Sunday the 6th of October 2016 was the opening day of the Meath Cross Country Season where the Even Ages athletes had a short journey to the Broadmeadows Equestrian Centre on the outskirts of Ashbourne to start the competitive end of this grass/hill running season. After the early morning mist had lifted the testing Saint Andrews AC course was unveiled, with good running condition to aid our youngsters.
In the opening race of the day – the under 10 competition -we had two athletes in action, namely Alice Griffin and Catherine Hanlon, both girls setting off in the biggest field of the day for a kilometre of hardship. Catherine was just outside the top ten which bodes well for her under 9 championship next week. Alice who is one of our budding throwers put in a good days work also as she made her work through the field. In the under 10 boys race Dylan Ryan took off like a hare, putting the pressure on the rest of the field from the off, and it was not until the final 200m that anybody managed to catch him after he ran out of steam, having to settle for bronze on the day. Andrew Norman was showing great improvement in this early stage of the season as he came home in the top twelve, and with Senan Howlin also having a decent outing: it was a pity the boys did not have another team-mate in action which would no doubt have secured them a team prize.
Our under 12 group are by now seasoned members of Dunboyne AC, competing to a high level on the inter club, inter county, province and at national stages. Meath have an unbelievable squad of girls at this age category and with places on the county team at stake, it was the making of a fantastic race. Sophie Dolan race a very even paced race until the final five hundred meters when she released the handbrake and accelerated from a pack that were chasing the nation champion to take a deserved silver medal. Aleah Kelly, still out of sorts after recent illness, looks back on track as she came home a strong fifth with the ever-reliable Laura Gavin coming home in seventh. The final scoring place was fought out between Isabelle Phillips, Aideen Reilly, Elizabeth Comerford and Kate Gormley. Kate got the betters of her elder this time out and will have an anxious wait to see if she will be selected for Meath for upcoming Leinster Cross Country Championship, finishing just outside the automatic qualifying position in this race. The girls, despite having a good outing, were pipped by their arch rivals Ratoath for the Club Team top prize, losing out by a single point and having to settle for silver. For our under 12 boys yet again we were one short of a full team for scoring purposes as Adam Smyth was joined by youngsters Ciaran McCormack and Mathieu Kieffer. All three boys ran strong races, Ciaran setting the early race and despite a gallant performance had to settle for silver as his chaser finally caught up with him on the finishing straight. Adam Smyth showed a return to good form as he out duelled Mathieu as he came home a frustrating fourth one place ahead of his clubmate. The only team prize this trio came away with unfortunately is the satisfaction that all three of them were qualifiers for the county team heading for Tyrellspass in Westmeath for Provincial duty at the end of the month.
We had an abundance of athletes available for duty for the under 14 girls competition with Katie Greene and Doireann Ni Fhlatharta being joined by the under 13 quintet of Niamh Sherlock, Kayla Ryan, Holly Conlon, Aoife McCormack and Rachael Norman in a bid for club’s first team crown of 2016. Doireann battled it out with the Community Games National Cross Country Champion, stretching the field as the race went off face from the gun and managed to take gold with a tactical move in the last 800m. Kayla and Aoife swapped positions throughout the race and it was only at the latter part of this race that Kayla put her stamp on the race and secured the bronze. Aoife came home a respectable fifth with Rachel not far behind in seventh which saw this talented bunch sew up the team gold. But what was most impressive about this troop was that Niamh and Katie (who had an early fall and just got up and got on with it) also raced to automatic spots on the Meath under 14 team and Holly has a nail biting fortnight to see will her fourteenth spot be enough for a call up for the Royals. Team performance of the day for this cheeky outfit. Poor Pablo Mendoza was the sole under 14 boy in action on this East Meath course and despite being his debut at a County Championship, he had a steady race which has him in contention for a call up for inter county duty despite running out of age.
Our final juvenile challengers of the day were our under 15 quartet who had all moved up an age group to contest the under 16 competition. Anna Griffin, Sarah Magee, Nicole Frazer and Kate Reilly were there to send out a message that they were coming good in time to retain their team title at the Father Murphys AC venue next Sunday. Kate had a gutsy race, actually doing what she was told for a change (smiley face) and getting a good start: she had Nicole hot on her heels for most of the race as she raced to bronze. Sarah and Anna just bit their lip and tackled the extra distance at this age and were exhausted at the finish but their endeavours had reward as they captured the teams second team crown of the day.
Well done to all, great performances. Thanks to all the parents, siblings and coaches who traveled in support. It is looking good for the Un Even Ages Cross Country Championship in Athboy next Sunday, the 9th of October.
Photos HERE
