Double delight for Oughaval Athletic Club

Oughaval Athletic Club pulled off a remarkable “double double” in Abbeyleix on Sunday last.

A week ago, the Novice Cross Country was held on an overcast morning on the stubble-field course of McDonald’s farm in Killeshin.

In both adult races, the Oughaval mens and womens teams won Team Gold in both races.

This is “2 in a row” for the mens team, having also won it in 2023. 

This week, the Intermediate Cross Country was held in glorious sunshine on the rolling hills of the Cass family farm in Blackhills Abbeyleix.

Once again,the Intermediate mens and womens teams emerged victorious, winning the two Team Gold races – a feat they also achieved last year.

The womens team had it pretty much all to themselves on both days, with Frances Lalor, Laura Kealy, Deirdre Miller and Catherine Stapleton making the team in the Novice and Frances, Deirdre, Catherine and Trish Duncan making the team in the Intermediate race.

The Mens Team race was an entirely different story, on both days, and had to be fought right to the finish line.

Dan Mcloughlin emerged the winner in the Novice, with Kristian Redmond winning the individual bronze medal. The team comprised Dan, Kristian Paddy McLoughlin and Joseph Fitzpatrick – and were well supported by Cathal Connaughton, John Boland, Cillain Whearty and Dermot Gannon. Only one point separated them at the end from a brave St Abbans challenge.

The Intermediate Mens Race was a hugely entertaining affair as the team scoring swung over and back as the race progressed, with St Abbans looking to have secured it coming into the last lap. However a huge effort from the “daddy of them all” Paddy McLoughlin on the last lap, where he held off a late challenge, ensured team victory by the narrowest of margins.

Daniel finished 3rd, Kristin 4th, Paddy 7th, Niall Dunne 10th and Oisin Jago 11th, with Barra O’Nuallain and John Boland supporting the superb team effort.

In the juvenile races, the Girls U13 team of Laoise Dunne, Aisling O’Hara, Niamh Goulding and Ella Deegan won team bronze. The U9 Boys team of Caleb Houlihane, Donnacha Delaney and Thomas Deegan also won team bronze.

Sean Finnane finished 3rd in the U15 Boys, Eliza McLoughlin finished 2nd in the U15 Girls, and Caleb Houlihane finished 3rd in the Boys U9.