Athletics- Williams and O’Reilly race for Ireland

Two local athletes swapped Ireland for Scotland as they competed in the Celtic international cross-country championships in Renfrew.

David Williams (St Senan’s) and Cathal O’Reilly (Kilkenny City Harriers - KCH) were part of an Ireland team who competed in the international event. Ireland were very competitive overall, with Williams being part of the under-20 winning team, his fourth place finish contributing to a large extent to the team gold. O’Reilly also finished fourth and was the first Irishman home in the under-23 race, leading his team to the silver medal.

At the masters Indoor All-Irelands in Athlone Kilkenny was among a number of counties to claim national titles and medal placings. Three clubs from the county took part including Brow Rangers who, as usual, gained a medal haul in the throwing events while St Joseph’s and KCH athletes were also medallists.

Celtic International

Excellent form in the cross-country season saw David Williams and Cathal O’Reilly selected to represent Ireland in the Celtic Cross-Country. Williams finished third at the under-19 nationals in Navan while O’Reilly finished fourth at the national under-23 cross-country championships. A strong team of 32 athletes spanning three age groups - under-17, 20 and 23 - competed against teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

The Celtic Cross Country was held in conjunction with the Great Britain cross-country series and the Scottish inter-district championships. Renfrew, just outside of Glasgow, hosted the event amid brilliant winter sunshine and pleasant 10 degrees - a sharp contrast to the last time this event was held in Scotland, where heavy rain and mucky terrain produced carnage. David Williams remembered that race very well. He was there that day, making his international debut for Ireland.

Williams was first to race in Glasgow. Competing in the under-20 6,000m race he was one of 89 competitors, a field which included a team of four under-20 athletes from Ireland, another four from Northern Ireland and an under-17 Irish and Northern Irish combined team.

The St Senan’s man got a good start, racing alongside his Irish team-mates. Once the pace settled, he was happy to sit off the back of the leading pack in cruise control. The real race started midway when those with more mileage in their legs tolerated the prolonged increased pace. He dropped the group of Scottish athletes he had been keeping company with and began to edge his way into the top six positions.

Working off a lower mileage base than most his age group, he knew he would have to work hard to keep up the effort. Ahead of him Harry Colbert (Waterford) and Sean Lawton (Durrus) were trying to shake off Logan Beagley (Scotland). Around the 4,000m mark it looked like David was gaining on his two Irish teammates and might join them. However, in the end Williams had to settle for fourth place. He was, however, instrumental in contributing to the Irish team gold, as the third Irish man home. Ireland had first, third, fourth and ninth place finishers.

Cathal O’Reilly was fourth in the under-23 race, helping Ireland to win team silver in Scotland.  Picture: Perri Williams

Cathal O’Reilly has also raced at the Celtic International previously and was a member of the Irish junior team that took bronze at the European cross-country in Dublin back in 2021. Competing in the combined senior and under-23 8,000m race the course was ideal for spectators, with multiple points of vantage, allowing the 100 athletes to be encouraged along the route.

Competing in the race was Scotland’s Jamie Crowe. The four-time Scottish senior cross-country champion meant business from the start as, from quite early on, Crowe and about six other athletes created a small gap on the field - the chasing pack was led by O’Reilly. After the midpoint three athletes Crowe, Scott Stirling and Joseph O’Connor were racing for the top three spots.

Scotland had a very strong under-23 team with three athletes ahead of O’Reilly, who was aware that an injury he had picked up after the nationals had sidelined him somewhat for almost two weeks. He had been back training a few weeks and had come to Scotland off a week of warm weather training in Portugal that allowed him some return to form.

Throughout the three large laps the Castlecomer native held his form and worked hard to maintain his placing. He was, from the onset, the leading Irishman and this is a position he maintained right throughout the race. He finished fourth in the under-23 rankings and an incredible 12th overall.

Considering the depth of some of the Scottish runners in particular and his injury, he can be well pleased with his race.

“It was a flat, fast course, which suited me well,” said O’Reilly after the race.

The team of O’Reilly (KCH), Michael Morgan (Tullamore), Matthew Lavery (North Belfast Harriers) and Luke Johnson (Moy Valley) finished second, taking home a set of silver medals.

Masters Indoors

The national championship indoor season for 2024 kicked off on Saturday with the Masters. The men from Brow Rangers were once again back to action. Gold went to Sean Maher in the weight for distance over 40, where his consistent throws earned him the top placing. Kieran Kelly was third in the over-35 shot-put, the youngest masters category.

Murty Kelly continued his medal winning ways when, in the over-70 category, he took gold in the shot-put and silver in the weight for distance. Well done also to Joe Kelly who had two fourth placings in both the shot and weight for distance.

Continuing with throws, Verena Fenlon (St Joseph’s) was second in the over-50 shot and weight for distance.

Race-walking has always been a tradition within Kilkenny. This tradition continued right up to masters level where two medals came back to the county. John Joe Lawlor is no stranger to race walking events having won many national titles at masters level already. He once more took gold, this time in the over-55 category.

Having got a taste for race-walking at the Raheny competition before Christmas, Graham Bourne (KCH) was only too happy to swap 10,000m for the much shorter distance of 3,000m. He finished second in the over-40s category, his first indoor national medal.