There were some superb local performances at the E-District Schools’ Cross Country Championships at Necarne last week with titles picked up in both the Individual and Team sections.

St. Michael’s were again to the fore in the Boys groups as they claimed three golds and two silvers in the Team sections, while it was also an exceptional championships for Mount Lourdes, who landed three Team golds as well as a silver and a bronze.

St. Michael’s produced an outstanding one, two, three in the Junior Boys race with Sean Corry taking the Individual gold ahead of Tiarnan McManus and Daithi Mohan as they secured Team gold.

In the Intermediate Boys race, St. Kevin’s Ben Warnock clinched silver with Patrick Williams of ERGS coming home third.

Charlie Reihill was the first of the St. Michael’s runners home in fourth, and with Patrick Sprice and Conor Mulligan also in the top ten, they took Team gold, while a sixth place finish for Eamon Greene of ERGS helped them to the Team silver.

Oisin Cassidy led St. Michael’s to gold in the Senior Boys team event as he raced to first place while Ciaran Cullen, Jack Burns and Ruairi Moore also made the top ten.

There was individual gold for Harry McKenzie of ERGS in the Minor Boys race, taking gold with a fine run, with St. Michael’s securing Team silver while St. Michael’s also took silver in the Mini Boys Team event, with Cormac Ratchford, Daithi McLaughlin and Nathan Coyle taking fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Local athletes dominated the Mini Girls race as Annabell McKenzie of ERGS followed in the footsteps of brother Harry to take gold and ERGS a Team bronze, while Mount Lourdes filled the next three places with Eden Davis, Orlagh Kelly and Maile Henessy to take Team gold.

Mount Lourdes also returned home with the Team victory in the Minor Girls as Tori Gallagher led them home in second place, followed by Eloise Boyd in third with Dearbhla Clawson claiming eighth place.

There was more Team joy for Mount Lourdes in the Junior Girls as they again took gold as Kellie McAnespy crossed the line in third spot with Zara Welsh in seventh.

In the Intermediate Girls, Annabelle Morrison of ERGS stormed home to claim Individual gold, while Aoibhin Kelly was the first Mount Lourdes runner home in seventh as they won Team bronze.

And there was silver for Mount Lourdes in the Senior Girls Team competition, with Nadine McEntyre, Sinead Barrett, Shannon Clawson and Louise Deery all placing in the top ten.

There was also a fine run from Sophia Williams in the same race, the ERGS competitior coming home in sixth spot.