The Leinster Schools Cross Country qualifiers continued today with the North Leinsters with places on the line for the Leinster cross country up for grabs. There was a good turn out of Clonliffe athletes in ALSAA with some top performances once again. Craig Giles was the star performer finishing 2nd for Portmarnock in the Junior boys race. After letting the leader slip from his grasp Craig put in a fine last 400 and was closing fast but ran out of runway with the leader only 10 yards ahead. Stephen Cashin (Mount Temple) had a fine run also finishing in 6th place ahead of Clonliffe team mates Daniel Lacey (St. Aidans) 7th and Cian Bolger (Ardgillan) 8th. Next in was Jordan Byrne in 14th with Jack Horan (st. Aidans) was 57th. The Whitehall outfit taking bronze and progressing to the Leinster finals.
Earlier Aaron Cullen had an excellent run in a packed minor boys race to finish 5th. Matthew Jenkinson was 18th in the inter boys.
The girls were also out in force today. Top of the pile in the minor race was Amy Warren (Dominicans) 5th, 22nd Caitlin Butler (Mount Temple), 30th Rebecca Fitzsimons (Dominicans), 38th Lia Brennan (Malahide) and 89th Ellen Turner (Mount Temple). Our two girls in the inter race ran well Cliona Cooley was 19th and Amy McGrath 26th.
The rest of the qualifiers take place next week with Clonliffe hosting the Leinsters on February 11th in Santry Demesne.