Mulcaire looks set for another double

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

Kevin Mulcaire (St Flanann’s, Ennis), last year’s intermediate champion at both Munster and All-Ireland level, looks set to repeat the double this year in the senior grade as he coasted to victory over the tough 6km distance. For the two initial small laps, Mulcaire was content to remain in the middle of a large group but going out on the first long lap he pushed the pace up the hill and quickly opened a gap on his pursuers, led by Darren Dunne of Nenagh CBS. The 17-year-old Mulcaire – who won the junior race at the British Cross Challenge last Saturday in Milton Keynes — was around 100m clear with a lap remaining and came home with plenty left in the tank.

“I like this course here, I wasn’t sure how tired I’d be after Saturday as that was a 9.6km race and I went out with the seniors, finishing seventh overall and first junior,” said Mulcaire who will now run the junior race at the Inter-Clubs in two weeks time, followed by the Irish Schools six days later. Mulcaire’s team-mate Sean Collins was second and it was a good day all-round for St Flannan’s as they took the senior and intermediate team titles.

Last year Rhona Pierce was the intermediate winner at the Irish Schools and she too was in fine form in taking the senior girls title. Going into an early lead, she looked an easy winner but a storming finish by Aisling Quinn, Ursuline Waterford, reduced the margin to one second.

Colaiste Pobail, Bheanntrai, produced two of the most impressive winners of the day in Caoimhe Harrington and Darragh McElhinney. Harrington won the intermediate race by 20 seconds ahead of Aisling Kelly from St Joseph’s in Spanish Point while McElhinney, last year’s Munster minor winner and runner-up in the Irish Schools, had an even bigger winning margin in the junior boys 3500m.

Fearghal Curtin, Midleton CBS, had a repeat of his South Munster intermediate win although Charlie O’Donovan (Colaiste Chriost Ri) was closer to him on this occasion.

The junior girls title went to Clare Rafter (Ursuline Thurles) from Jennifer Cotter (Coachford College) while the two minor races were won by Rhona Randles (Pobail Scoil Inbhear Sceine, Kenmare) and Jake Bagge (Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore). The first 15 finishers and first three teams in each race qualified for the GloHealth School Championships at Clongowes Wood, Co Kildare, on Saturday March 7.