Front-runner Ledwith in race for boys’ title

FAVOURITE Andrew Ledwith (North Monastery) will have to reproduce the form he displayed at the national inter-club championships to lift the senior boys’ title at the Kit Kat Irish Schools Cross-Country in Antrim on Saturday.

A nephew of the legendary Val Ledwith, he displayed the tenacity of his uncle in Roscommon where he eventually gave way to the talented Mullingar junior, Mark Christie, but claimed scalps in the race for silver.

That experience will stand to him when he takes on the likes of Jamie McCarthy (Kinsale CS), who finished fifth in Roscommon, and Mark Hanrahan (Douglas CS) who overtook Ledwith on his way to the silver medal last year.

Colin Costelloe (Gormanston), winner of two European Youth Olympic medals last year, missed the Leinster championships but has been given permission to run. He missed the championships while away winning the AAA indoor 1,500m.

Leinster champion Danny Darcy (DLS/Presentation, Bagenalstown) and Sean Smith (Bailieboro CS) who won the Ulster championship and the schools international last year, are others in a star-studded field that is sure to produce an exciting race.

The senior girls’ race will see Azmera Gebrezgi and Linda Byrne renew rivalry. Last year Byrne won but that was the last time Gebrezgi tasted defeat and she was an impressive winner in the national junior championships in Roscommon.

Francis Nic Riamoin, another Dubliner, and Maria Halley (Ursuline, Thurles) are others who will be in contention.

The intermediate boys’ race will see an interesting contest between David McCarthy (St Augustine’s, Dungarvan), Ciaran O Lionaird (DLS, Macroom), who ran an impressive race in the short course championships at ALSAA last Sunday and John Coughlan (Castleknock), son of Eamonn Coughlan.