BY JOHN WALSHE
THE first day of the South Munster Schools Track & Field Championships took place in brilliant sunshine at the Mardyke Arena, and saw a number of fine performances by West Cork athletes.
Sean Lawton of Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí added the senior 3000m to the cross-country equivalent he won at Tramore Valley Park in February with another impressive display.
A group of four broke away from the remainder of the combined boys and girls’ field and over the closing stages, and a surge by the Durrus athlete took him into a commanding lead which he increased all the way to cross the line in a time of 8:56.16.
As was the case back in February, second place went to William Verling of St Colman’s, Fermoy, in 9:09.14 with Robert Troy (Charleville CBS) again having to settle for third in 9:15.29.
With a 3000m best of 8:42.58 achieved indoors last winter, Lawton – who is coached by Michael Harrington at Durrus AC – now turns his attention to the 5000m distance at the Munster Schools which take place at Castleisland on May 20th.
Maeve O’Neill, of MICC Dunmanway, got her track season underway with an even-paced unchallenged 800m victory. Her time of 2:12.84 gave her a margin of almost five seconds over Nicole Dinan of St Angela’s (2:17.68) with Ella Collins of Coláiste na Toirbhirte, Bandon, taking third in 2:24.94.
With studying for the Leaving Cert her immediate objective, Doheny AC athlete O’Neill still has the European U20 standard of 2:07.40 in her sights, having already run it once with her 2:06.77 achieved in Cork 12 months ago.
In the intermediate grade, Eoin O’Callaghan of Hamilton High School, Bandon, won the 100m hurdles in 14.94 while in the minor boys there was a long jump victory for Benjamin O’Donovan-Bachelet of Clonakilty Community College with a leap of 4.51m.
The junior girls’ grade saw a good double by Ruby Cummins of Coláiste na Toirbhirte, Bandon.
She took the 80m hurdles in a time of 12.02 to add to the long jump victory of 5.08m.
