The Southeast schools orienteering competition was held at Carriganore WIT sports campus on 27th February with a massive 688 registered starts between Primary and Secondary schools. This would not have been possible without the fantastic support of Wato club members. Liz, Hugh, Veronica and Pat on registration and parking; Jeni, Debbie, Alan, Liisa and Norman on the pre-start and start; Jordan who helped me at Download; and the 7 Transition year students from Newtown school who helped as marshals and on pre-start.
The trend in 5th class Primary was towards pairs due to the inexperience of the pupils. In the individual 5th class girls, Jordan Pim beat the Waterpark duo of Chloe Brosnan and Clodagh Monaghan. Waterpark won gold ahead of Fenor and Danescastle.
A similar pattern was seen in the 5th class boys section with Waterpark again pipping Fenor and Danescastle.
Harry Belton from Waterpark won individual gold ahead of Eoghan Whelan (our Lady's Meadow, Durrow) and Shane Doyle (Fenor).
Heather Eoghan from Waterpark won the 6th class girls individual gold ahead of Poppy Walsh and Kristen Browne from St John of Gods, who won team gold. Waterpark won silver and Butlerstown won bronze.
In the 6th class boys, Waterpark narrowly beat Butlerstown and St Canices for team gold. Oisin Johnston from WNS won individual gold ahead of Christopher Kavanagh (BNS) and Korben Quilty (WNS).
The Templeorum pair of Diarmuid Flynn and Tony Walsh were the best 6th class pair.
Waterpark won back the overall shield from Faithlegg N.S.
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| Eoghan and Conall Whelan being presented their shields |
The 1st year girls team of Caoimhe Lawless (2nd), Paloma Balado (3rd), Molly O'Shea and Erika Beyers won team gold ahead of the Kilkenny College team of Isabel Burke (1st individual), Leah Treacy, Jessica Foley and Robin Stevens.
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| Waterpark College at Carriganore |
There was another great battle in the 2nd/3rd year girls where the Ursuline narrowly beat Newtown. The Ursuline team was Ciara McCarthy (1st), Ciara Silby (3rd), Juliet Tosini and Sarah Forrest. Newtown were 2nd (Anna Kent 2nd, Isabel Auld, Jodie Giles and Zoe Mulligan) with Kilkenny College 3rd team home (Charlotte Cope, Sarah Gavin, Grace Donald and Hannah Collier).
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| Runners from St Kierans, Kilkenny |
By the narrowest of margins, Kilkenny College won team silver ahead of Newtown in the Senior girls section. Roisin O'Sullivan (1st), Aoife Botha (2nd) , Sarah Lawlor and Hilary Duke were the KCK representatives. The Newtown team was Kate Cafferky (3rd), Nicki Boyd, Stephanie Ebert and Triona Harvey.
