Leinster Schools XC 2024 (7th Feb)
A good number of Mullingar Harriers juvenile members travelled to a cool but bright and sunny Phoenix Park on Wednesday morning 7th February to represent their schools and colleges at the Leinster Schools Cross Country, the final step on the way to the All-Ireland finals in March, and many came away with places secured in the finals.
Daniel Horohoe led the Colaiste Mhuire team home in the Minor Boys 2,000m but despite the efforts of his team mates that included Oisin Clarke and Oisin Kilmurray, the team finished out of the medal places. In the Junior Boys 3,000m Daniel Glennon (St. Finian’s College) finished well up in the big entry of over 100 boys but out of the medal places.
Ailbhe O’Farrell (St. Finian’s College) put in an excellent performance in a very competitive Intermediate Girls 3,500m and though she finished strong, she finished out of the medal places. Matthew Molloy had the honour of leading the St. Finian’s College team home in the Intermediate Boys 4,500m and with terrific support and team effort from Oisin Kehoe, Donagh Carey and John Glennon, led the team to third place and a place in the All-Ireland finals. Jamie Wallace (Colaiste Mhuire) finished just ahead of Matthew but out of the individual qualification places by just a few seconds, so unfortunately he won’t join the St. Finian’s team in the finals.
Having dominated the Senior girls team event in the North Leinsters, all eyes were on the Loreto College girls team in the Senior Girls 3,000m and with another brilliant performance, Grace Byrne finished second and led the very strong team that included Louise Callaghan, Jessica Cunningham, Shauna Callaghan and Siofra O’Halloran to well-deserved team gold and the Perpetual Trophy. This was an exceptional team performance and these girls will be ones to watch in the All-Ireland finals.
It was a similar display of domination by the Colaiste Mhuire team in the Senior Boys 6,000m which was run at a very fast pace from the start. Always in contention in the leading group throughout, Conor Sherwin led the team home in seventh place, and with brilliant racing and packing by John Ryan (fifteenth), just ahead of Ross Killalea and closely followed by Pablo Lozano providing the vital fourth score, and with Luke Greene among the support, the team finished well clear to take the team title and the Perpetual Trophy back to Mullingar to end another great day of cross country action. This very talented team will also be one to watch in the All-Ireland finals [GD].
