BY JOHN WALSHE
IT was a case of keeping it in the family at the South Munster Schools Cross-Country as Finnian Lawton of Scoil Mhuire, Ballingeary, followed on from his brother Sean’s victory 12 months ago when taking the senior boys’ title.
Held in fine weather conditions at Tramore Valley Park in Cork city, the heavy underfoot conditions proved no obstacle for Lawton. Always in control up front, he moved away over the final lap of the 5000m race to cross the line with ten seconds to spare over runner-up, Aidan Maher (St Colman’s, Fermoy), with Daniel Dollard of Hamilton High School taking the bronze medal.
Third in the intermediate race last year, Lawton was well-pleased with his first senior victory.
‘It was good, although fairly tough. I tried to take it out hard on the last lap. My brother won it two years in a row, so I suppose it’s good to defend the title,’ Lawton said.
‘This is my first year running senior, so the Munsters will be something to look forward to now for the next few weeks and something to train for,’ said the Durrus athlete who, like his brother Sean (now on scholarship at Iona University in New York), is coached by Michael Harrington.
Caoimhe Flannery, Skibbereen Community School, second in the senior girls' race, with her mother Emer Cleary.
The senior girls’ 3000m decider saw Saoirse Twomey (St Mary’s, Macroom) improve on her third place from last year to take first ahead of Caoimhe Flannery from Skibbereen Community School, who is on the comeback after injury. In a close team race, St Mary’s Macroom finished second, just three points behind St Aloysius College, Carrigtwohill, with Sacred Heart Clonakilty taking third spot.
An exciting intermediate boys’ race resulted in a clear-cut victory for Finn Yore from De La Salle, Macroom, who had 28 seconds to spare over Ben O’Reilly (Douglas CS) with Andrew Hindds (PBC, Cork) in third.
‘It was a good race, it was fast from the start with huge competition,’ admitted 16-year-old Yore who does his club running with West Muskerry. ‘I thought I had it on the first lap but Ben was up there and so was Andrew Hinds. Ben stayed with me until the last lap and it was just on the flat going up to the finish that I got away.’
Finn Yore (De La Salle, Macroom) won the boys' intermediate race.
Something of an all-round athlete, last year Yore represented Ireland in the U18 race at the European Hill Running Championships, finished third in the national U17 2000m steeplechase and caused somewhat of a surprise when finishing second at the Bandon 5km road race in a time of 15:47.
Chloe-Ann O’Callaghan (Schull Community School) won the girls' intermediate race.
The intermediate girls’ race resulted in a close finish with Chloe-Ann O’Callaghan of Schull Community School just getting the verdict ahead of Roisin O’Carroll (Mount Mercy, Cork) with Ciara Forde (St Brigid’s, Killarney) in third.
The first four teams in each race, along with the top 15 individuals, qualified for the 123.ie Munster Schools Championships which take place at the same Tramore Valley Park venue on Friday next, February 14th.
