MICHAEL Mulhare was the star performer at the all-Ireland Cross Country Championships held at Sligo Racecourse on Saturday.
Taking part in the junior men’s race, Mulhare was hoping to improve on his performance in the Schools Championships a week earlier where he finished 6th after suffering an injury in the week preceding the race.
The early pace was relatively slow and Mulhare settled in near the front of the lead group. His club mate Eoghan Power was also well positioned in the pack of about twenty runners. As the pace picked up the with David Rooney of Dublin at the head the group was whittled down to just four athletes Rooney, the all-Ireland Schools champion John Coghlan, Schools bronze medallist David Flynn and Mulhare. Power was still running strongly in 15th position while Harry Lupton after a cautious start was beginning to work his way through the field.
Rooney continued to force the pace dropping Flynn in the process. On the final lap of four, Mulhare fell behind leaving Coghlan and Rooney alone at the head of the field. Flynn, meanwhile, was starting to make up some ground and over-took Mulhare with half a lap remaining.
In the final 400 metres, Coghlan broke free from Rooney and went on to take the title while the fast finishing Flynn pipped Rooney on the home straight. Mulhare held on for 4th position. Power finished strongly for 16th while Lupton came home in 24th. Darren Delaney finished the North Laois line-up in 51st which gave them 6th in the team com-In the Senior Women’s Race Claire Phelan of St Abban’s ran a solid race to finish 24th.
At the second and third days of the Leinster Juvenile Indoor Championships, there were numerous medal winners from Laois with Conor Daly, Sarah Buggy, Brian Kelly, Francis Egan, Ailish Brennan, Paul Byrne, Kevin Campion and James O’Regan taking gold medals in their events.
Next on the calendar for Laois athletes is the Senior Road Champion-ships which will take place in Portlaoise on St Patrick’s Day. Organised in conjunction with the Heritage Hotel 5k fun-run this event should attract large numbers. Registration is at the Heritage Hotel from 11.30am.
RESULTS ALL-Ireland Inter-club Cross Country Championships: Junior Men: 4, Michael Mulhare (North Laois); 16, Eoghan Power (North Laois); 24, Harry Lupton (North Laois); 51, Darren Delaney (North Laois). Team: 6, North Laois; Senior Women: 24, Claire Phelan (St Abban’s).
Irish Schools Cross Country Championships: Junior Girls: 6, Mary Mulhare (Presentation Convent, Portlaoise); Junior Boys: 11, Stephen Attride; Team: 3, Knockbeg College 127 pts (Attride, James Griffin, Stephen McCormack, Daniel Aylesbury and Richard Loughman); Intermediate Girls: 17, Ailish Brennan (Heywood); Senior Girls: 15, Sinéad Kelly (St Leo’s, Carlow); Senior Boys: 6, Michael Mulhare (Portlaoise CBS); 22, Eoghan Power (Portlaoise CBS). Team: 4, Portlaoise CBS 135pts (Mulhare, Power, Shane Collins, Craig Kenneally, Darren Delaney, Ollie Carroll, James Delaney).
Leinster Juvenile Indoor Championships: Under 12 Boys: 600m: 2, James Moore (St Abban’s). High Jump: 2) Aaron Whelan (St Abban’s). Long Jump: 3) Aaron Whelan (St Abban’s); Under 12 Girls: High Jump: 3, Niamh Quinn (North Laois); Shot Putt: 3) Sharon Kelly (St Abban’s); Under 13 Boys: Shot Putt: 3, Eoghan Buggy (St Abban’s); Under 13 Girls: 600m: 2, Aoife Boyle (North Laois); Under 14 Boys: High Jump: 1, Conor Daly (St Abban’s). 4x200m relay: 2, St Abban’s; Under 14 Girls: Long Jump: 1, Sarah Buggy (St Abban’s). 4x200m relay 3, St Abban’s; Under 15 Boys: 800m: 2, Chris Ennis (North Laois); 3, Jason Campion (North Laois); Under 15 Girls: Shot Putt: 2, Emma Daly (St Abban’s). 4x200m relay: 3, St Abban’s; Under 17 Boys: 800m: 1, Brian Kelly (St Abban’s). Long Jump: 1, Francis Egan (St Abban’s); Under 17 Girls: 800m: 1, Ailish Brennan (St Abban’s); Under 18 Boys: 400m: 3, Niall Bergin (St Abban’s). 800m: 1, Kevin Campion (North Laois); Long Jump: 1, Paul Byrne (St Abban’s). 4x200m relay: 2, St Abban’s; Under 19 Boys: 400m: 2, Paul Gillick (St Abban’s). 800m: 1, James O’Regan (St Abban’s); 4x200m relay: 2, St Abban’s.
FIXTURES March 17: Laois Senior Road Championships and Heritage Hotel 5k funrun Portlaoise 1pm (Registration at the Heritage Hotel from 11.30am).
