Kildare good as gold at Leinster Cross-Country
Boys u16 4,000m Kildare athletes L to R (#654 Jayden Murphy Newbridge, #642 Sian Soobaya Celbridge, #657 Eoin Kelly St Coca's and #659 Matthew Ennis St Coca's).
Torrential downpours greeted everyone at Gowran Co. Kilkenny as Storm Boleo ranged across the nation. It was impossible to avoid the rain. The young boys and girls who lined up for the U10 open races embraced the challenges that were presented before them. Just eight and nine years old, with 1,000m of the course to complete, they rather looked forward to the challenge. Proudly wearing their club singlets, just as they had done in the recent county championships. St Coca’s, Newbridge, Crookstown-Millview all had athletes running. Hannah, Sean, Seamus, Charlie and John running their hearts out, ready to start their running careers.
Then came the first of the first of the championship races. The girls U10. The county had a strong team, supported by several of the 2025 U11s who had made the nationals in Abbottstown last year. Experience plays a big part, especially at the start of the races. Laoise Byrne was the county champion and she came into this race with an expectation of making the top 12, a position that would earn her not only individual qualification but also a place on the Leinster team. Nervous, she joined the rest of the girls behind the barriers, accompanied by her father.
Shivering, wet children waiting to be called into the starting area. Once that call came, the waiting parents gathered the half-zips, coats and tracksuits and watched their daughters gather in a line behind the starting pens. Byrne fixed her ribbons, while Eibhlin Valentine (Naas) held her hands to her head to ease the pre-race tension. “Kildare next” – the cue to go to the fourth and fifth starting pen.
Byrne in the front row in the middle, flanked on either side by her clubmate Brook O’Neill and Ava Kelly on the other. Sienna Cooke (Crookstown-Millview), Sarah Kate McGovern (Newbridge) and Tara Fagan (St Coca’s) all took front row position. The start was fast as each athlete tried to get a solid position before the first bend. Through the loops and the field was starting to string out. Byrne was in the top 12 with Elle Twomey and Amy Sheridan (Crookstown-Millview) just behind.
Moving through the field, Byrne finished 6th and led the county team of Elle Twomey (14th), Amy Sheridan (15th), Brooke O’Neill (16th), Sarah-Kate McGovern (24th), Eibhlin Valentine (25th) to gold medals.
The boys U12 was a fast race. Conor Keegan (St Abban’s) was the inform athlete and all the other boys knew it. Keegan responded to the starting gun and was the first athlete to hit the front. Eirnin McEvoy (Newbridge) and Cian Tuite (Suncroft) also started well, just ahead of Garbhan Prendergast (St Coca’s). It didn’t take long for the tall Tim Barron (Newbridge) with his long stride, to chase down Keegan. Keegan and Barron were joined by Daniel Kealy (Dunshaughlin) and Fionn Redmond (Parnell).
These four athletes took charge of the race for the first 1,500m. Then Keegan moved up a gear. Behind him the race was on for silver with Kealy and Barron battling out the medal positions over the final 200m. Barron took bronze. Not far behind several other Kildare athletes were having great races and priming themselves for individual qualifications. Conor Farrell (Newbridge) edged out Garbhan Prendergast (St Coca’s) to finish 5th with Prendergast 6th.
Billy McCabe (Newbridge) and clubmate Eirnin McEvoy raced each other for 10th and 11th spot. With five Kildare athletes in the top 12, it was no surprise that Kildare won county gold, Cian Tuite (Suncroft) taking the final scoring position. Kildare were a staggering 45 points ahead of second placed county Meath. Newbridge with four athletes in the top 12, took gold club medals, well ahead of Dunshauglin and St Abbans. Crookstown-Millview finished 7th club. The county was glittering with golden U12 boys and girls.
113 U14 girls lined up for their 3,000m race. Lucy Doolan (St Coca’s) was the county champion, double county champion. A talent that this year started to show enormous improvement. Doolan, the shy U13 athlete amongst the experienced U14s. Nervous she kept her focus on the course ahead.
