Brennan silver as Murphy makes Irish team
Jack Brennan (Newbridge AC) took silver in the Junior Boys race at the All-Ireland Schools.
It was an athletically active weekend with a great choice of events to spend a day spectating and enjoying the unusually good weather. A rarity for this winter, for the first time, the weather posed no challenges for the cross-country runners at the All-Ireland Schools Cross-country held in Mullusk, Northern Ireland. Jack Brennan took silver in the Junior Boys, after an exciting race between the top three. His clubmate Jayden Murphy was selected for the Irish team for the SIAB International in two weeks’ time. The Inter girls from Newbridge College took bronze team after some superb running.
At the Intervarsity Indoors, Meabh Caffery (St Coca’s) took bronze in the ladies 1500m in a new personal best with several Kildare athletes being on medal winning relay teams. Large numbers turned out for the county intermediate and masters road race in Kildare town on Sunday, where Alex Wallace was once again impressive. Wallace clocked 18.46 to win the overall combined intermediate and masters 6km event. The ladies 5km race was won by Gill Clyne (Clane AC). Naas AC were winners of the overall Pairs award at the Leinster awards with the club retaining the title they won last year.
Almost one thousand athletes, of secondary school age gathered at the Newtownabbey venue, many after a shaky path to the event. Torrential rain and flooding caused many sub-region and regional events to be cancelled. The Leinster schools being one of the casualties having been cancelled twice – the actual event taking place just a week before the nationals.
Excellent underfoot conditions, beautiful sunny weather and some exciting races proved to the ultimate catalyst for the “saving the best till last” as this event was officially the final domestic competition for the 2025/2026 Cross-country season.
Star of the Kildare athletes competing has to go to Jack Brennan (Newbridge AC). Representing the presentation secondary school, Brennan finished second overall. Unfortunatly Brennan is just six days over the age-cut off for making the Irish team for the SIAB Cross-country in Bangor, Wales in two weeks’ time.
The diminutive athlete showed no fear as he took the race on over the initial stages. Joined by Galway’s Donal Coyle and Lucas Ballintine (Coola, Sligo). These three athletes pushed the pace on the second lap and created a small gap to the leading pack. Over the final stages of the race, the long run-in to the finish saw Coyle break away leaving Brennan and Ballintine to battle for silver and bronze, a battle Brennan won.
Just one second separated the top three athletes, an indication of a closely contested race. Brennan is now assured of a place on the Irish team. Brennan’s team mate Jayden Murphy formed part of the chasing group, working hard to remain as close to the top ten as possible. Places for the SIAB international are hard fought and Murphy needed to ensure he stood a chance.
With some of the athletes like his team mate Jack Brennan were over the SIAB age group, making every place important for Murphy. Finishing 13th the Newbridge AC athlete has now made the Irish team, earning his first Irish vest ever. The Patrician College team finished 5th, a meagre 14 points off a bronze medal. The team consisted of Jack Brennan, Jayden Murphy, Callum Gibbs, Cormac Holden, Rian Coleman, Oisin Roche, Donnacha Archbold and Franciszek Malicki. Matthew Ennis (St Coca’s) competing with Clongowes Wood College finished 39th completing the Kildare line up for the junior boys race.
The Intermediate girls may not have produced individual qualifiers for the Irish team but Newbridge College finished 3rd team, the girls running good consistent races. The overall race was won by the magnificent Freya Renton, who secured an easy victory, leading from start to finish. Her team the Sacred Heart, Westport won the team title. Second was Santa Sabina, Dublin just eleven points ahead of the Newbridge girls. The team was led home by Rachel Keaney in 19th place, making a good comeback after a season fraught with intermittent injuries. Mia Lennon was next in 41st with Robyn Rainbow just behind her in 42nd. These completed the scoring three members. Other members of the team were: Kate Hargaden and Abbi Smith. Some of these athletes will be eligible for the same age group next year.
Elsewhere the Patrician College finished 6th in the inter boys race with some casualties along the way. The Leinster champions stood a good chance of a podium finish for the team. Ronan Keaney looked strong in the initial stages of the race, keeping within the top twenty, who were tightly packed. As the race progressed an ankle injury he was carrying forced him to retire. These things do happen and the team of Ben Crampton, Alex Gunter, Matthew Grogan and Cole Christie ran their best, finishing a creditable 6th place. The scoring four were supported by Ciaran Coogan, Shane Matthews and Oisin Byrne.
