Tralee's Oisin Spillane claims senior crown in Munster Schools Cross-Country

After finishing third last year, Oisin Spillane of Mercy Mount Hawk, Tralee, proved to be the strongest over a testing 6000m course at the Irish Life Health/Munster Schools Cross-Country.

After finishing third last year, Oisin Spillane of Mercy Mount Hawk, Tralee, proved to be the strongest over a testing 6000m course when taking the honours in the senior race at the Irish Life Health/Munster Schools Cross-Country at Clarecastle.

With defending champion Tommy Connolly (CBC, Cork) giving cross-country a miss in favour of indoor competition, it was Paul Hartnett (Colaiste an Chraoibhin) who set the early pace ahead of Frank O’Brien (Midleton CBS), winner of the South Munster title two weeks ago.

Going out on the final lap, it was O’Brien who looked the strongest but after the long drag halfway around the circuit Spillane took over and try as he might, the Midleton athlete couldn’t make up the deficit with Spillane crossing the line 11 seconds to the good.

“It was definitely tough conditions out there, I made my move on the hill and managed to stay in front after that,” said the winner. O’Brien had the consolation of leading his Midleton CBS team to first as they defeated St Brendan’s from Killarney by 10 points with De La Salle, Waterford, in third.

The most exciting race of the day came in the senior girl’s race as Lucy Holmes (Ard Scoil na nDeise) came with a late burst to pip Niamh O’Mahony (Presentation SS, Tralee) who had led virtually all of the way around the two-lap 3000m distance.

“When I was coming near the end I didn’t think I had it in me but then coming up the hill I found that little bit extra, it was very muddy and tough on the legs,” said the delighted Dungarvan athlete who had finished fourth 12 months ago.

Two of the most impressive winners were Dean Casey (St Flanan’s) in the intermediate boy’s 5000m and Avril Millerick (St Mary’s, Midleton) who defeated her Youghal clubmate Emma Landers (Pobalscoil na Trionoide) in the corresponding girls’ 3000m race

IRISH LIFE HEALTH/MUNSTER SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS, Clarecastle, Co Clare

Boys

Senior 6000m: 1 O Spillane (Mercy Mount Hawk, Tralee) 23:48; 2 F O’Brien (Midleton CBS) 23:59; 3 F Harrington (St Brogans, Bandon) 24:16; 4 M Hanrahan (St Flannans, Ennis) 24:30; 5 P Hartnett (Colaiste an Chraoibhin) 24:51; 6 D O’Leary (St Brendans, Killarney) 24:56.

Team: 1 Midleton CBS 71; 2 St Brendans, Killarney 81; 3 De La Salle, Waterford) 82.

Intermediate 5000m: 1 Dean Casey (St Flannans, Ennis) 18:37; 2 A Kiely (CBC, Cork) 19:01; 3 N Murphy (St Flannans, Ennis) 19:20; 4 J Spelman (Midleton CBS) 19:26; 5 Dylan Casey (St Flannans, Ennis) 19:34; 6 L Griffin (St Flannans, Ennis) 19:36.

Team: 1 St Flannans, Ennis 15; 2 St Josephs CBS, Nenagh 82; 3 De La Salle, Waterford 83.

Junior 3500m: 1 G Dunne (Kilrush CS) 13:04; 2 S Buckley (Cashel Community School) 13:08; 3 F Harrington (Colaiste Pobail, Bantry) 13:09; 4 S Lawton (Colaiste Pobail, Bantry) 13:10; 5 R Troy (Charleville CBS) 13:30; 6 W Verling (St Colmans, fermoy) 13:33.

Team: 1 Ardscoil na Mara, Tramore 73; 2 Colaiste Pobail, Bantry 96; 3 Midleton CBS 98.

Minor 2500m: 1 B Walshe (St Josephs CBS, Nenagh) 9:29; 2 A Quigley (Colaiste na Sceilge) 9:35; 3 C O’Gorman (Rockwell College) 9:44; 4 O McCarthy (Hamilton HS) 9:45; 5 R Murphy (Midleton CBS) 9:47; 6 A Maher St Colmans, Fermoy) 9:48.

Team: 1 St Marys CBS, Tralee 86; 2 Midleton CBS 123; 3 PBC Cork 124.

Girls

Senior 3000m: 1 L Holmes (Ard Scoil na nDeise) 13:03; 2 N O’Mahony (Presentation SS, Tralee) 13:06; 3 L O’Keeffe (St Marys, Midleton) 13:08; 4 U O’Brien (Waterpark College) 13:17; 5 L Long (Mercy Mount Hawk, Tralee) 13:26; 6 S Whelan (Rockwell College) 13:37.

Team: 1 St Angelas, Waterford 39; 2 Loreto Fermoy 42; 3 Waterpark College 51.

Intermediate 3000m: 1 A Millerick (St Marys, Midleton) 12:52; 2 E Landers (Pobalscoil na Trionoide) 12:58; 3 N Cunneen (St Marys, Nenagh) 13:02; 4 L Walshe (Glanmire CS) 13:06; 5 S Nyhan (Ard Scoil na nDeise) 13:16; 6 O Moynihan (Colaiste Muire, Ennis) 13:19.

Team: 1 Pobalscoil na Trionoide 22; 2 Colaiste Muire, Ennis 48; 3 Ard Scoil na nDeise 50.

Junior 2500m: 1 N Dinan (St Angelas, Cork) 10:06; 2 C Phelan (Abbey CC) 10:13; 3 K Ferncombe (Ursuline Convent, Thurles) 10:15; 4 M Ni-Eidhin (Colaiste an Phiarsaigh) 10:16; 5 C Crowley (Kinsale CS) 10:16; 6 R Kelleher (Scoil Mhuire, Cork) 10:20.

Minor 2000m: 1 G Galvin (St Michaels CC, Kilmihil) 7:36; 2 E Brenner (St Marys, Midleton) 7:41; 3 E Dunphy (Abbey CC) 7:46; 4 A Campbell (Cresent College Comp SJ) 7:50; 5 E-M Marshell (Mercy, Waterford) 7:57; 6 M Eagar (Intermediate School, Killorglin) 7:59.

Team: 1 St Marys, Midleton 43; 2 Abbey CC 45; 3 Colaiste Mhuire, Ennis 77.