30 September 2017 at Moyne Community School
This year 240 students representing 15 national schools across the County took part.
3rd\4th Class Boys 800m race = 66 3rd\4th Class Girls 800m race = 63
5th\6th Class Boys 1000m race = 55 5th\6th Class Girls 1000m race = 56
The autumn sunshine helped draw a large crowd to the annual County Longford Primary Schools Cross Country Championships on September 30th in Moyne. 240 national school children ran the challenging course earning points for their school towards the coveted Harry Farrell Shield for Best Overall School Performance.
The Longford Athletic Club organising committee were delighted to see the event so well supported with 15 schools taking part and giving so many children the opportunity to be active with their friends and classmates as they took to the starting line to run for their school. Every year to promote athletics across the County the Club pays the entry fees for all students that qualify to go forward to Provincial competition, this year on 21st October at St Brigid’s GAA Centre, Kiltoom, Co. Roscommon.
St Mary’s National School, Edgeworthstown, were crowned the 2017 winners after Caoimhe Crossan and Josh Kelly took 1st place in both 5th\6th Class 1000m races. With twelve students scoring in the top 20 and two sets of team medals it was a new achievement for the school. Scoil Mhuire, Newtownforbes were very close in 2nd place with a genuine school wide effort of four team medals, and Shauna Burke and James Hagan won the 3rd\4th Class 800m races. Killoe, Ardagh and Colehill schools filled out the rest of the scorecard. Melview National School made their mark winning their first set of team medals as well as having several individual medallists.
Summary of team medals:
St Mary’s NS, Edgeworthstown: 2 X Silver -3rd\4th Class Boys, 3rd\4th Class Girls
Scoil Mhuire, Newtownforbes: 2 X Silver -5th\6th Class Boys, 5th\6th Class Girls. 2 X Bronze -3rd\4th Class Boys, 3rd\4th Class Girls
St Theresa’s NS, Killoe: 2 X Gold -5th\6th Class Boys, 5th\6th Class Girls
St Mel’s NS, Ardagh: 1 X Gold -3rd\4th Class Girls. 1 X Bronze -5th\6th Class Girls
St. Sinneach’s NS, Colehill: 1 X Gold -3rd\4th Class Boys
Melview NS: 1 X Bronze -5th\6th Class Boys
2017 Harry Farrell Perpetual Shield for best school overall performance based on number of students in top 20 per race plus team points:
1st place (150 points) St Mary’s NS Edgeworthstown
2nd place (146 points) Scoil Mhuire NS, Newtownforbes
3rd place (141 points) Scoil Naisiunta Naomh Treasa, Killoe
Followed by St Mel’s NS, Ardagh (117 pts), St. Sinneach’s, Colehill (75 pts), St Matthew’s NS, Ballymahon, Melview NS and Stonepark NS
The secondary schools races attracted small numbers of runners from Lanesboro Community College, Carrick Community School, Mercy Ballymahon, Cnoc Mhuire Granard and St Mel’s College but it was the home crowd that took all the silverware. Moyne students Avril Cosgrove won the 1st\2nd year Girls 1600m race, James Miney the 2000m Boys race and they took both sets of Gold team medals.
There were nearly twenty entries from Longford, Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo competing in the Open Senior Cross Country with Longford AC athletes Adrianna Melia and Barry Sheil both first home taking 1st place Senior as well as 1st place for Longford. For many it was another days training for the upcoming Dublin marathon at the end of the month.
5th & 6th Class Girls 1000m individual medalists
5th & 6th Class Boys 1000m individual medallists
1st\2nd Year Girls 1600m individual medallists representing Moyne Community School, Lanesboro Community College and Cnoc Mhuire Granard.
1st\2nd Year Boys 2000m individual medallists representing Moyne Community School, Mercy Ballymahon, Lanesboro Community College, Carrick Community School and St Mel’s College.
