McCarthy master again

DAVID McCARTHY (St Augustine’s) romped away with the senior boys’ title at the KitKat Munster Schools cross-country championships in Dungarvan on Saturday.

In his first race since the world junior track and field championships in Beijing last year, he stormed to victory to retain his title and complete an unbeaten run at provincial level that stretches back to his minor schoolboy days.

For the first 2,000m the outstanding young Cork athlete, Craig Murphy (Douglas Community School), hung on in his slipstream but the first year senior was never going to stay with the champion when he made his move.

Niall McCarthy (High School, Clonmel) finished third ahead of Patrick Hogan (De La Salle, Waterford).

McCarthy is looking leaner and stronger and attributed this to a new training regime under two former leading Irish internationals, Olympic steeplechaser and record holder, Brendan Quinn, and Gerry Deegan.

“I still have a lot of respect for my former coach,” he said of Derry coach, Malcolm McCauseland. “But it is now much more convenient for me to train just 40 minutes away in Waterford.

Both David McCarthy and Craig Murphy will renew rivalry over 3,000m at the national indoor championships at the Odyssey, Belfast, next weekend.

Shane Quinn (De La Salle, Waterford), son of Brendan, was equally impressive in retaining the junior boys’ title. A minor last year, he stepped up to win the title and went on to complete a fine season by winning the junior international title. The silver medal went to Paul O’Sullivan (Coláiste na Sceilge, Cahirciveen) with Don Chesser (Rice College) third.

There was an all-Tipperary finish to the intermediate boys’ race with Keith Maher (Nenagh CBS) the clear winner from Liam Harty (Our Lady’s, Templemore) and David Tobin (Thurles CBS).

Alvy Carragher (St Anne’s, Killaloe) won the senior girls’ title. A native of Portumna she now resides in Birdhill and ran very impressively to beat Collette Kelly (St Ailbei, Tipperary) with Sylwya Bien (Scoil Mhuire, Carrick-on-Suir), coming off injury, in third.

The intermediate girls lined up without the injured Ciara Cronin and Niamh Ryan (Abbey CC, Waterford) held off Lorraine McCarthy (St Augustine’s), sister of senior boys’ winner, David McCarthy, for an impressive victory.

Douglas Community School made history when they won the all-round cup for the first time.