Leinster Novice, u/20 & Juvenile Even Ages XC 2024 (20th Oct)

Mullingar brews up a storm at Leinster Cross Country

We were extremely fortunate on Sunday 20th October to get the final race of the Leinster Novice, u/20 and Juvenile Even Ages Cross Country finished before the wind really began to pick up ahead of Storm Ashley that was sweeping slowly across the Country from early morning. The wind was strong from early on and as the day progressed it became increasingly gusty but we were spared the worst. In fact the only real storm we experienced was team after team from Mullingar Harriers scooping up team medals from the first race to the last. In fact the only real storm we experienced was team after team from Mullingar Harriers scooping up team medals from the first race to the last. In all, Mullingar won 9 sets of Club team medals and 6 sets of County team medals, including terrific team medals by our Novice women and men. This was in addition to 13 juvenile top-12 individual medals, including the Leinster Title by Lily Walsh, 2 u/20 women individual medals, including the Leinster Title by Grace Byrne, and 2 Novice women individual medals, leaving no one in attendance in any doubt that Mullingar was out in force with a very strong and dominated squad.

Thanks to terrific work by Meath Athletics and Dunboyne AC, the course in Dunboyne was in perfect condition, dry and firm underfoot, in contrast to previous experiences over the years at the same venue when mud and muck was the order of the day, but we certainly had no cause for complaint at all this time. The only problem the runners experienced was strong winds from early on, but cross country runners are a tough bunch and the Mullingar athletes proved well able for the test.

The day started with non-Championship races for girls and boys u/10 and the Mullingar boys and girls were delighted to compete over 800m in front of a very big crowd of spectators, giving them a taste of what’s ahead in times to come. 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; the future is bright for Mullingar and we can expect to see many of these in action in future Championship races.

After the excitement of the under 10 races, the first Championship race, the u/12 girls 2,000m took to the start line and among the very big entry of nearly 130 was 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. Even though there were no individual medals won, the team packed brilliantly and were rewarded for their efforts by finishing 2nd Club to win silver medals and get Mullingar off to a flying start on the medal table. The girls also finished a very creditable 5th 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 a huge team of 16 in the u/12 boys 2,000m, so we had plenty to cheer for. Always in contention from the start, Daniel Cummins was rewarded for his efforts with a fine 4th place finish, followed in by Mel Bohan in 11th place, earning the two boys individual medals and a place on the Leinster team in the National finals in four weeks. Racing hard all the boys and piling in behind came 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 u/11 race in Tinahely in two weeks. With 2 in the top 12 and the rest of the boys packing so well behind, it was little surprise that the boys finished 1st Club by a good margin and 3rd County in an extremely close contest where only 3 points separated the top three Counties.

Last year’s Leinster Champion at u/13, Lily Walsh ran a perfect race in the u/14 girls 3,000m where 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 who gave every ounce of effort to finish in 6th place. 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 were delighted to finish 3rd Club and keep the medals coming Mullingar’s way. The girls also finished 6th County. In the u/14 boys 3,000m, Oisin Clarke had a real breakthrough race, always in contention for a podium finish from the very start and eventually crossing the line in a brilliant 4th. Antonio Bertolo was on crutches for the earlier part of the week but put all discomforts and worries aside and ran through the pain to finish in 9th, and with Gareth Glennon, Harry Flanagan and Louis Kiernan showing great form and determination, helped the team finish 2nd Club, only 4 points off the top spot.

In a repeat of last year, Tianna O’Leary had the honour of leading the Mullingar team home in the u/16 girls 4,000m with a fine 9th place finish, and with Eleanor Kiernan racing home close behind in 11th place, and great support from Isabel Tynan Daly, Blathnaid Peters, Chloe Duggan, Yves McCague, Emma Lagan and Sorcha McNamee, the girls were terribly unlucky to miss out on team medals, finishing 5th Club, and missing 4th place and an automatic place in the National finals by a mere two points. The team also finished a very creditable 6th County. On to the u/16 boys 4,000m where Conor Walsh really dug deep and raced home in a terrific 9th place. Despite great support from Cormac McGrath, Daniel Horohoe, Morgan Isdell and Daniel Glennon, like the u/16 girls, the boys finished 5th Club, missing 4th and an automatic place in the National finals by just 5 points.

The 5,000m for u/18 & u/20 women was a combined race where the u/18 women could win medals in both the u/18 race and as members of u/18 and u/20 teams. Mullingar didn’t have an u/18 team, but fielded a very strong u/20 team. Having a brilliant race and fighting for every place all the way, Grace Byrne raced home in 3rd place overall (1st u/20), and with Jessica Cunningham (3rd u/20), Ailbhe O’Farrell (12th u/18), and great support from Louise Callaghan (u/20) and Alanna Greene (u/20), it was no real surprise the team finished 2nd u/20 Club and 3rd u/20 County. The 5,000m for u/18 & u/20 men was also a combined race, where like the corresponding women’s race, u/18 men could win medals in both the u/18 race and as members of u/20 teams. Mullingar had strong u/18 and u/20 teams, so medal hopes were very high. Putting in a great effort and battling the strong wind, Conor Sherwin (u/20) led the Mullingar team home in 8th place overall, followed closely by Diarmuid Fagan (u/20), Matthew Molloy 12th overall (5th u/18), just ahead of Jamie Wallace (8th u/18), Oisin Kehoe (12th u/18), Donagh Carey (u/18), Conor Liston (u/18), Luke Greene (u/18), Txema Lozano (u/18), John Glennon (u/18), Conor Mulvany (u/18) and Conleth Mullen (u/20). With three in the top twelve u/18, it was no surprise that the u/18 team finished 1st u/18 Club by a huge margin and 1st u/18 County. Including all the u/18 and u/20 together, Mullingar also finished 1st u/20 Club and 1st u/20 County.

By the time the adult races were taking to the start, the wind had really picked up very strong, 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 always in contention throughout and it was only in the closing stages that the eventual winner broke clear, but Susan chased her hard and finished strong in 2nd place, followed home by Sinead with a very determined effort in the finish straight to clinch 3rd place, giving Mullingar a brilliant 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 3rd Club and 2nd County, worthy team medal winners. The day ended with the Novice Men 6,000m, which as usual lived up to its reputation as one of the most competitive races in Leinster cross country. Four laps of the course fighting the increasing 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 through to finish a great 5th place, followed home by Ian McCormack in 8th, James Keegan in 9th, and with Kris Foster, Kedagh Geoghegan, Andy Boyhan, Stephen Campbell, David Cahill and Paddy Daly packing well in support, Mullingar finished 1st Club to retain the team title they won last year and finished 2nd County to round off a medal-filled day for Mullingar.

That rounded off a great day for Mullingar with plenty of individual and team successes and excellent running by everyone. The second round, for Senior and juvenile uneven ages will take place in Tinahely, Co. 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 [GD].