St Michael’s College athletes Sean Corry and Tiarnan McManus followed up their excellent performances in helping their school win All Ireland gold two weeks ago, with two fine runs to help Ireland take team silver in the SIAB Schools’ International Cross Country in Wales on Saturday morning.

In warm windy conditions, on a very challenging 4000m seaside course, including an energy sappier double ascent of a sand dune, Corry, the Irish champion, ran a controlled race, always at the back of the leading pack, alternating between 8th and 12th for much of the race before producing his customary strong finish to cross the line in sixth and first Irish athlete to complete the gruelling course.

McManus who has had a break through season and had performed superbly to make the long race team ran solidly throughout and after coming through a difficult patch around 3k he rallied well to finish a very positive 24th and help the young men in green to team silver behind a dominant English squad.

Both talented young athletes have had excellent winter seasons, and if they can find time to fit some track work into their busy summer schedule, it will be interesting to see how they perform over 800/1500m especially with places in the prestigious British Road Race Championship in London in October up for grabs based on 1500m times over the next four months.