Mullingar storm to victories at Leinster Cross Country
Mullingar Harriers club notes
The final race of the Leinster Novice, U20 and Juvenile Even Ages Cross Country finished, fortunately, before the wind really began to pick up as Storm Ashley crossed the country on Sunday. The only real storm was team after team from Mullingar Harriers scooping up medals, from the first race to the last – nine sets of club team medals and six of county team medals, including terrific team medals by the novice women and men. That was in addition to 13 juvenile top 12 individual medals, including a Leinster title by Lily Walsh, two U20 women individual medals, and two Novice women individual medals.
Thanks to terrific work by Meath Athletics and Dunboyne AC, the Dunboyne course was in perfect condition, dry and firm, in contrast to previous experiences when mud was the order of the day. The only problem the runners experienced was strong winds from early on, but cross country runners are a tough bunch and the Mullingar athletes were well able for the test.
The day started with non-championship 800m races for U10s, in front of a big crowd of spectators. Well done to Adele Bertolo, Heather Kelly, Sophie Whitelaw, Zoe O’Donoghue, Sarah Cummins, Rachel Robinson, Ellen Cummins, Shay Gavigan, Austin Keaveney, Robert Bohan, Senan Whelehan and Luke Cosgrove on their performances.
After that, the first championship race, the U12 girls 2,000m had an entry of nearly 130, including 10 girls from Mullingar, led home by Caoimhe Lynam, followed in by Penny Bohan, Katie Bohan, Lauryn Smith, Helen McGrath, Isabelle Morris, Roisin Keane, Rose Harte, Aoibheann Lynam and Caitlin McCormack.
Though there were no individual medals, the team packed brilliantly and were rewarded for their efforts with second club. They also finished fifth county. Many of the girls were moving up an age and the experience will stand to them when they run in their own age in two weeks.
We had 16 in the U12 boys 2,000m. Always in contention from the start, Daniel Cummins was rewarded for with a fine fourth place, followed in by Mel Bohan in 11h place, earning both individual medals and place on the Leinster team in the national finals in four weeks. Als running were Cillian McManus (Athlone AC), Donagh Bourke, Adam O’Donoghue, Conor Gavin, Cillian Gavin, Cian Gavin, Aaron Robinson, Noah Morgan, Olly Wright, Huw Keaveney, Killian Hardman, Rory McDonnell and Andrew Bradley. Unfortunately, Ethan Byrne had to stop after one lap, nothing serious though, and he’ll be fine for the U11 race in Tinahely in two weeks. With two in the top 12 and the rest of the boys packing well behind, it was little surprise that they finished first club by a good margin and third county, where only three points separated the top three counties.
Last year’s Leinster champion at U13, Lily Walsh ran a perfect race in the U14 girls 3,000m. She waited patiently before kicking for home with half a lap to go to win the Leinster title. Also having a superb race was Chloe Bell in sixth. With great support from team mates Shaynah Mitchell, Clodagh Keane, Amelie Kelly, Siomha Leonard, Kate O’Donoghue, Lucy Kilmurray, Isla Brennan, Ruby Brennan, Liadan Gavin, Lily McDonald, Emily Tully, Muirin Dunne, the girls finished third club. They also finished sixth county.
In the U14 boys 3,000m, Oisin Clarke had a breakthrough race, always in contention for a podium and eventually crossing the line in a brilliant fourth. Antonio Bertolo was on crutches for the earlier part of the week but put all discomfort aside and ran through the pain to finish in ninth, and with Gareth Glennon, Harry Flanagan and Louis Kiernan showing great form and determination, the team finished second club, only 4 points off top spot.
In a repeat of last year, Tianna O’Leary had the honour of leading the Mullingar team home in the U16 girls 4,000m with a fine ninth place finish, and with Eleanor Kiernan in 11th, and great support from Isabel Tynan Daly, Blathnaid Peters, Chloe Duggan, Yves McCague, Emma Lagan and Sorcha McNamee, the girls were unlucky to miss out on team medals, finishing fifth club, missing fourth place and an automatic place in the national finals by a mere two points. The team also finished sixth county.
In the U16 boys 4,000m, Conor Walsh dug deep and raced home in a terrific ninth place. Despite great support from Cormac McGrath, Daniel Horohoe, Morgan Isdell and Daniel Glennon, like the U16 girls, the boys finished fifth club, missing fourth by just five points.
The 5,000m for U18 and U20 women was a combined race where the U18 women could win medals in both the U18 race and as members of U18 and U20 teams. Mullingar didn’t have an U18 team, but fielded a strong U20 team. Having a brilliant race and fighting all the way, Grace Byrne raced home in third place overall (first U20), and with Jessica Cunningham (third U20), Ailbhe O’Farrell (12th U18), and great support from Louise Callaghan (U20) and Alanna Greene (U20), it was no real surprise the team finished second U20 club and third U20 county.
The 5,000m for U18 and U20 men was similar a combined race. Mullingar had strong U18 and U20 teams, and putting in a great effort and battling the strong wind, Conor Sherwin (U20) led them home in eighth, followed closely by Diarmuid Fagan (U20), Matthew Molloy 12th overall (fifth U18), just ahead of Jamie Wallace (eighth U18), Oisin Kehoe (12th U18), Donagh Carey (U18), Conor Liston (U18), Luke Greene (U18), Txema Lozano (U18), John Glennon (U18), Conor Mulvany (U18) and Conleth Mullen (U20). With three in the top 12 U18, that team finished first U18 club by a huge margin and second U18 county. Including all the U18 and U20 together, Mullingar finished first U20 club and first U20 county.
By the time the adult races started, the wind had picked up, though the day was still warm and underfoot conditions remained perfect. Among the big field for the novice women 4,000m was a strong Mullingar team. Susan Glennon and Sinead Whitelaw were in contention throughout and the eventual winner only broke clear in the closing stages, but Susan chased her hard and finished strong in second, followed home by Sinead with a determined effort in the finish straight to clinch third, giving Mullingar individual silver and bronze. Also having a great race, Orlaith Flanagan was next home, followed by Therese Glynn competing in her first cross country race, and Meabh Killalea. With such strong performances all around, the women finished third club and second county.
The day ended with the novice men 6,000m, which lived up to its reputation as one of the most competitive races in Leinster cross country. Over four laps and fighting the increasingly strong wind, Mullingar had three men in the leading group going into the final lap. Though he took the lead for a short time, Matthew Glennon had to surrender the front in the closing stages, but continued to battle, to finish fifth, followed home by Ian McCormack in eighth, James Keegan in ninth, and with Kris Foster, Kedagh Geoghegan, Andy Boyhan, Stephen Campbell, David Cahill and Paddy Daly packing well in support, Mullingar finished first club, to retain the team title they won last year and finished second county.
The second round, for senior and juvenile uneven ages is at Tinahely, County Wicklow in two weeks. The juvenile even age teams that qualified from Dunboyne will go forward to the national finals in Enniskillen in four weeks. Juvenile uneven teams for Tinahely will be finalised by club officials this week.