Two positions to her right Chloe O’Neill (Clane) was making a bit of a comeback after starting her championships career with an All-Ireland U11 medal. Neither girl got a particularly good start, but more than made up for this as the athletes started to string out through the series of loops on the first lap. As they encountered the hill at the back of the field, Doolan, followed by O’Neill were moving nicely through the field. Then disaster struck, Doolan lost her spike.
As all athletes are told “let it go and continue the race”, which is exactly what Doolan did. Spike on one foot, socks on the other, feet squelching into the soft mucky patches. She may have momentarily lost her place, but the talented St Coca’s girl worked hard, passing the Newbridge girls: Edith Dowling and Ailbhe Byrne and then Chloe O’Neill. Before she knew it she was back up in 7th place as she sprinted hard over the 200m run into the finish. O’Neill was 8th.
These two led the county team of Edith Dowling, Ailbhe Byrne, May Hughes (St Coca’s) and Holly Fagan (St Coca’s) to county bronze medals. The St Coca’s team of Doolan, Hughes, Fagan and Aoibheann Graham bunched really well to take silver club medals behind Tullamore Harriers.
What the girls could do, the boys felt they could do better. Five Kildare athletes in the top 12 securing individual qualification for the All-Irelands, another set of county gold medals and Newbridge AC taking another set of gold club medals.
Usually smiling and full of chatter, there were some very serious, focused faces lined up at the start of the 3,000m race. Charlie McCabe, Patrick Guther poking their head out to check out their main competitors. Liam Keogh frozen in position breathing in the tension. Michael Brennan (Naas) barely flinching. That all changed when the starting gun was fired. The calm focus turned to rapid strides and energy racing to the front. Patrick Guther and Charlie McCabe were the first to hit the front, leading the race for the first 1,000m.
The pair were pushed by Ciaran Kealy (Dunshauglin), James Hynes (Tullamore) and Cole Pedreschi (St Pauls). Over the final 300m that lead changed hands with Hynes changing pace and going for gold. Pedreschi tried hard to go with him but had to settle for silver with McCabe taking bronze and Guther finishing 4th. Behind them their clubmate James Dooley had an excellent race finishing in 8th. Then came Michael Thomlison (Crookstown-Millview) storming up the home straight to take 11th with Michael Brennan (Naas) holding on for 12th.
The golden county team consisted of McCabe, Guther, Dooley, Thomlison, Brennan and Liam Keogh (St Coca’s). Aidan Murphy joined his Newbridge teammates for their club gold.
The girls U16 race produced no surprises for the top three positions but it did come with an exciting finish. Sinead Fitzpatrick (St Abban’s) and Lily Walsh (Mullingar) were first and second in last year’s All-Ireland. Just as she did at that race Fitzpatrick came with a late surge to pass Walsh just before the finish line. Behind them Iris McCartan (Clane) an individual All-Ireland medallist finished a very comfortable third.
McCartan is a versatile athlete, proving herself with national medals over 800m, 1500m and Cross-country. Her third-place finish came with a smile of satisfaction as she had won the battle for bronze over Lydia Jordan (Ratoath). Having the race of her life Aisling Loughlin (Le Cheile) who finished in 11th place just behind Robyn Browne (Newbridge) in 10th. Thus, gaining her first individual All-Ireland qualification. Loughlin just a few months ago got her first national vest as part of the Irish team taking part in the Mountain running championships. Once again Kildare took gold county medals, their fourth set of the afternoon. McCartan, Browne and Loughlin were joined by Eibhlin Humphreys (Naas), Jane Keaney (Newbridge) and 30 Anna Garcia Cidon (Naas). Newbridge finished 4th club.
