Leinster Even Age Juvenile Relays and Intermediate and Masters

The Centre of Excellence, Carlow was the venue for Day 1 of the 2026 Leinster Cross Country Championships, where Carlow Athletics held the Ueven Age Relays, Intermediate and Masters. This was the first time the event was held in Fenagh, with a great venue, parking and facilities all exceeding expectations. First up for the day was the U12 girls, where the Kilkenny City Harriers team of Edie Kemple, Jane Byrne, Winter Rose Molloy and Eva Hoyne ran a great race, with a fast sprint finish from their last runner saw them clinch 3^rd place from SLOT of Carlow. The Boys U12 Thomastown team of Liam Grant, Sean Leadbetter, Luke Hanlon and Matthew Fennelly, were unlucky to just miss out on a medal spot finishing 4^th after a great run from all the team. The Gowran Boys U12 team of Jack Keyes, Harry O’Regan, Killian Lyons and Conor Maher finished in 8^th overall on the day. In the Girls U14 Gowran won their first silverware of the year, Abigail Hunt, Sarah Mulrooney, Roisin Corrigan and Lydia Phelan produced a great race over the 500m lap to secure bronze in 3^rd place. Thomastown’s U14 Girls of Alisha Farrell, Ella Jasinghe, Siofra Croke O’Neill and Sarah Collins finished in 6^th place overall on the day. In the Boys U14 Gowran were the only Kilkenny Club with Cian Shortall, Oscar Langton, Cian Larkin and Jay Pollock having a great run in an extremely fast relay on the day. The Kilkenny City Harriers Girls U16 of Emily O’Keeffe, Katie Byrne, Amelia O’Brien and Maria Kraljevic dominated the relays again and stormed to first place winning the gold. In the Boys U16 race Kilkenny City Harriers finished in an honourable 2^nd place behind a very strong Newbridge team who powered home to 1^st. The team of Daniel Greene, Marcus Lyons, Sam Woodcock and Cameron McDonnell Butler fought off the challenge from St. Abbans to finish in 2^nd place taking home silver.

The Master Women and Men 65+ 4000m was the first race off in the afternoon at the Leinster’s. The relatively flat fast course did have sharp corners to navigate around over the 1500m around the pitches, with a slight drag uphill on each loop. Imelda Kennedy Nuenna was first home for the county in 28^th, Maria Griffin St. Joseph’s was 41^st, with club mate Anne Watkins St. Joseph’s in 46^th, Elaine Gamble Nuenna was 60^th and 4^th lady home for the county. The Master Men 65+ had great success winning bronze for the county with Mike Redmond Thomastown, Eddie Hoyne Tullaroan AC, and Mick Walsh Gowran the three scorers on the day. In the Master Men’s 7000 James Kelly Castlecomer was the first home for Kilkenny in 12^th, Neil Shanahan Thomastown 30^th, Lonan Farrell Thomastown 31^st, Michael Bergin Nuenna 65^th, Peter Barry St. Joseph’s 75^th and James O’Reilly Gowran 92^nd. The County team of first four scorers was 7^th overall. The Intermediate Ladies was up next with teams from Kilkenny City Harriers and Thomastown competing over the 5000m distance. Nuala Fitzgibbons KCH was first home for the county in 12^th, while Sinead O’Keeffe Thomastown 15^th, Ellen Ryan Thomastown 18^th and Grainne Behan KCH 24^th, the four scorers for the county team that won silver. Robyn McDonald KCH was 29^th, Tara Brett KCH 30^th, Katie Matthews KCH 31^st, Gill Kavanagh KCH 32^nd, Lucy Coady Thomastown 35^th and Laura Meaney Thomastown 36^th. Kilkenny City Harriers were 5^th club and Thomastown 6^th club overall. The Men’s 8000m race was the most successful race of the day for Kilkenny, as not only did Kilkenny team win 1^st in the County team event, but Kilkenny City Harriers took the top club team place with three of their scorers all within the top 10. Paddy Kelly KCH was first home in 6^th, Eamon O’Connor KCH was 8^th and John Behan KCH 10^th. Dean Rowe KCH 4^th home for the club was 16^th, while John Coady Gowran 17^th and Martin Desgrandchamps 22^nd were 5^th and 6^th on the County team to win gold. Matthew Holland Gowran 30^th, Johan Muller Gowran 34^th, Padraig Ruane KCH 35^th, David Fitzgerald KCH 40^th, Trevor Spillane KCH 48^th and Derek Aylward KCH 50^th. Gowran club team 6^th