Ace AC had several athletes compete in the Phoenix Park for their various schools in The North Leinster Schools Cross Country on Friday last.
Top 15 positions secured automatic qualification for the Leinster Championships.
The inter boys race had lots of excitement with 139 athletes competing. Lorcan Forde Dunne and Shea O Donnell both represented St Mary’s and won silver and bronze, respectively. Unfortunately, despite running a great race and a super sprint finish, Lorcan was pipped on the line for gold.
The St Mary’s inter boys team also won Team Gold, which means their athletes, Rhys Clarke (23rd), Fergus Nolan (35th), and Jamie O Reilly (91st) all progress to the Leinster finals.
It was gold and silver for Ace in the inter girls 2.2k race. There were 113 athletes in this race, and Eimear Cooney (Sacred Heart) came out on top with Sholah Lawrence (Greenhills) in 2nd place. Chloe Cooney (Sacred Heart) ran a great race to finish 5th. Ciara O Connor finished in 17th with Chloe Hanley, normally more used to sprinting coming home in 50th place.
The Sacred Heart girls also won a silver team medal, which means all of the girls qualify for the Leinster champs in a couple of weeks’ time.
In the earlier junior girls’ race, Aoife O Connor (St Oliver’s), also more familiar with sprinting, finished in 64th place.
In the junior boys there were 196 athletes competing and Daniel Hanley (St Mary’s) continued his fine run of form sprinting home to 4th place. Killian Sheridan (Dundalk Grammar) showed great fight and determination to come home in 11th place. Both boys guaranteed automatic Leinster qualification.
Not far behind was Tadgh Forde Dunne, who produced an unbelievable performance to finish really high up the field in 26th. Daniel and Tadgh were also part of the Gold winning St Mary’s junior team, which also qualifies Tadgh for the Leinster Championships. Liam Lynch running for St Oliver’s also ran really well finishing in 64th.
The final race of the day saw Danny Nugent (St Josephs) win a bronze medal in the senior boys 4.8k. Niall Murray (St Marys) ran a very good race also to finish a very impressive 25th place.
