A runaway success as Cathal O’Reilly wins Streets of Portlaoise 5k
Kilkenny City Harriers athlete triumphs in St Patrick’s Day race
While Kilkenny was a sea of green on St Patrick’s Day, gold was the only colour Cathal O’Reilly was interested in.
The Kilkenny City Harriers athlete ran a blistering 14:45 to take first place in the Streets of Portlaoise 5k on St Patrick’s Day.
O'Reilly crosses the line to win the Streets of Portlaoise 5k VIDEO: popupraces
The sold-out race, which forms part of the Peugeot Race Series, provided a thrilling finish as a late charge saw O’Reilly hold off Clonmel’s Sean Tobin for top spot. In doing so he emulated clubmate Eoin Everard, who won the race in 2023.
O’Reilly’s run leaves him in good form heading into the rest of the races series, which will have its next stop in the Marble City for the Streets of Kilkenny 5k on April 2. This race has a special value for O’Reilly as he is the reigning champion, having won the 2025 edition in a time of 14:15.