Rising star Mulcaire doubles up

One of the most promising distance runners in the country, Kevin Mulcaire, was the star of the Aviva/Munster Schools’ Track and Field Championships at Cork IT on Saturday.

Representing St Flannan’s, the 16-year-old won both the 3000m and 1500m intermediate races in the space of two hours.

In the former, he stayed with Fearghal Curtin (Midleton CBS) until the closing stages before edging ahead in 8:54.53, with Curtin breaking nine minutes for the first time (8:55.57).

Mulcaire’s clash with Lucas Ó Horgáin (Coláiste Chríost Rí) was eagerly awaited and once again the Clare athlete shadowed his rival until the home straight before making his move and claiming victory in 4:04.17.

After being omitted from the Irish team for the European Youth Olympic Trials in Azerbaijan next month, Mulcaire will now concentrate on the Aviva/Irish Schools in Tullamore: “I don’t want to talk about the reasons for not going to the Europeans. I’m disappointed they clashed as I’d love to do both, but I’ve a title to defend in two weeks’ time and that’s my main focus,” said Mulcaire who already ran 8:31.45 for the 3000m this season.

Louise Shanahan has already qualified for Azerbaijan and the Bruce College athlete had an easy win in the senior 800m having only her training partner Maeve Aherne for company. Aherne continued the improvement she has shown this season when later finishing a close second to Aisling Quinn from Waterford in the 1500m.

The Loreto, Fermoy, pupil clocked a personal best of 4:48.65.

An impressive winner at the South Munsters was Scott Gibson of Bandon Grammar School who took both the 200m and the 400m intermediate races respectively.

Concentrating on the one lap event on this occasion, he again dipped under the 50-second barrier to marginally improve his time to 49.46 which was a new championship best.

In the senior boys 800m, Conor Walter of Rochestown College held back through an opening lap of 59 seconds before powering away for a clear victory in 1:55.44 ahead of Tom Hennessy of St Mary’s, Newport.

In the intermediate 800m, there was a 16th birthday present for Matthew Murnane of CBC, Cork, who won in 2:01.92.

A number of Munster championship records were set in the field events. One of the oldest on the books, the intermediate pole vault best of 4.06m which has stood to Malachy Sheridan of Rockwell since 1982, was improved to 4.10m by Yuri Kanash of St Augustine’s who also triumphed in the high jump. David Cussen (Coláiste an Spioráid Naoimh) added nine centimetres to the senior high jump record with his leap of 2.10m while Eoin O’Carroll from Mercy Mount Hawk improved the long jump best to 7.24m when defeating Sam Healy (Carrigaline CS) who jumped 6.94m.