The much-awaited clash between Charlie O’Donovan (Coláiste Chríost Rí) and Darragh McElhinney (Coláiste Pobail, Bantry) in the senior boys 1500m lived up to expectations at the Irish Life Health Munster Schools Championships which took place in glorious conditions at Castleisland.

On a day of surprises at the Irish Life Health All-Ireland Schools’ Cross Country Championships, Sarah Healy made light of the mud and hills to make history at the WIT Arena in Carriganore.

Charlie O’Donovan goes into today’s Irish Life Health All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships in Waterford with twin ambitions — an individual medal and a team prize for Coláiste Chríost Rí.

Here’s a prediction: the next great Irish athlete, the one we take a hiatus from work to watch challenge for an Olympic medal, will not be a distance runner.

It wasn’t written in the script, but a tremendous finish by Darragh McElhinney saw the Bantry teenager take the senior boys’ title at the South Munster Schools cross-country, which took place in ideal conditions at Tramore Valley Park yesterday.

An early deluge didn’t prevent some outstanding performances at the Irish Life Health All Ireland Schools Track and Field Championships in Tullamore on Saturday.

Tullamore will witness a rare family feat on Saturday.

One of longest standing records in the history books could go today at the Irish Life Health/Munster Schools T&F at Cork IT if 16-year-old Darragh McElhinney maintains the brilliant form he has shown this season.

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.

Glengarriff’s Darragh McElhinney’s will be one of the stars at the Irish Life Health All-Ireland Schools Cross-Country Championships in Mallusk, Co Antrim, today.

A host of international stars are set to take on some of Ireland’s best athletes at the Athlone International Grand Prix this evening.

Fionnuala McCormack will have to overcome her Turkish nemesis at the European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy, tomorrow.

Cork Reds 1-14 Cork Whites 1-5

The heavy rain that fell throughout the South Munster Schools T&F at the CIT didn’t pose a problem for Bandon athlete Scott Gibson as he erased one of the most impressive records from the books.

There was double joy for Robert Heffernan (Togher AC) at the 50km race walk in Dudince, Slovakia on Saturday where he finished fourth in 3:48:44 to qualify for the World Championships in Beijing this summer and a record fifth Olympic Games.

World champion Robert Heffernan returns to competitive action at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Dudince today. 

Athletics: All the favourites obliged at the GloHealth Munster Schools Cross-Country Championships at Cork IT yesterday.