Our Athletes win the National Finals in the Cross Country 2010

It was an unforgettable day for Drogheda at the Irish Schools cross country finals At Cork IT March 13th last. Our athletes completed what has been a magnificent season by winning the senior title for the first time in their history.
For St Joseph’s this was a culmination of a lot of hard effort over several seasons and the winning of a second schools title was vindication ( Junior 2007 ) of the pedigree of one of the finest teams to emerge from this area in recent times. The annexing of the senior title cements their place in the all time champions in the Newfoundwell annals of sport. St Joseph’s can look back with pride on their contribution to schools athletics; 3 Irish titles,(1987,2007,2010 ) Team Silver 2003, Team Bronze 1993,1995, 2001, 2002 and not forgetting all those who have been selected to represent the school’s international teams.
The 2009/10 cross country season stretches back to September where this team place second in New Balance Oceanstate championship a result that despite it's disappointment was to prove the spur to greater things as the season unfolded. Thereafter began a 'grand slam' of performances with the Drogheda schools title ( October, for the 5 time ) CBS All Ireland (November, the 9th title in 11 years), St Pauls Invitational (December). North Leinster ( Jan '10 the 5th in row)Leinster champions (Feburary) and rounding it all off with the senior boys title on March 13th

The 6km course was flat , dry and running very fast, four laps of it would require a lot of turns. The opening lap was tightly packed as the pace of the race gradually increased. Pre race favourites Munster champions Douglas were having their 3rd run on the course and held a slight lead on that opening lap with four athletes in the top 30. However Carl Dunne ( a pre race doubt with a head cold) and Jake Mc Donnell were up in the leading 10. Norbert Feeney, Tadgh Berkery, and Fergal Barnes were just outside the top 40 ( over 100 went to post ). St Aidens, Enniskillen, and Knockbeg were all in touch. The pendulum swung the Joeys way as Feeney produced a great 2nd lap, bringing his team mates into contention. As the 3rd lap began the Joeys held a narrow lead, down the field. Sean Mc Keever, Conor Young, and Cathal Khan were doing trojan work making point scoring very difficult for their rivals. Carl Dunne was in inspirational form, moving from 8th to 7th to 6th by 5000m, Jake kept his composure in 17th place, with Feeney, Berkery and team captain Barnes all in the top 40. With a commanding but not unassailable lead, it needed a final 1000m of relentless courage to secure the most coveted trophy in Irish school's athletics. There was no collapse in those final 1000m. Dunne finished off in 5th, a truly remarkable effort at his first season in this grade, and leading his team in the best possible fashion, Mc Donnell ( 23rd) was winning his 2nd national title in 6 days having starred for Raheny juniors on the previous Sunday. Berkery 41st and Feeney 43rd sealed the deal with a very gutsy final burst. It took a little while before the results were processed. But when the electronic scoreboard flashed 1st St Josephs CBS 113, it set a great tide of celebration in train.

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