There were some very strong performances by local athletes at the E District Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Necarne last Thursday.

With the weather and running conditions excellent, the championships proved to be a big success with Fermanagh schools among the victors on the day.

St. Michael’s once again enjoyed great success, taking the team titles in the Mini Boys, Intermediates Boys and Senior Boys while Mount Lourdes returned home with two team titles, the Mini Girls and the Junior Girls.

The ‘Blue Vests’ dominate the Intermediate Boys competition with Oisin Cassidy crossing the line first while Rory Keane was third. And with Cormac McCauley, Dylan Corrigan and Ruairi Moore all in the top 15, St Michael’s eased to gold.

Devenish College’s Joel Irvine also competed well in the Intermediate section as he clinched a top ten finish.

St Michael’s also dictated things in the Mini Boys with five runners; Frank Buchanan, Conor Mulligan, Conal Rasdale, Charles Reihill and Alex Nikolov in the top five as they claimed the title.

In the Senior Boys Erne Integrated’s Ronan Maguire came home in second place while St Michael’s had Peter Bennett, Aidan McDonnell and Oisin Leonard in the top ten to clinch gold in the team event.

In the Minor Boys St Michael’s pair Rory Smyth and Rees Love were inside the top ten as they finished second in the team race while in the Junior Boys section there was another second spot for St Michael’s with Cain Fitzpatrick their leading performer in fiftyh place while Devenish College’s Ethan Thompson (12th) also produced a strong runs.

There was also individual and team success for Fermanagh schools in the Girls sections at Necarne.

Local girls dominated the Junior Girls race. Enniskillen Royal Grammar School’s Sophia Williams stormed to victory ahead of Devenish College’s Ellie McDonald who finished second while Mount Lourdes took the team title with Carla McCool, Grainne Duffy, Muireann Duffy and Cliodhna Martin all coming home inside the top ten.

Mount Lourdes also took the Mini Girls gold with Abigail Boyd and Aoibhin Kelly finishing first and second with Enniskillen Royal Grammar School’s Annabel Morrison in third place. Niamh Boyle made it three Mount Lourdes runners in the top four while there was also a good performance by Devenish College’s Amy Bermingham (12th).

Mount Lourdes went on to take second place in the Minor Girls team event with Laoise O’Keefe and Beth McMahon coming across the line in second and third spot while Crioadh Monaghan of St Fanchea’s was seventh.

In the Intermediate Girls’ race there was an excellent display by Devenish College’s Ava Thompson as she secured fifth spot while Mount Lourdes’ Katie Donnelly was seventh.

The top three teams along with the other individual runners who finished in the top 15 in each race will now go on to compete at the Ulster Schools’ Cross Country Championships which will be held on Wednesday February 13.