All-Ireland Schools XC 2025 (8th Mar)
International selection for Lily Walsh
A number of Mullingar Harriers athletes were representing their schools and colleges at the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country finals in Ballybrit, Galway on Saturday 8th March. Athletes from three Mullingar schools featured on the day, but the day belonged to Lily Walsh (Loreto College). Competing in the Junior girls 2,500m, Lily stayed in the small group chasing the early leader and eventual winner, battling all the way. Two girls slowly opened a small gap but Lily closed the gap with 300m to go bringing two other girls with her and the podium places were only decided in the sprint finish between all five girls in a very close contest, Lily finishing fifth, just 2 seconds away from the medal places. However, as a top eight finisher, she earns selection for the Irish Schools team to compete against teams from England, Scotland and Wales in the SIAB Schools International XC in Falkirk (Scotland) in 2 weeks. This is a fantastic and very well deserved achievement for Lily, her school, her family and the Club, and everyone at the Club wishes her well.
Earlier in the morning, Antonio Bertolo (Colaiste Mhuire) had the race of his season in the Minor boys 2,500m. A group of five broke clear early in the race but Antonio chased them down over the second lap, and after a terrific effort he finished in sixth place in a close finish only a few seconds away from the medal places. After the excitement of Lily’s race, attention turned to the Intermediate girls 3,500m featuring Eleanor Kiernan (Ursuline Convent Thurles) followed by the Intermediate boys 5,000m featuring Oisin Kehoe (St. Finian’s College) but both found the pace way too strong for their liking but gave it their best efforts. Grace Byrne (Loreto College) was nursing a twisted ankle since last week and was afraid to push with the top group in the Senior girls 3,500m but she still ran very well nonetheless and has to be satisfied with her eleventh place finish in the circumstances.
The day finished with the Senior boys 6,000m where the Colaiste Mhuire team was looking to capitalise on their historic 3-in-a-row Leinster titles. Jamie Wallace went out very hard and was in the top 3 for the first kilometre but paid for his early effort and had to ease back or risk not finishing the race. Despite feeling the inevitable effects of his Leaving Cert studies, Conor Sherwin put in a good effort to lead the team home, followed in by Jamie and with Conor Liston running out of his skin, as did Conor Walsh and Luke Greene who spared no effort and gave it their all, the team was very unlucky to finish just out of the team medals in fourth place, missing the bronze medals by just one point [GD].
