Charlie O’Donovan delivers in feature clash

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.

After a slow start, McElhinney surged into the lead with 700 metres to go, taking O’Donovan with him. Stride for stride, the two battled it out until the last 200m when O’Donovan kicked.

McElhinney — who ran 14:25.38 in his first-ever 5,000m last week in Manchester — tried to go with him but then realised it was in vain as O’Donovan’s 58-second final lap gave him a clear victory in 4:05.09 as McElhinney more or less jogged home in 4:11.26.