By Paul O’Neill
Fermanagh delivered a total of six individual medals and seven team medals on what was a superb day at the City of Belfast Playing Fields last Wednesday at the Ulster Schools’ Championships.
Harry Mc Kenzie controlled the Junior Boys race throughout and when he made his move with 600m to go the Enniskillen Royal Grammar School athlete recorded a comprehensive victory.
In the Intermediate Boys, the strength of Fermanagh athletes really was to the fore with St Michael’s College Enniskillen taking the team title with their four scoring athletes in the top 14.
Two of their athletes, Frank Buchanan and Sean Corry took podium finishes with silver and bronze. Jamie McDonnell of St Mary’s of Irvinestown and Ben Warnock of St Kevin’s Lisnaskea also put in excellent performances to place 5th and 9th and qualify for the Irish Schools’ Finals in Waterford next month.
Annabelle Morrison, in only her second race back from a fracture in her foot, had a super run to take second place in the Intermediate Girls race behind Grace Bennett of Wallace High School, Belfast.
St Kevin’s Piaras Toner, in his first Ulster Schools’ Finals, had an excellent run coming through the field in the Mini Boys race over 1600 metres to take the silver behind Caolan McGarry of Our Lady & St Pat’s, Knock.
Megan Mullally of Mount Lourdes was making her debut and the 1st year student showed no fear as she was in the lead pack from the gun. Mullally put in a superb performance and was the first Fermanagh medallist of the day taking silverin the Mini Girls’ race.
St Michael’s Intermediate Boys team had 53 points to spare over second placed St Malachy’s while the Minor Boys team also took team gold ahead of a strong St Colman’s outfit.
The St Michael’s gold medal winning intermediate boys team with coach Francis Shaw.
Having taken gold in 2022 in the Mini Girls, the Mount Lourdes Minor Girls were again on the top step of the podium with the same team on Wednesday.
Silver medals were won by the Mini and Senior Girls teams from Mount Lourdes and the Senior Boys team from St Michael’s.
On what was a record breaking day for athletes from local schools, the Mini Boys team from St Michael’s also took team home bronze.
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