Mills, Ireland 3,463 points

2. Eleanor Workman, Scotland 3,240 points

3. Chloe Galloway, England 3,220 points

6. Orla Finn, Ireland 3,170 points

9. Rebecca McAllister, Ireland 2,843 points

Team Result:

1. England 9,480 points

2. Ireland 9,476 points

3. Wales 8,614 points

Under 16 Girls’ Individual Results:

1. Jazmin Sawyers, England 3,694 points

2. Rebecca Curtis-Harris, England 3,395 points

3. Rachel Whittle, Scotland 3,350 points

7. Katie Hyland, Ireland 3,053 points

8. Megan Kiely, Ireland 3,049 points

10. Rachel Healy, Ireland 2,866 points

13. Grainne Moynihan, Ireland 2,638 points

Team Result:

1 England 10,295 points

2. Wales 9,510 points

3. Ireland 8,968 points

3. Scotland 8,722 points

Under 16 Boys’ Individual Result:

1. Will Grist, England 3,320 points

2. Rhys Williams, Wales 3,203 points

3. Jamaul Whyte, Wales 3,045points

5. Paul Byrne, Ireland 2,857 points

9. Daire Walsh, Ireland 2,703 points

11. Callum Hunter, Ireland 2,640 points

13. Conor Daly, Ireland 2,567 points

Team Result:

1. England 9,053 points

2. Wales 9,051 points

3. Ireland 8,200 points