Juvenile PRO Report on AAI National Juvenile Uneven Age Cross Country Championships, 7^th December 2014, Santry Demesne, Santry, Dublin

The Glohealth All Ireland Jvenile Uneven Age Cross Country Championships were held, on 7^th December, in Santry Demesne, Dublin. Once again Cork juveniles excelled, with 20 of our athletes finishing in the top 12, in the various races. Cork secured 9 team prizes out of the 10 races held, including 6 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze. Youghal AC (Girls U-11) and Leevale AC (U-19 Girls) secured club gold in their respective races. I believe that the many volunteers at club level should be commended for the many hours of hard work put in to achieve such excellent results in both Dundalk and Santry.

Girls U-11  Emma Landers, Youghal AC, ran a great race to finish in 5^th place.  She was closely followed by Sorcha Crowley, Grange-Fermoy AC, in 10^th, with Kate Redmond, Riverstick-Kinsale AC, in 11^th and Penny Cronin, Carraig na bhFear AC, 12^th. Emma, Sorcha, Kate and Penny were well supported by Maeve O’Neill, Doheny AC, and Ellen Murphy, North Cork AC, to secure the team gold for Cork. The Youghal team of Emma Landers, Avril Cashman, Avril Mellerick and Eva Murphy ran very well as a team to win the club team gold. Emma, Sorcha, Kate, Penny and Maeve were on the Munster team that won gold.

Girls U-13  Sarah Morrison, St Nicholas AC,an a gutsy race to finish gallant 3^rd, with Grainne Egan, North Cork AC, in 7^th, and Meghan Carr, St. Catherines AC, 12^th. Sarah, Grainne, Meghan, Lucy O’Keefe, Youghal AC, Mallaidh O’Neill, Skibbereen AC, and Shannon Cotter, West Muskerry AC, secured the gold medal for the Cork team. Sarah, Grainne, Meghan and Lucy had further success when Munster won Provincial team gold.

Girls U-15  The Cork team of Ursula Bluett, North Cork AC, Laura Hayes, St Catherines AC, Caitlin Hurley, West Muskerry AC, Laura Nicholson, Bandon AC, Niamh Callanan, Bandon AC, and Moira Barrett, Bandon AC, were bronze medal winners for Cork, with Ursula, Laura and Caitlin helping Munster to bronze.

Girls U-17  Caoimhe Harrington, Bantry AC, followed up her superb win in Dundalk by taking the silver medal in the girls U-17. Caoimhe along with Carina Crowley, Bandon AC, Fiona Everard, Bandon AC, Ellen McCarthy, Skibbereen AC, Katie Walsh, Carraig na bhFear AC, and Ruth Kilgallon, Togher AC, secured the team silver for Cork

Girls U-19  Maeve Ahern, Leevale AC, finished in 4^th position, with Louise Shanahan, Leevale AC, in 6^th, and, along with clubmate Karen Twoomey, they won the club team gold. Maeve, Louise, Karen and Aisling Cotter, Togher AC, were members of the Cork team that won gold. Maeve, Louise and Karen completed their medal haul by helping Munster to the Provincial team title.

Boys U-11  In one of the biggest fields of the day, Diarmuid Healy, Midleton AC, was the silver medal winner, and was followed home by Jack O’Neill, Skibbereen AC, in 12^th. Diarmuid, Jack, Callum McCourt, Bandon AC, Oisin O’Sullivan, Doheny AC, James O’Neill, West Muskerry AC, and Mark Riordan, North Cork AC, won the team gold for Cork. Diarmuid, Jack, Callum and Oisin were members of the Munster team that won Provincial gold.

BoysU-13  Eoin Redmond, Riverstick-Kinsale AC, who finished runner-up last year (U-12), filled the same position on Sunday. Two other Cork athletes made the top 12, with Conor O’Neill, West Muskerry AC, in 7^th, and Niall Desmond, Bandon AC,10^th. Eoin, Conor and Niall along with Ruairi Manning, North Cork AC, Brian Mc Nabola, West Muskerry AC,and Tommie Connolly, Leevale AC, were gold medal winners with Cork. Eoin, Conor, Niall and Ruairi were part of the Munster team that won gold. Leevale narrowly missed out, on countback, on a club team medal.

Boys U-15  Darragh Mc Elhinney, Bantry again ran a great race to finish in 3^rd place. Damien Madigan, North Cork followed him home in 7^th positionwith Liam Cotter, Bantry 11^th . darragh, Damien and Liam along with Alan O’Donovan, Riverstick-Kinsale, Naoise O’ Fhairtheartaigh, Bandon and Jake Mc Carthy, Youghal helped Cork to team gold. Darragh, Damien and Liam were part of the winning Munster team.

Boys U-17  Fearghal Curtin, Youghal AC ran a very courageous race, to finish in 3^rd place. Fearghal was ably assisted by Charlie O’Donovan, Leevale AC, Andrew Turner, Togher AC, Martin Keohane, Leevale AC, Luke Devine, North Cork AC, and Alvaro Cubillo Garcia, Leevale AC, to secure the bronze team prize for Cork. Fearghal, Charlie and Andrew were on the Munster scoring team that took the bronze.

Boys U-19  Luke Horgan, Leevale AC,  finished strongly in 10^th place, which was good enough for him to be part of the Munster team that won gold