Kilmihil school takes Munster gold

ST Michael’s, Kilmihil took Munster gold in the intermediate girls’ 3,500m event at the Munster Schools Cross Country Championships, which were held at the Cork IT grounds last weekend. Clare schools were well represented in all eight races.

Jean Clancy, St Michael’s Kilmihil won a bronze medal in the 3,500m event and led her school to Munster glory, with Kilkee taking the bronze medals.
Stephen Rooney, Gaelcholaiste an Chlair, finished second in the junior boys’ 3,500m, with Gaelcholaiste an Chlair taking silver medals in the team awards.
Amy O’Donoghue, Meelick and Villers School, Limerick, displayed a fine piece of front running to take the senior girls’ 2,500m title, with Aishling Darcy, St Flannan’s finishing sixth.
In the senior boys’ 6,000m, Declan Keniry, Kilkee was seventh and Kilkee won the silver medals in that event.
The first race of the day was the minor girls’ 2,000m and Áine Rouine, Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon settled in well in the big field and worked hard on a very flat and fast course to come home in 23rd position, with Gráinne Cremin, Coláiste Muire, Ennis in 24th place.
In the minor boys’ 2,500m, two Ennistymon Vocational athletes, Brian Leyden and Jimmy Flanagan, always worked hard through the big field to finish 20th and 21st overall.
The junior girls’ 2,500m was run over two laps and Laura Power, Coláiste Muire, Ennis was the best of the Clare athletes finishing 20th with Coláiste Muire, Ennis finishing sixth in the team awards. Ciara Nash, Laurel Hill, Limerick, finished 14th. Her father is a well-known athlete with Redgate Athlete Club in Clare.
In the junior boys’ 3,500m, Stephan Rooney, Gaelcholaiste an Chlair, and Hugh Morgan, Waterford, set a very fast pace. The lead changed hands on a few occasions and Rooney had to settle for the silver medal, with Conal O’Hainifein, Gaelcholaiste an Chlair finishing ninth and Jacob Loughnane, Gaelcholaiste an Chlair, 17th with Gaelcholaiste finishing second in the team awards.
In the intermediate girls’ 3,500m, 11 Clare athletes went to the start and all eyes were on the Munster junior cross country champion Jean Clancy who, along with Niamh Markham, St Flannan’s; Niamh Clancy, Kilkee and Laura Egan, St Michael’s Kilmihil were all in the top 12 after the first of the three laps with Shauna Harvey, Kilkee leading the next chasing group along with Alyson Courtney, Coláiste Muire, Ennis and Colette Keniry, Kilkee.
Clancy came home in third place with Markham running a very big race to finish sixth and Niamh Clancy eighth, Laura Egan in ninth, with St Michael’s, Kilmihil taking the Munster title on 20 points with Shauna Harvey, 12th, leading Kilkee to bronze medals with 58 points.
In the intermediate boys’ 5,000m, there was a fine representation from Kilkee, Kilmihil, Kildysart and Gaelcholaiste an Chlair. Ian Slobody, Kildysart; Conor Madigan, Kilrush and Conor Rooney, Gaelcholaiste an Chlair were in the leading group and North Munster Schools silver medal winner Slobody came home in sixth position, with Conor Madigan 10th and Conor Rooney 12th. All three have qualified for the All-Ireland schools competition in Dublin on March 12.
Amy O’Donoghue, Villiers School in Limerick, running in the senior girls’ 2,500m went out hard from the start and cruised around the course to win by a very big margin with Aishling Darcy, St Flannan’s working hard to hold onto sixth spot.
The senior boys’ 6,000m had five Clare athletes from Kilkee Community School, along with Kevin Chesser, Rice College with Jake O’Regan, Kilkee unable to compete due to illness.
Shane Quinn from Waterford led the race from start to finish. The top Clare athlete was Declan Keniry, Kilkee, who finished seventh with Kevin Chesser, 14th, Damian Burke, Kilkee, in 17th, followed by Shane Keane 22nd, Eoin Brew 24th and Noel Garry 25th. Kilkee won the silver medals with 70 points.
In the senior ladies’ inter-varsity race over 4,000m, Noreen Mackey, Kilmurry Ibrickane/North Clare, running with Cork IT, was a very good fifth with Grace Eade, Ennis Track and Waterford IT in sixth place.
In the senior men’s inter-varsity race run over a distance of 7,000m, Jason Fahy, Olympic Harriers and Waterford IT, went out and maintained his good lead to win easily with Brian McGinley, Ennis Track and Waterford IT running very well to finish third and take the bronze medal.

