Darragh McElhinney coasts home for emotional win

Cork star Darragh McElhinney cruised to an emotional victory at the Irish Life Health All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships in Mallusk, Co Antrim, on Saturday.

The Pobail Scoil Bheanntraí schoolboy was fancied to claim the intermediate boys’ 5,200m race and he justified favouritism with a turn of pace up the back hill on the second lap that left his rivals trailing.

The sheer pace was a sight to behold, especially in the mud, as he built a 30-metre lead in less than 10 seconds. From there McElhinney extended his advantage to win in 20:07 and there was deep significance to his victory which he dedicated to his friend Shane Elphick who passed away last month.

“To be honest, the reason I’m most delighted is because I want the chance to dedicate this to my friend, who sadly passed away last month. He was a great person,” explained the 17-year-old afterwards.

It opened up the door to the human stories of all the athletes racing in Mallusk who were challenged both mentally and physically. None more so than Connacht’s Keelan Kilrehill (Colaiste Iascaigh) who finished second behind McElhinney in 20:34. A year and a half ago Kilrehill had a broken back but by dint of hard work and bravery returned to athletics and that hard work was rewarded in Saturday’s stunning display. Ulster champion Sean Corry (Omagh CBS) held on for bronze in 20:48 with St Malachy’s coming out on top in the team race.

McElhinney described the course as “challenging, with the steep hills and the mud. It was tough when you were in a group there was mud flying everywhere.”

That was shown clearly in the intermediate girls’ 3,600m that started off at a slow pace and the bunched runners saw pre-race favourite Sarah Healy hitting the sod. She rose quickly and minus a spike, but clicked into gear to lead the field home. Laura Hayes (Loreto, Fermoy) ran strongly for silver, with Annie McEvoy (Loreto Kilkenny) coming up for bronze.

“The spike was kind of hanging, so I kicked it off,” said Healy afterwards. “I feel like I would have rather lost both of them or had both of them. It was weird just having one of them. I sort of panicked when it happened and tried to sprint away. I mean after a while you just have to accept it. I was really happy because I was panicking when I fell.”

There was plenty of drama, thrills and spills with Cara Laverty (Thornhill College, Derry) and Dylan McBride (Grosvenor GS, Belfast) getting the day off to a great start with ‘home’ victories for Ulster in their respective minor girls’ 2,000m and minor boys’ 2,550m races.

The day was wrapped up by impressive victories for Sophie Murphy (Mount Anville) in the senior girls’ 2,550m and Fintan Stewart (Lumen Christi, Derry) in the senior boys’ 6,500m.