McCarthy and Coghlan set for track showdown
“This is a pay-per-view event,” Gerry Deegan, predicted. “We are talking about two future stars of Irish, if not world athletics.”
Deegan, a former star cross-country and track runner, is part of the team that coaches a galaxy of young middle distance stars including McCarthy.
“Of course I would tip McCarthy to win this one. It is going to take a really big performance to beat him,” he said. “But I have the height of respect and admiration for John Coghlan. He may not have the speed of his father (Eamonn) but he has more strength and he has the head to go with it. He is a very clever runner.
“David is also exceptional and we have not seen the best of him at all yet on the track. We are looking at two boys here who are capable of running 3:50 on their day. They are going to be two fantastic athletes for Ireland.”
Niall Tuohy (Newtown School) raised a few eyebrows when he stripped his training partner, David McCarthy, of his 800m title at the Munster schools championships in Limerick two weeks ago but Brendan Quinn, who coaches both, with Gerry Deegan as motivator, was not surprised.
“Niall is a very good athlete and there has never been a lot between them,” he said. “He was injured for some time and that is why he is not running 1,500m right now.”
According to Deegan he can claim the 800m title this time around. “I know there is an athlete in Leinster who has run 1:54.2 but Niall has run 1:53.8. I think Niall is in really good shape and we saw that in Limerick.”
Brendan Quinn competed at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and his 3,000m steeplechase record has withstood the test of time.
On Saturday his son, Shane, will be the raging hot favourite to retain his junior titles. He won both the 800m and 1,500m in the Munster schools championships after stepping up from minor ranks to win them last year.
Deegan said: “We are hoping he will get into the intermediate race because he is bored of winning races by big margins. He is a fiercely competitive athlete. Even in training he wants to take on McCarthy and Tuohy.”
Eoin Hannan (Our Lady’s, Templemore) set a new long jump record of 7.03 in Limerick before retaining his 110m hurdles title and is chasing a similar double in Tullamore.
The senior girls’ long jump will also be a big attraction as it features Kelly Proper (St Paul’s CC, Waterford). She is is the only Irish athlete to have so far qualified for the European Junior Championships.
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