Two Kildare athletes contested the senior boys. Rhys Johnson (Pipers Hill) and Harry Cahill (Maynooth PP). Johnson has done very well from the schools cross-country, making three Irish teams. Now running senior, where there are no team selections and in his leaving cert year, he has a bright future to look forward to. He has already been committed to an athletics scholarship in the USA, which he will take up after his leaving cert. The overall senior race was won by Caolan McFaddan (Millford, Donegal) who will also take up an athletics scholarship this year – in Villanova. Johnson finished 14th overall with Harry Cahill having an excellent race to finish one place behind in 15th. Their Donore Harriers team mates representing Beleveder College won the team title.
Unfortunately Aidan Keyes (Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge) was forced to withdraw late in his race due to injury while in contention for a top-10 finish. Keyes had an excellent result in the Leinster championships. At such a young age, there will be plenty more opportunities. In the Junior Girls race, Robyn Browne (St. Mary’s, Naas) finished 24th, with Jane Keaney (Holy Family, Newbridge) not too far behind in 33rd. These two girls completing the Kildare line up.
The annual intervarsity indoor championships took place in Abbotstown last Saturday featuring some Kildare athletes. Like the schools championships, athletes get to don their university colours and compete on the same team and some they often regard as competitors. Meabh Caffery (St Coca’s) competing in the Maynooth University colours has been having an excellent season.
Recently back from warm weather training she proved the benefits as she took bronze in the 1500m in a new personal best of 4.35.54 beating seasoned athletes like Alex Cashman (UCC) and Zoie Richie (UCD) in the process. Both Ria Kelly (TUD) and Sarah Millea (TUD) qualified for the 60m final with Kelly finishing 7th. Millea also qualified for the 200m final.
The Celbridge AC athlete had to pull out of both, saving herself for the relay final. The two Celbridge AC girls were part of the TUD quartet that finished second in the 4x200m relay final. Naas AC athlete Alison Dempsey representing UCD finished 5th in the high jump with a leap of 1.55m. She also finished 7th in the shot putt and 10th overall in the 60m hurdles. Her days of multi-events proving valuable to the UCD team.
In the men’s races, David Oghuvbu (Naas) representing DCU finished 10th overall in the 200m in a time of 22.63. Oghuvbu competing in more 200m races this season. Clane’s Dylan Heffernan representing SETU was 19th overall. Keely Hogan (TUD) was 9th overall in the 400m with Dylan Heffernan 16th. Each man doing his best for their college. Runo Ayavoru was part of the TUD team that won the 4x200m relay.
The Kildare Intermediate and Masters Road race was held at Kildare town today, hosted by the local club Kildare AC. Entries were high with thirty-one competing in the men’s intermediate and 28 in the ladies. The Masters races were equally popular with over thirty athletes in the men’s and ladies.
The intermediate men was won by Marc Augustin (St Coca’s) who dominate the 6km event from start to finish. Always in command, Augustin stretched his lead further and further as the race progressed to win by a 37 second margin from Ger Forde (Naas AC). Silver and bronze medals were not as easily won. Forde along with Newbridge AC athletes Toby Ruffer and Keith Browne were locked together for most of the race. The final kilometre decided the places as Forde moved up a gear, trying to move ahead of the Newbridge pair.
It was not an easy task as Ruffer responded. Ruffer and Forde battled through the final stages of the race (dropping Browne with 800m to go). Ruffer did make an attempt to move ahead but was quickly stopped by Forde who just seem to find that extra pace when it mattered. Over the final 150m that pace was what won Forde his silver medal as he crossed the line in 20.35 to take second with Ruffer third in 20.38.
Newbridge AC won the team title. The team consisting of Toby Ruffer, Keith Browne, Ciaran Carr and Jim Eustace. Just three points separate gold and silver teams with Naas AC second (Ger Forde, Shane O’Rielly, Dave Courtney and Matthew Keane. Celbridge AC were third.
