Dundalk IT hosted the Development All Ireland Cross Country on Sunday the 24th of January 2016 to bring the curtains down on a very successful 2015 Cross Country Season for our Dunboyne Ac juveniles. We had a decent day and despite the recent inclement weather this flat fast course held up very well, with underfoot conditions only getting sticky for the later race on the days long athletics schedule.
Our under 11 boys Ciaran McCormack, Adam Smyth, Adam Vaughan, Caolan McGovern and Mathieu Kieffer were in action in the second race of the day. Ciaran, who has another year in this age group, led the team home with a strong top twenty finish to earn the club a credible 7th in the team competition.
With all but one of the under 13 girls underage for next years competition it was going to be a big ask for our ever improving youngsters, the seven athletes namely Aoife McCormack, Niamh Sherlock, Kate Griffin, Rachael Norman, Lucy Eglington, Katie Greene and Ruby McFeat showed no negativity as they settled into the race. Aoife got a flying start which was backed up by her determination and led to her winning an individual medal for the second year running as she led her team mates to a joint 4th place finish just short of a place on the podium.
Our under 15 girls team were crippled by illness and had the minimum four athletes at the starting line where Nicole Frazer, Kate Reilly, Anna Griffin and Sarah Magee were more expectant of glory in the Inter County Competition and despite excellent top twenty five finishes by Nicole and Kate Meath came home a frustrating 4th.
The team performance of the day came in the Inter County Cross Country relay saw Dunboyne AC’s Kayla Ryan get the Meath team off to a flyer and with two exceptional legs from Ratoath AC’s Sophie Quinn and Aimee Doherty our own Sophie Dolan was left with the privilege of leading the Royal County quartet to All Ireland Glory and Gold. This group of girls showcased the exceptional pool of talent in Meath Juvenile athletics.
Ross Lyons was Dunboyne’s sole member of the boys under 11 Meath Relay team which was another team decimated through illness, and despite his best efforts the lads finished seventh overall in what was a very impressive field of athletes.
Doireann Ni Fhlatharta was the only under 14 Dunboyne athlete in action for Meath which saw her claw the team from the back of the field and back in medal contention coming into the final leg, but alas it was not to be as coming into the finish straight Kilkenny forced Meath out of the medals into a frustrating fourth and off the podium.
Marc and Conor Leane were back for their first of two years at under 14 Cross Country Relay competitions, and being members of the Meath team which won gold in the 2015 under 12 relay the youngsters had to settle for fifth but there is no doubt that this very young team who are all eligible next year shall be a force to be reckoned with in 2017.
