All Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships

After battling it out at local and regional level, the best of Irish schools' athletics talent are ready to compete at the GloHealth All Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships this Saturday, 30th of May in Tullamore Harriers Stadium.

This GloHealth All Ireland Schools Finals is the culmination of months of tough competition for schools' athletes throughout Ireland, who have progressed through the provincial championships to secure a much sought after place at the All-Ireland final.

The class of 2015 have already produced a number of eye catching performances this season guaranteeing an exciting day's competition on Saturday.

The hugely talented Kevin Mulcaire (St. Flannan's Ennis) has been in record breaking form recently having set a new Irish junior 5,000m record at the BMC meet in Trafford on the 16th of May. Mulcaire ran a highly impressive time of 14.02.30 to break the record held by Olympic medalist John Treacy which stood for 40 years. Mulcaire heads to Tullamore on Saturday where he will start as the outstanding favourite in the senior boy's 5,000m.

Kevin McGrath (St Pats Navan) is one to watch in Tullamore after blasting to victory in the inter boy's 800m event at the GloHealth Leinster schools championships earlier this month.
Euro Cross Representatives Collide in the 3,000m

Hope Saunders, Rhona Pierce (St Angela's Cork) and Clodagh O'Reilly (Loreto College Cavan) all excelled at regional level and will go head to head in the senior girl's 3,000m event. All three athletes represented Ireland at the 2014 European Junior Cross Country Championships in Bulgaria.

The senior boy's sprint events are likely to be the closest of the day with Zak Irwin (Sligo Grammer) - Connacht and Sean Lawlor - Leinster both winning their respective GloHealth regional titles. Aisling Forkan (SM&P Swinford) is one to watch in the senior girl's sprint events where she will face Munster champion Phoebe Murphy (Loreto Clonmel).
Ciara Neville (Castletroy College) is set to light up the track in the inter girl's 100m and 200m events.

Irish Junior record holder Mathew Behan (CUS) broke the Leinster schools record with a run of 13.79s in the 110m hurdles. Behan will target a place on the top of the podium in his final year as a schools athlete. Moly Scott (Scoil Changlais) completed a classy double (100m & 100m hurdles) at regional level and is one to watch in the intermediate girls events.
Jenna Bromell (Castletroy College) and Scott Gibson (Bandon GS) will start as favourites' in the senior 400m events after impressive performances at regional level. Gibson ran a fast 47.60 seconds to win the Munster title as Bromell flew to a 55.36 time on route to victory.

Underage throwing at schools level is at an all-time high with numerous records being broken at regional level. Michaela Walsh (SM & P Swinford) set a new shot putt record of 16.33m as did Andrew Barkley (Belfast High School) in the senior boy's Discus when he threw a distance of 47.79m. Eoin Sheridan (St Finians) will be the one to beat in the senior boy's Discus as he recorded a mark of 53.40m at regional level.

Anu Awonusi (Kilkenny College) is an athlete to watch out for in the senior boy's shot putt after throwing 18.88m at the Leinster championships. The multi-talented Elizabeth Morland (Dunshaughlin) is set to go in the senior girl's high jump and long jump events after impressive performances at regional level.

Daniel Ryan (Thurles CBS) set a new Munster schools record of 6.77m to easily win the inter boy's long jump title. The action packed day of competition begins at 9am with the hammer events and concludes with the senior boy's relay at 6pm. GloHealth CEO, Jim Dowdall commented: "GloHealth is delighted to sponsor Irish Schools' Athletics and we congratulate all of the young athletes who have made it to the 2015 GloHealth All Ireland Schools Track & Field Championships in Tullamore. We are very aware of the relationship between participation in sport and its impact on a child's current and future health. Our partnership with Irish Schools' Athletics is designed to encourage and support children to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle as well as helping to nurture athletic talent at all levels."