Sunday the 25th of October saw our juvenile athletes travel westward towards Moyvalley where the Leinster Even AgesCross Country Championship was taking place under the stewardship of Na Fianna AC. There was a nip in the air as we arrived on the course, with a fresh bed of levels to welcome us into what was going to be a testing course.
Our talented under 12 girls were first to the start-line, most representing both club and county. Rachael Norman and Aoife McCormack battled all the way to the finish line in a bid to be first club member home, with Rachael just ahead on this occasion as both girls just finished outside the individual medals. Both Kayla Ryan and Niamh Sherlock had strong runs leading Aleah Kelly , Lucy Eglington, Kate Griffin, Ruby McFeat and Aideen Reilly home for a fantastic team score which saw the girls win silver medal in the team championship. To add to the joy Kate, Aoife, Rachael, Niamh and Kayla were members of the Meath team that also finished on the podium by taking second in the Inter County Championship. All the girls earned a place in the All Irelands which are to be held in Santry in November.
We has just four boys competing in the under 12 boys race where Caillian Thornton joined Ross Lyons, Adam Smyth and Thomas Richards for his first race of the year. All the boys raced well, however Ross was star of the team as his top ten finished guaranteed him an individual medal as well as a place on the Leinster team for next months national.
We had no shortage of girls to make up our under 14 girls team, where Anna Griffin, Sarah Magee, Lauren McConnell, Kate Reilly, Nicole Frazer, Aoibhin Ni Fhlatharta, Bonnie McFeat and Doireann Ni Fhlatharta took there place in the starting shoot in a bid for glory. Doireann continued her good form finishing fifth and in the medals earning a Leinster selection for the All Ireland in North Dublin in four weeks time. With some good runs from Nicole and Kate Meath were unluck not to medal in the Inter County with our troop finishing a respectful seventh in the team competition.
Nicola Duffy continued her comeback in the girls under 16 Meath colours where she finished a decent 15th and second county runner home as Meath. The Meath team medaled in 3rd, which see Nicola travel to the All Ireland’s.
David White was the final Fit for Youth athlete in action over the weekend as he wore the county singlet for the first time, he showed huge improvement in recent weeks and was well up in the Meath finishers in his debut provincial competition.
Well done to all our youngster who keep the Dunboyne colours flying high (despite the missing tear drop flag). As always a big thanks to all the coaches and support who travelled. Roll on the Leinster Un Even Championship in New Ross, Co. Wexford on Sunday the 8th of November.
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