Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or so they say. However if one was to ask any of our juvenile athletes their opinion on the picturesque hills around Greenanstown in Stamullen they would have a far from complimentary description of the hilly Cross Country course. The sun came out and so did a healthy number of our younger athletes for the first Cross Country event of the 2015 season, the annual Star of the Sea Cross Country.
We had three under 9 girls in action in the opening race of the day with Laura McCormack, Alice Griffin and Julia Sherlock running their very first cross country. The girls were fantastic and considering that most are under age for another two years they led our troops to the battlefield with their heads held high and there were only smiles at the finish line. Sam Eglington at the ripe auld age of 5 also gave this testing course a try and unlike some of our our more seasoned competitors he did not seem fazed by his race.
Our under 10 girls trio, namely Lilly Ni Mhaille, Isabelle Phillips and Amy Frazer were all debutants at Cross Country running on this East Meath course and they all finished close together and in a respectable team position, given it was their first outing.
The under 10 boys race saw our first medals of the day, when Mathieu Keiffer got off to a powerful start and held on to win an individual bronze in this 500m race, and with Ciaran McCormack, newboys Joseph Richards and Reuban Finnegan in good form it was no surprise that the boys took bronze in the team event.
The forces of Dunboyne and Kilbride parishes combined to line out a talented under 11 girls team. The girls raced with great determination and with both Aideen Reilly and Laura Gavin finishing in individual medal positions, the pressure was on Sinead Magee and Serena Gavin to come up with the goods and so they did with all the girls firshing in the top third of the field as they claimed silver in the team event. With the girls earning their place on the podium the trio of Adam Smyth, Caolan McGovern and Adam Vaughan knew they had to dig deep to match their clubmates achievements, and the boys pushed hard all the way to the finish line and ended up in bronze position in the team competition.
There was much expected from our budding under 12 girls and boys. Racheal Norman was top of the class today as she won an individual bronze medal, as Kate Griffin, Niamh Sherlock, Lucy Eglinton, Aoife McCormack and Deverla McNiochlas ( another first timer) all finished well up the field to secure another team prize, this time silver medals. With only Ross Lyons and Thomas in action for the boys there was going to be no team silverware and it was up to this talented duo to fend for themselves…as the script goes.. and so they did as Ross finished second just ahead of Thomas who was third, earning their rightful place on the podium.
Doireann Ni Fhlatharta continued her fine form from the Summer as both she and Chloe Frazer won individual medals in the under 13 girls race. Abigail Knox and Katie Greene were also in flying form and with solid performances the quartet was only just pipped in the team competition and had to settle for silver on the day.
Our under 13 boys, as very often is the way, were the talk of the show with Conor Leane and Marc Leane leading the race from the start to make it a one-two for the terrible twins. The third of the Richards Boys (who take their talent from the mother’s side-the O’Hanlon…sorry dad) had a good debut in this very talented field to secure gold for the boys in the team event.
Most athletics clubs struggle to put togther a team in the older age groups, however Dunboyne AC are lucky to have a very dedicated Fit4Youth contingent (who are a joy to work with) and managed to field two under 14 girls teams. Nicole Frazer has shown some fantastic form in recent times and it was no surprise when she won an individual bronze medal and with debutant Kate Reilly and oldtimer Lauren McConnell all finishing in the top ten the girls won gold with ease in the team event. Our second team had another impressive performance by Sarah Magee, Bonnie McFeat, Anna Griffin and Aoibhin Ni Fhlatharta, showing just what a pool of talent we have in the club as they won bronze in the same team competition.
Our last performer from the Fit for Youth brigade was Nicola Duffy who was competing in an age group above her normal u17. After a year out and recovering from a bout of flu she started her endeavours to compete at the highest levels in 2016 by finishing a respectable 8th. Good to have her back and with her studies going so well the winning bug will be her only ailment in no time.
Well done to all and a big thanks to all the coaches and supporters who travelled. Check out our Gallery here.
