McBrearty retains All-Ireland Schools Cross Country Intermediate Boys title

Odhran McBrearty from St Columba’s Stranorlar won gold at the Intermediate Boys race at the All-Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships.

The Finn Valley AC member retained the title he won 12 months ago, winning in a time for 17:10, two seconds in front of Andrew Hinds from PBC Cork, with Ben O’Reilly from Douglas CS third in 17:17 at Ballybrit Racecourse in Galway.

McBrearty also led the St Columba’s team featuring clubmates Paraic McGettigan (24th overall) and Mark Alexander (62nd), as well as Letterkenny AC's Michael Donaghey (54th) to team silver, with St Colmans Newry winning gold and Belvedere College in third.

In the Senior Girls, Elsa Moore of Raphoe Royal & Prior took home silver. The Lifford Strabane AC member clocked 13:17, which was 18 seconds behind winner Emily Bolton from the Institute of Education, while Dearbhla Allen from St Mary’s College was third in 13:19.

Loreto Letterkenny finished fourth in the team even with their total made up of Sarah Henry (28th), Anna Russell (33rd) and Emma Bonar (38th), with the top three made up of the Institute of Education, Sacred Heart Tullamore and Abbey Community College from Waterford.

Another Finn Valley athlete, Darcie Clarke, Lumen Christi Derry, was third in the Minor Girls to take home bronze. She finished in 7:17, just two seconds off second-placed Clodagh McSorley from Loreto Coleraine and Kate Kelly, Mount Lourdes Enniskillen, was just one second further in front. 

Clarke also helped her school to bronze in the team event, with Farragh Doherty (33rd) and Grace Crumley (57th) doing the scoring.