Results
Minor girls’ 2,000m: 23. Áine Rouine (Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon); 24. Gráinne Cremin (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 27. Shannon O’Grady (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 28. Lucy Cotgreave (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 30. Ciara McQuaid (Kilkee); 41. Rachel Brady (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 46. Ciara Cahill (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 48. Sinéad Mulcahy (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 56. Lauren Keane (Kilkee).
Teams: 6. Coláiste Muire, Ennis = 79 points.
Junior girls’ 2,500m: 14. Ciara Nash (Laurel Hill); 20. Laura Power (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 33. Saoirse Maher (Kilkee); 35. Ciara O’Dwyer (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 37. Rose Marrinan (Kilkee); 38. Ailbhie Hogan (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 54. Micheala Lynch (Kilkee).
Teams: 6. Coláiste Muire, Ennis = 93 points; 8. Kilkee = 124 points.
Intermediate girls’ 3,500m: 3. Jean Clancy (St Michael’s, Kilmihil); 6. Niamh Markham (St Flannan’s); 8. Niamh Clancy (St Michael’s, Kilmihil); 9. Laura Egan (St Michael’s, Kilmihil); 12. Shauna Harvey (Kilkee); 15. Alyson Courtney (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 22. Collette Keniry (Kilkee); 24. Siobhán Marrinan (Kilkee); 25. Meadbh Hogan (Coláiste Muire, Ennis); 29. Mary Beth Downes (Kilkee); 30. Heather Harvey (Kilkee); 31. Eimear Hillery (Scoil Mhuire, Ennistymon).
Teams: 1. St Michael’s, Kilmihil (3. 8. 9) = 20 points; 3. Kilkee (12. 22. 24) = 58 points.
Senior girls’ 2,500m: 1. Amy O’Donoghue (Villiers, Limerick); 6. Aishling Darcy (St Flannan’s).
Minor boys’ 2,500m: 20. Brian Leyden (Ennistymon Vocational School); 21. Jimmy Flanagan (Ennistymon Vocational School).
Junior boys’ 3,500m: 2. Stephan Rooney (Gaelcholaiste an Chlair); 9. Conal Hainifein (Gaelcholaiste an Chlair); 17. Jacob Loughnane (Gaelcholaiste an Chlair); 29. Jack Devitt (Ennistymon Vocational School); 30. Padraigh Malone (Ennistymon Vocational School); 33. Cian O’Ceallaigh (Gaelcholaiste an Chlair); 39. Darren Power (Gaelcholaiste an Chlair)
Teams: 2. Gaelcholaiste an Chlair (2. 9. 17. 33) = 61 points.
Intermediate boys’ 5,000m: 6. Ian Slobody (Kildysart); 10. Conor Madigan (Kilrush); 12. Conor Rooney (Gaelcholaiste an Chlair); 23. Gavin Melican (Kilkee); 24. Colin Lynch (Kilkee); 36. Cian Mahoney (Kilkee); 37. Stephan Maguire (Kilkee).
Teams: 5. Kilkee = 120 points.
Senior boys’ 6,000m: 7. Declan Keniry (Kilkee); 14. Kevin Chesser (Rice College); 17. Damian Burke (Kilkee); 22. Shane Keane (Kilkee); 24. Eoin Brew (Kilkee); 25. Noel Garry (Kilkee).
Teams: 2. Kilkee (7. 17. 22. 24) = 70 points.
Munster Inter Varsities Cross Country: Senior ladies’ 4,000m: 5. Noreen Mackey (Cork IT); 6. Grace Eade (Waterford IT).
Senior men’s 6,000m: 1. Jason Fahy (Waterford IT); 3. Brian McGinley (Waterford IT).