Abbotstown hosted this years all ireland schools in what started off to be a warm, Saturday morning in the country’s capital.

It was the climax to the cross country season for numerous athletes giving themselves an opportunity to give it one last effort before the up and coming indoor season. It was also the trials for the SIAB schools international in Antrim with the first 8 across the line getting automatically selected.

It was the first occasion that Minor’s have performed outside provincial level, however both boys and girls races proved to be quite the thriller. Nadia Power led from gun to tape to take victory in the girls race followed shortly behind by Clodagh O’Reilly, Loretto College, Cavan and in third place, Laura Costello, Ursuline Thurles. In the minor boys race Daniel Gallagher was first to the finish from St Catherines, Killybegs with William Hynes, St Attracta’s Tubbercurry in second and Luke Dinsmore, Coleraine Al finishing in 3rd.

Next on the timetable was the Junior Girls. The Girls had a distance of 2.5km to run. In first place was Ella Fennelly, Mount Anvil. A strong finish proved to be vital as she out sprinted her opponents Nicole Cuskelly, Killina Secondary School, in second with Niamh Cotter, Bantry Community College shortly behind to earn a very respectable third place. Ursuline Thurles won the team event.

The Junior boys 3.5km race went right down to the wire, possibly the closest race of the day, with a group of 7 athletes in strong contention for the title. However it was Hugh Morgan, De La Salle Waterford, who surged away from the pack with 800m to go. The remaining 6 athletes continued the duration of the race together fighting for the additional medal places up for grabs. These athletes relied on their sprint finish and it was Paddy Robb, St Malachys Belfast next in line followed by Shane McGowen, St Columns Derry earning the bronze medal. Only 8 seconds separating first from 6th. St. Kieran’s College won the team from Douglas Community College.

At 1.20 it was the Intermediate girls time to shine. Siofra Cleirigh Buttner, Colaiste Iosagain, took the lead from the gun and had a commanding lead for continuation of the race as 3.5km seemed to be no difficulty for her. Linda Conroy, Mercy Killbeggan ran a strong and powerful race for silver with bronze going to Jean Clancy, St Michael’s Kilmihil.

In the Inter Boys, those names to look out for were Sean Tobin, Shane Fitzsimons, Ian Hartnett and Aaron O’Hanlon. A large group formed after the first lap of two with all four in contest. Although it was Sean Tobin who made the first move with only Ian Hartnett to follow him. Tobin, High School Clonmel, crossed the line first however Hartnett, Colaiste Daibhead Corcaigh, was most certainly not easily shrugged off and finished a well earned second place. Aaron O Hanlon, St Marys Drogheda, last year's Junior winner, finished third considering he has another year at Intermediate. Sean Tobin led his team High School Clonmel to victory.

The senior girls promised to be a very exciting race with the likes of Amy O’Donoghue, Villiers High School , Emma Mitchell, Banbridge HS and Maire Aine Ni Shuilleabhain, Gael Colaiste Ceatharlach. The race started off considerably slow with all three contenders at the front of a large field. However Amy O’Donoghue prevailed and began winding the pace up gradually. The race which was open to a group 6 was now down to two, O’Donoghue and Ni Shuilleabhain. The two were neck and neck down the last straight but O’Donoghue, who performed at the European cross country last Dec. held out till the finish to win her first Senior Schools title. Colaiste Iosagain won the team contest from Rathmore Grammar.

Shane Quinn was the obvious favourite for the Senior Boys title but the race was on for the rest of the positions. Quinn who led from the gun, gradually increasing his gap, will travel to Spain with Fionnuala Britton and Ava Hutchinson to compete in the World Cross Country Championships this weekend. The fight for second and third was between Kevin Dooney, CBC Monkstown who had a reasonable gap on Liam Brady, St Brendans Birr. However Brady continued a strong attempt to chase down Dooney on the final lap. Although Dooney’s gap was just too impressive for Brady.

Shane Quinn 1st , Kevin Dooney 2nd and Liam Brady 3rd with Douglas CS winning the team event.

The penultimate race of the day, the womens university race, was the closest race of the day. A group of four strong athletes, Ciara Durkan DCU, Bryony Treston, TCD, Becky Woods, TCD and Laura Shaughnessy, UCD. The four dominated the race, and the girls depended thoroughly on sprint finish as Ciara Durkin outsprinted Treston to take the title with Becky Woods third and Shaughnessy fourth in the minor places. DCU was victorious in the team event

The final race of the day saw Dan Mulhare, WIT, ease his way through the university mens 8km event. Mulhare, who competed last weekend in the European Indoor Championships in Paris, led from the gun and had a commanding lead on his fellow athletes. All eyes were on the group behind, consisting of Brendan O’Neill, DCU, Liam Reale, UL and John Coughlan, DCU. With 600m remaining, O’Neill made a break hoping to run away from the two other contenders. However he was persued by Reale, who overtook him on the final straight, while Coughlan hung on for fourth place. Team title went to DCU