BY JOHN WALSHE
SHOWING the dominance he displayed a little over two weeks ago, Sean Lawton added the senior 123.ie Munster Schools’ Cross-Country crown to the South Munster title he won on that occasion at the same Tramore Valley Park venue.
This time the race distance was increased by a kilometre to six kilometres but it made no difference to the Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí Leaving Cert student as he crossed the line with 15 seconds in hand over his nearest rival, Robert Troy from Charleville CBS.
From the start, Lawton was in control and after one of the four laps had been completed the leading group was down to four. Going out on the final circuit, the real battle going on was on for second and it was Troy – also runner-up last year to Lawton – who prevailed by five seconds over Ryan McCarthy of Kinsale Community School.
‘I went out fairly fast so I could kind of make it my race and control it from the start, but definitely over the last lap I was burning but I was just trying to pump the arms and legs and, thank God, I got there,’ said Lawton.
He now goes into this Saturday’s 123.ie All-Ireland Schools’ Cross-Country Championships at Tymon Park in Tallaght as one of the hot favourites. Last year, after completing the same double at Munster level, he was in medal contention almost at the line before inexplicably fading to 12th.
‘It’s a complete focus on the All-Irelands now, that’s my main goal. I think I prefer the six-kilometre distance as it counteracts the faster lads,’ added the Durrus athlete who is not short of speed himself having clocked a personal best of 8:35.09 in the 3000m indoors in recent weeks.
It was a good day overall for the Lawton family as Sean’s younger brother, Finnian, running for Scoil Mhuire, Ballingeary, took second in the intermediate race, a one place improvement from the South Munsters. He was six seconds behind winner Leo Murray of Douglas CS who finished in bare feet after losing both shoes in the mud.
In the senior girls’ race, Ella Collins of Coláiste na Toirbhirte, Bandon, finished third behind race favourite Nicole Dinan (St Angela’s) and Eve Dunphy (Abbey CC) while Olive O’Flynn of Sacred Heart, Clonakilty, was seventh in the intermediate race.
Ella Collins of Coláiste na Toirbhirte, Bandon, finished third in the senior race at the Munster Schools; she is pictured with her grandfather Denis Trunwit and parents Sheila Trunwith and Ray Collins.Photo: John Walshe
