Fermanagh athletes returned home with a history-making haul from the Ulster Schools’ Cross-Country Championships at Mallusk last Wednesday.

In all, local schools picked up a record 13 medals, including six individual and seven team in a best ever performance by Fermanagh schools at the event.

And there were also overall awards with St. Michael’s picking up the Best Overall Boys team award, while Mount Lourdes were awarded the Best Overall Girls team on a great day for local atheltics.

There was an excellent performance by Enniskillen Royal’s Harry McKenzie as he pulled away over the last 700 metres to secure gold on the Junior Boys race by 12 seconds ahead of Noah Watts of Campbell College.

In a high-class Intermediate Boys race, St. Michael’s put two runners on the podium. The in-form Frank Buchanan produced a brave run as he went out hard but he was reeled in by All-Ireland champion Caolan McFadden on the home straight as Buchanan took a terrific silver, while his team-mate Sean Corry came through well in the last lap to claim third spot.

St. Mary’s Irvinestown’s Jamie McDonnell clinched a brilliant fifth place in the race while St. Michael’s took the team gold with Tiernan McManus and Charlie Reihill also inside the top 14.

In the Mini Boys race, St. Kevin’s Piaras Toner had a fine run as he clinched silver, finishing three seconds behind eventual winner Caolan McGarry of Our Lady and St. Pat’s, Knock.

Medals

There were also individual medals for local athletes in the girls section.

Annabel Morrison continues to impress on her return from a long lay-off through injury with the Enniskillen Royal student landing the silver medal in the Intermediate Girls race.

Wallace High School’s Grace Bennett got away to claim the gold, while Morrison held off Dominican College’s Ava Diver by two seconds to take silver.

Indeed, in a tight finish, only five seconds separated second to fifth.

There was also silver for Mount Lourdes student Megan Mullally who produced a very good run in the Mini Girls race to come home second, four seconds behind Isla Wiltshire of Sullivan Upper.

And with Naoisa McKenna and Erin McPhillips finishing 21st and 26th respectively, Mount Lourdes went on to claim silver in the Mini Girls team competition.

The Minor Girls team from Mount Lourdes went one better as they returned with gold.

Eden Davis led them home in seventh place and was followed by Orlagh Kelly (12th) and Grace Connolly (15th) to see them take top spot ahead of Our Lady & St. Pat’s, Knock.

And on a successful day for Mount Lourdes, their Senior Girls team took bronze.

Nadine McIntyre was the highest finisher as she came in ninth while Sinead Barrett (14th) and Carla McCool (35th) were the other point scorers for Mount Lourdes.

The St. Michael’s Minor Boys landed team gold in their race with Jack Donnelly having a strong run to finish fifth with Nathan Coyle (18th), Michael Miller (23rd) and Cormac Ratchford (33rd) helping them to the title.

There was also silver for the St. Michael’s Senior Boys team with Jack Burns, Patrick Sprice, Cillian Sprice and Jamie Devine all inside the 27 as they finished behind St. Malachy’s College.

And the St. Michael’s Minor Boys team returned with the bronze as Darragh Boyle, Ferghal Cassidy, Shay McGurn and Oisin Gunn picked up points.

St. Michael’s wins on the day brought their total to 21 Ulster titles, lifting them above St. Columb’s, Derry up to second place in the all-time roll of honour behind St. Malachy’s, Belfast.

Edel competes in Spain

Meanwhile, Irvinestown’s Edel Monaghan competed for Dublin City Harriers in the European Clubs Cross-Country finals in Spain.

Edel came 40th overall and was third Irish finisher.

Letterkenny AC were the other Irish team to qualify after the Nationals.

 

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