National Novice & Juvenile Uneven Ages XC 2024 (1st Dec)
The domestic cross country season concluded for the year with the National Novice & Juvenile Uneven Ages Cross Country in Tramore, Co. Waterford on Sunday 1st December where despite having a big squad of nearly 50 juvenile athletes and over 20 adults entered and with Mullingar competitors in every race on the programme, medal honours proved very difficult to win but we could still celebrate the great successes of fourth place for Lily Walsh (u/15), Grace Byrne (u/19) also fourth place and leading the u/19 women team to team silver medals, and five of our juvenile athletes winning medals with Leinster teams. Good results considering how many of our underage athletes are only barely recovered from recent illness but still ran so as not to let their team mates down. Our adult athletes too gave spirited performances and though they won no medals all were more than satisfied with their efforts in what are regarded as the most competitive races in national cross country.
On a tough but fair course with very good running in most parts despite heavy rain during the week, the Mullingar athletes weren’t found wanting for effort and application. Despite the forecast, the weather conditions on the day were actually really good for competitors and spectators, as the rain stayed away, it was unseasonably warm and everyone could enjoy the bright sunshine we had at times.
Lauryn Smith led the big Mullingar squad home in the u/11 girls 1,500m with a strong finish but despite the great efforts of Emily Rose Coyne, Helen McGrath, Maisie Walsh, Caitlin McCormack, Aoibheann Lynam, Roisin Keane, Rose Harte, Heather Kelly and Kate Horohoe, the girls finished out of the team medals but will have gained great experience from competing in a national final. In the u/11 boys 1,500m, Mel Bohan finished very fast and well up in the very large entry, followed in by Donagh Bourke, Olly Wright, Killian Hardman, Huw Keaveney and Senan Clinton but the boys finished out of the team medals too.
Finishing well up and leaving nothing behind, Chloe Bell led the Mullingar team home in the u/13 girls 2,500m and though Amelie G Kelly, Caoimhe Lynam, Siomha Leonard, Clodagh Keane and Liadan Gavin packed well in support, the girls were very unlucky to finished 5th Club, just outside the medal places, but 5th at this level is an excellent result and improves their position relative to the other teams from Leinster, so a very positive result. Gareth Glennon just had the better of Daniel Cummins who finished close on his heels in the u/13 boys 2,500m, supported by Harry Flanagan, Adam O’Donoghue and Aaron Robinson packing well in support but unfortunately finishing out of the medal places. Gareth and Daniel scored on the Leinster team that came close but just short of the medals, in fourth place.
Lily Walsh moved up an age to compete in the u/15 girls 3,500m and with a really polished and confident performance she was always in contention for honours and with a great sprint finish took 4th place, delighted to win an individual top-12 finishers medal. A bonus was that Lily also led the Leinster team to 1st place in the Inter-Provincial competition to win a gold team medal to go with her individual medal. We had a good team in the u/15 boys 3,500m, led home by Antonio Bertolo finishing well up but though Oisin Clarke, Greg McDonnell, Daniel Horohoe, Morgan Isdell and Cormac McGrath battled hard throughout, the boys were very unlucky to finish out of the medal places.
Eleanor Kiernan was our sole representative in the u/17 girls 4,500m where she was competing with the Leinster team, always running strongly throughout the tough hilly course to finish well up and win a bronze team medal with the Leinster team. On paper, the Mullingar team in the u/17 boys 4,500m were serious medal contenders but there can be no givens at national level and despite really strong performances and great team packing and support Matthew Molloy, Oisin Kehoe, Conor Walsh, Luke Greene and Txema Lozano had to settle for a place out of the medals on this occasion. There was further disappointment for Matthew who just missed a bronze medal with the Leinster team by one place.
Grace Byrne has had a terrific cross country season and was delighted to round it off in style with an excellent 4th place finish in the u/19 women 5,000m to win an individual top-12 finish medal. Better though was seeing Jessica Cunningham and Ailbhe O’Farrell finishing very strong and fast behind her to finish 2nd Club and put Mullingar on the team medal board at last. Grace made it three medals as she also won a gold team medal with the Leinster team. We hadn’t a team in the u/19 men 5,000m but we had three in action competing for the Leinster team. Finishing inside the top 20 after a very strong second half to the race, Jamie Wallace led the Mullingar trio home, followed closely by Conor Sherwin and Donagh Carey who packed well and all three were very happy to win bronze team medals with the Leinster team.
With the conclusion of the juvenile programme, attention turned to the novice races, which with over 120 women and nearly 220 men, are justifiably regarded as the most competitive races in national cross country. Susan Glennon finished well up, just outside the top-20 in the Novice Women 4,000m and despite the efforts of Linda Cunningham, Caroline Mullen, Gemma Kelly, Claire Lennon Gavin and Naomi Battle, the team placed out of the medals but were still more than happy with their efforts. We finished the day with the Novice Men 6,000m where Timmy Murphy was very happy with his race, and though well supported by James Keegan, Kedagh Geoghegan and Conleth Mullen there were no team honours for Mullingar, but top marks for effort on the tough hilly course that sapped the energy of the best.
Well done to everyone that competed in Tramore and special thanks to the parents and coaches that made the long journey either on the morning or the day before to attend in number to cheer all our athletes on. This concludes the domestic cross country season for the year.
