In-form Maher has sights on Munster double

PATRICK MAHER (Davis College, Mallow), who has the national junior 400m hurdles record and qualification for the world junior championships under his belt, will bid for a double in the 400m hurdles and 400m flat at the Munster Schools Championships at the CIT Track in Bishopstown on Saturday.

He will be competing in familiar surroundings as it was at this venue he set the national junior record at 52.14 secs at the Leevale Sports and he returned last week to win the 400m at the second session of the South Munsters.

He won the national junior indoor 400m title with a 50 sec run and if he improves on that outdoors then he will take a lot of beating. The big challenge in both events, however, could come from Tim Crowe (Limerick TC) whose father, Tim, is a former national champion and international at both 400m and 400m hurdles.

Edmond O’Halloran (St. Francis College, Rochestown) once battled it out with his Leevale clubmate, Patrick Maher, in the sprint hurdles before they went their separate ways to dominate their particular events and O’Halloran will be favourite to win the senior boys’ 110m hurdles and go on to win the Irish schools title. He is running close to the qualifying standard for the world junior championships and comes off a big win at the Woodies DIY AAI Games in Castleisland on Sunday.

Michael O’Sullivan (Bishop McEgan College, Macroom) will be favourite to win the senior boys’ 800m while Ryan Creech (Glanmire CS) will be favourite for a 1,500m/5,000m double having won both events impressively at the South Munster championships.

David Killeen (Coláiste An Spioraid Naomh), who was also had a win at the AAI Games on Sunday, will be fancied for a senior boys’ sprint double.

Jaco Oosthuysen (High School, Clonmel) is one of the most exciting javelin throwers to emerge in recent years and should win that event while Diarmuid Hickey (Carrigaline CS), bronze medallist in both the shot and discus at last year’s Irish schools championships, is concentrating on the shot putt this year and will be fancied to win that event.

Dean Cronin (Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, Glanmire) will be chasing a double in the intermediate boys 400m and 800m while Darren Mullins (St. Goban’s, Bantry) should do the double in the 3,000m and steeplechase.

There will also be an interesting senior girls’ javelin competition where Nikita Savage (Pobal Scoil na T), the record holder, will be challenged by Lisa Houlihan (St. Augustine’s).

Joan Healy (Coláiste na Toirbirthe, Bandon) is another sprint double prospect after impressive wins in the South Munster schools championships.

The girls’ events will be without Sarah Lavin (Castletroy), sprints, and Kate Veale and Emma Prendiville (Corca Dhuibhne), walks, who are competing in Moscow for places in this year’s World Youth Olympics.

But there is an abundance of talent with Ciara Giles-Doran (Mercy, Waterford) fancied to keep Waterford sprinting to the fore in the intermediate girls’ 200m and hurdles while Megan Kiely (Ursuline, Waterford) will be favourite for the intermediate 300m and 300m hurdles.