Donegal delight at Ulster District Schools Cross Country Championships

There was plenty of joy for Donegal athletes at the Ulster District C Schools Cross Country Championships, which were hosted at Finn Valley AC this week.

Loreto, Milford’s Caolan McFadden won the senior boys race.

McFadden, the Cranford AC athlete, won from Philip McGee of Colaiste Ailigh. McFadden is a multiple Irish gold medallist and will be aiming for further schools success as he goes to provincial and national levels across the coming weeks.

St Columba’s, Stranorlar scholar Lorcan Byrne, a Finn Valley AC runner, was the senior boys bronze medal winner.

Moville Community College won the team event in the senior boys race with Daithi Clerkin (14), Sean McLaughlin (15), Philip Walker (19) and Rioghan McGuinness (21) scoring.

Lifford-Strabane AC athlete Elsa Moore, a student at the Royal and Prior in Raphoe, was the victor in the senior girls race, where Loreto, Letterkenny grabbed the top team honours.

Emma Bonar (6), Sarah Henry (7) and Anna Russell (8) were the scoring trio for Loreto.

Odhran McBrearty made the most of home comforts to take the individual gold in the intermediate boys race and lead St Columba’s, Stranorlar to team honours.

Finn Valley AC’s McBrearty won from club and school mate Paraic McGettigan in second.

St Columba’s Michael Donaghey was sixth  with Mark Alexander in 10th completing the scoring quartet.

Andrea Reid in second led the way as St Columba’s also won the intermediate girls team gold, pipping Lumen Christi on a count back.

Reid was second behind an excellent winner in Clara Casey of Lumen Christi, a couple of years her senior.

Nia Byrne in fourth and Holly McNulty were the other scorers for St Columba’s while Abi McGeehin was also in the top ten, finishing ninth.

Oisin McBride of Loreto Milford was an impressive winner of the junior boys race. McBride powered clear of Lumen Christi pair Ronan Doherty and Callum Furey.

Loreto, Milford took the bronze medals with Zach Djedi (23), Daithi Catterson (29) and Darragh Edwards (49) joining McBride in scoring.

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In the minor girls race, Darci Clarke of Lumen Christi, a Finn Valley AC athlete, won gold while St Columba’s, Stranorlar and Finn Valley AC’s Saorla Gillian won the junior girls race.

Davyn MacFhlionn of Colaiste Ailigh, a Letterkenny AC athlete, grabbed bronze in the minor boys race.