Louth athletics star Dearbhla Allen wins silver for Marist

The playing Fields of Mallusk, Newtownabbey, Belfast was the venue for this year's All-Ireland Schools Cross Country Championships.

Louth athlete Dearbhla Allen, was in action representing her school, St Mary’s College (Marist), in the senior girls' race.

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St Peter’s star athlete had a disappointing club Cross Country season by her own high standards, but as the saying goes, form is temporary, class is permanent, as this fine athlete is back to her best.

In what was a stacked field, which included recent Euro Cross bronze medalist and red-hot favourite Emma Hickey, along with several International athletes, including Dearbhla, this eagerly awaited race didn’t disappoint.

The race started off at a frantic pace with Hickey leading it out, and Dearbhla decided to take the risk and go, pulling clear of the rest of the field.

In the closing stages Hickey pulled clear and two of the chasing pack caught up with Dearbhla, a lesser athlete would have thrown in the towel but Dearbhla wasn’t giving up on the silver medal having worked so hard throughout the race.

Coming up the long home straight there was a ferocious battle on but the strength and physical conditioning of Allen prevailed as she stormed home to take the precious silver medal.

This individual silver adds to her collection of a bronze in last year’s senior race and a silver the previous year in the Intermediate race.

Two hours up the road in the plush surroundings of the National Indoor Arena, Cian Gorham returned to the race track for the first time in quite a while in the All-Ireland University indoor championship.

Although Cian hadn’t raced in a while, he proved that he’s in decent shape by claiming a national bronze in a time of 3.48.

Both of these athletes will now concentrate on the upcoming Outdoor Track season, and judging by their current form, both have every reason to be optimistic.