Jack Brennan (Newbridge) is back. Sidelined during the track season with an injury, he was clearly over that period as he remained in a prominent position throughout the race. Clearly showing signs of a growth spurt, the U15 athlete was not intimidated by his taller competitors. The relaxed but focused Brennan was a marked contrast to the smiles of Jayden Murphy (Newbridge) and Eoin Kelly (St Coca’s) as they all stood on the start line. Zane Soobaya (Celbridge) vastly improved since last year’s cross-country season eyed the course ahead nervously.
As the boys stood in the front line of the starting chutes last year’s champion Cillian Galvin (Mullingar) was one of nine Mullingar athletes who competed in this race. Daire Beaucroft last year’s runner-up and Daniel Greene the bronze medallist were also present at the start line. It was the Kilkenny man Greene who hit the front and led the race for the lap of the 4,000m race. Greene may have been in front but in reality, he was just the lead figure in a group of 10 that consisted of five Kildare athletes. Brennan sat to the back of the group, shielding from the driving rain and wind, which had by now gathered increased momentum. This group remained comfortable in a very controlled race for the first 3,000m. It was then that Galvin made his break with Beaucroft and Greene in pursuit.
The Newbridge pair of Brennan and Jayden Murphy were covering the move just meter’s behind. Up front the race for the line was on with Galvin and Beaucroft battling it out to the life, Beaucroft taking gold. Back in third place the positions had changed hands. Brennan worked hard over the final 500m to shake off his clubmate Murphy and pass last year’s bronze medallist, to take third place. Sian Soobaya came with a storming final 300m to take 5th, followed by Murphy in 6th and the St Coca’s pair of Eoin Kelly and Matthew Ennis in 9th and 10th. Harry Boland (Newbridge) in 20th place rounded off the county team of six that secured another set of gold medals – the fifth of the afternoon.
There was little doubt amongst clubs in Leinster as to the depth of athletic talent in Kildare this year. Large number in the county championships were an early indicator for sure. Newbridge took silver clubs medals with Brennan, Murphy, Boland and Oisin Byrne. There was further good news as St Coca’s finished third. Kelly and Ennis being joined by Eoghan McNearny and Rian Byrne. Kildare had secured 19 medals in just one race.
Numbers do get lower as the athletes reach the U18 age group. Athletes drop out of sport or study takes over. That said the Newbridge team of Alexander Guther, Jamie O’Brien, Matthew Grogan and Cole Christie have remained loyal to the sport. The club has had a particularly large group of athletes of this age. Having a large number of athletes is a well-known indicator for retaining them to the sport. Group training, social integrating all building a healthy response to the sport. This Newbridge boys team took silver medals. The team was led home by Alexander Guther in 17th place. The county team of Guther, Jonathan Kenny (Kildare), O’Brien, Grogan, Chrisie and Hamish Church (Naas) took bronze medals behind Laois and Louth.
The girls U18 was the only juvenile race of the afternoon that Kildare did not secure any medals. There was however some great running from Mia Lennon (Newbridge), Elsa Browne (Newbridge), and Siofra Gough (Le Cheile).
The Dublin City Marathon may have depleted the novice teams somewhat, with Kildare failing to produce a team in either the ladies or men’s novice. On this occasion it was Toby Ruffer (Newbridge) who led the Kildare challenge, ensuring the county still had some representation.
With huge success at the first of the two Leinster championship fixtures, the athletes will now prepare for the Leinster uneven age groups which will be held on the home venue of the Curragh in two weeks’ time.
The Dublin City Marathon with the incorporated National Marathon championships took place last Sunday where Ballina’s Hugh Armstrong emerged as the national marathon winner, taking 8th place overall in a time of 2.15.51. The first Kildare athlete home was the 2022 National Marathon champion Martin Hoare (Celbridge) who finished 33rd overall and 18th in the National race with a time of 2.28.35.
Just three places behind was Alexander Wallace (St Coca’s) who clocked 2.29.13. Like Silke (Le Cheile) was the third Kildare athlete to finish. Patrick Monahan (Le Cheile) won the wheelchair category with Sinead Kane (Le Cheile) finishing third in the visually impaired category. 18.933 athletes finished.