The ladies Intermediate race was won by the in-form Gill Clyne (Clane AC), who like Augustin in the men’s race won by a comfortable margin. Clyne proved no match for her competitors as she raced from the gun, often disappearing out of view from the other competitors. Her time of 19.11 minutes for the 5km race was over 1 minutes and 20 seconds ahead of her nearest rival Martina O’Sullivan Celbridge.
O’Sullivan clocked 20.31 for silver with Ruby Jo Cowdell (Naas) third in 20.37. The Celbridge team of Martina O’Sullivan, Linda Early, Sophie O’Hara and Ellen Gannon took the team title, some 23 points head of St Coca’s (Emma Wallace, Anita Rimmer, Olivia Birmingham and Marianne MaGuire). Naas AC were third.
The Masters men, divided into several age categories saw over 45 athlete Alexander Wallace (St Coca’s) get the better of men ten years his junior. Wallace completed the 6km course in a time of 18.46, one minute and 11 seconds ahead of second placed over 45 athlete Marc Augustin. Rob McCabe (Newbridge AC) an over 40 masters athlete was the winner of the over 40s and the second masters athlete overall, clocking 19.50 minutes. Chris O’Sullivan (Naas AC) was the over 35 winner. The Newbridge AC team of Rob McCabe, Dean Ryan and Toby Ruffer took the masters team title. Naas AC were second with Celbridge AC in third.
Another successful Track and Field live event was held in Abbotstown last week, with some Kildare athletes taking full advantage of the extra competition in advance of the national juvenile indoors at the end of the month.
Maya Rus (St Coca’s) won yet another u12 60m title in a time of 8.63, faster than the u14 winner. Rus has been a revelation this season winning all her 60m competitions in an incredible fashion. Rus has been unbeaten so far this year and is the firm favourite for the u12 national 60m title. Her St Coca’s clubmate Garbhan Prendergast was second overall in the boys u12 60m with Harry Naughton (St Coca’s) in third. Matthew Murray (St Coca’s) was third in the boys u16. Newbridge AC’s Conor Farrell had an excellent race in the boys u12 600m where he finished 3rd. Farrell chased hard over the final lap to secure his position. His clubmate Charlie McCabe finished 3rd in the u14 800m, a nice 2.16 finish to set him up for the season ahead.
St Coca’s AC won the u12 4x200m relay in a new personal best of 2.03. The team of Maya Rus, Zoe Forde, Amelia Brogan, Pippa Donnelly with sub Tara Fagan will contest the national relays in a few weeks’ time. Crookstown-Millview were third and fourth in the girls u14 4x200m relay. A strong contingent of athletes in the club at this age group.
At the recent Leinster Athletics award night, Naas AC were winners of the Leinster shield for the best club at the pairs competition. For the second year in a row Naas AC topped the medal chart with an impressive eight pairs medals and in doing so have become the first club in Kildare to win it twice and retain it.
The annual Bohermeen Half Marathon took place on Sunday with a staggering 1,632 finishers. The road running scene in Ireland has imploded over the past few years with road races seeing upwards of a thousand entries at least – right across the country. This popular event was won by Irish international Hugh Armstrong (Ballina AC) with Brian O’Kelly second and James Hyland in third place.
Armstrong received the Rennicks cup for this victory. Alice Wright (Dublin Track Club) won the ladies. Sinead O’Rielly (St Coca’s) was the first Kildare lady home in 19th place. O’Rielly finished 3rd in the over 45 ladies category. The Delaney cup was won by Road Runners AC. The team consisting of Pamela Kirk, Nicola Black, Faye Morgan and Aoife McKeowan.
Kildare athletes contested this prestigious race with Terry Shanley (Clane AC) being the first Kildare man home in 33rd position, clocking a time of 1 hour 13.08. He was followed by Mick Silke (Le Cheile) in 45th and Thomas Kelly (Newbridge), who finished 60th. Forty-four men’s teams finished the race and Kildare’s own Newbridge AC attaining a very creditable 6th place. The team consisted of Thomas Kelly, Eric Boland, Niall McLoughlin and Pat O’Sullivan. Le Cheile AC were twenty-fourth and St Coca’s thirty-fifth. Twenty four ladies teams contested the Delaney cup with the Celbridge team of Sinead Kilroy, Savannah O’Mahoney, Francis O’Brien and Laura Farrelly finishing 18th.
