Great action at Kildare County Cross Country Championship
Girls u19 L to R Aoibhinn O'Brien, Hannah Wilmar and Holly Headon
Hodgestown was once more the venue for the second stage of the Kildare County championships, where Tir Mona played host with their usual top-notch course lay-out. In warmer than usual weather the Autumnal sunshine was a welcome reprieve from the deluges that persisted throughout Saturday and threaten to run into the mornings racing. For the second week running, numbers were good in the younger ages but remained somewhat sparse as the age rose. James Smith (Celbridge) took the Intermediate men’s 6000m title along with his own u19 title. Both races being combined. A similar feat was achieved by Hannah Wolmar (Celbridge) who won both the u19 girls and Intermediate ladies race.
In unseasonably warm conditions, athletes lined up for the second stage of the Kildare Championships. Large fields made for exciting competitions in the younger age group races, with all the clubs coming home with some share of the medals on offer. Parents garbed in somewhat summer attire with jackets shed, cheered on from the sideline as track and cross-country specialists joined forces in the fight for team titles. Newbridge won the most team titles taking five of the twelve juvenile titles with Naas taking four. St Coca’s won one juvenile title as did Clane AC. The intermediate team titles went to Celbridge in the men’s and Naas in the ladies.
U11 is the first year of championship running in Cross Country. Young athletes age 9 and 10 years lining up to compete for perhaps their first county title. Some with terrified looks on their faces, their first big championship run producing those dreaded butterflies along with faces of a ghostly white. Others were too busy chatting to notice they were even on the start line. Their actions interrupted by parents wanting snapshots or video keepsakes. Naas and Newbridge did very well the previous week, winning the girls u10 and boys u10 team titles. Much anticipation was held of their return to claim more gold in either the individual or team stakes. Ailbhe Kennedy (Naas) lived up to that expectation as she took the girls u11 individual title. She led home her Naas team mates to bronze team medals. Louise Byrne (Suncroft) finished 2nd leading Suncroft to silver medals. Third place when to Clodagh Nugent (Newbridge). It was Newbridge who took the team title. The young team of Nugent, Cara Walker, Chloe Ward and Lena Szymanski all finished in the top ten.
The boys u11 had forty-eight starters, just three less than the number that toed the line for the girls. But a considerable number, considering the plethora of hurling, football and rugby matches and training that were being held that morning. Athletics does have to fight for its position amongst other sports. The officials managed to tidy forty-eight excited boys on the start line and deliver the starting orders. Enthusiastic boys darted to the front sprinting with all their might down the starting straight. Some had the wind knocked out of their sails after 200m and realised that a much more conservative approach was needed. Others raced as hard as their legs would allow them until the finishing line was in sight and renewed energy was found. Glen Galloway of Suncroft found fresh wind as he headed straight for the finish, glancing for a moment to the side to check for his opponents. His team-mates were nowhere in sight. However, James Dooley (Newbridge) was not far behind intent to catch Galloway, but just running out of track as the finish line approached just that bit too soon. Jack Fahy (St Coca’s) managed to hold off Eirnan McElroy (Newbridge), a chasing posse behind closing in. Newbridge with four athletes in the top ten won the team title by twenty-five points from Suncroft.
lane’s Irish McCartan and Michael Brennan (Naas) took the individual honours in the girls and boys u13 respectively. St Coca’s were the dominant team at this age group when they snatched the team title in the boys event. The team of Matthew Ennis, Eoghan McNearny, Rian Duignan and Odhran Hurley along with Liam Keogh held the gold medals high. There were four St Coca’s athletes in the top eight, making them runaway winners of the title.
There were quite a few boys u13 who stayed in the leading pack for much of the race. Initially the four St Coca’s boys ran close together. Over the final quarter of the race it was Michael Brennan (Naas) who injected some pace, passed Matthew Ennis (St Coca’s) and Harry Kennedy (Naas) and both these athletes managed to drop Eoghan McNearny as they approached the finishing straight.
In the girls team competition, Clane AC had four athletes in the top eight to produce a fantastic score of 16 points, a 40 point victory over St Coca’s AC in 2nd place. Iris McCartan was a worthy winner. She had finished second out of her age the previous week and came into last weekend’s race as favourite. Behind her an exciting battle was unfolding. Chloe O’Neill (Clane) was having the race of her life. O’Neill had managed to stay up with the leaders and found herself racing for a podium position. She ran close to Ailbhe Byrne (Suncroft) making an attempt to pass her on a few occasions and finally did so, to take silver. Behind these two, Isla Corcoran (Clane) was was trying to get the better of Caoimhe Brennan (Newbridge) with Brennan ultimately taking 4th place.
Alexander Gunther (Newbridge AC) didn’t have it all his own way in the boys u15. He was challenged from the offset by Seighin Beattie (Naas), team mates Jack Brennan and Jason Freeman Murphy. Harry Boland (Newbridge) was not too far behind. Beattie found it impossible to break the Newbridge AC hold on the race as he was surrounded by them for most of the 3000m journey. Over the final 1,000m it was Gunther who proved the strongest as he shook off the opposition to strike for home. Behind him the battle was between Beattie who tried so hard to get ahead of the Newbridge boys. Beattie and Brennan battling all the way to the end. Jack Brennan the u14 champion managed to have the final say as his quick turn of pace secured him silver with Beattie claiming bronze. With four athletes in top five, no other club could match the Newbridge score of 7 points. Naas finished second team with St Coca’s third.
Robyn Browne the u14 champion from last week made it a double by winning the u15 race. Browne along with her team mates Hannah Cash and Kate Hargarden made a clean sweep of the girls medals. It was Cash who took silver with Hargarden bronze. Mia Lennon provided excellent backup with her seventh place finish to give the Newbridge girls a team victory. Dearbhla Nolan finished 9th to lead her St Coca’s team mates to silver medals. Le Cheile’s Aisling Loughlin’s fourth place was enough to boost the points for Le Cheile to take bronze.
