The 2017 Jubilee Year Meath Community Games Track and Field County Finals took place in Cushionstown on Sunday the 11th of June 2017. To say that we experience every sort of weather condition imaginable would be an understatement (Luckily the snow storm blew off course), with the opening ceremony even having to move indoors as a thunderstorm struck. Our sun tan/ windburn came later in the day as this sporting festival eventually got going. To say that there is a huge amount of athletic talent in the Royal County would be the second understatement of the day, as the masses were entertained by the stars of the future. The following Dunboyne and Kilbride athletes were on show:
Under 6 Girls
60m: Melissa Foley
Under 6 Boys
60m Daniel O Rourke
Report- Both Melissa and Daniel were competing in their first races out Dunboyne in the much anticipated under 6 County final. This race is often the highlight of the sporting gathering as the crowd cheer on these youngster as they take off after the whistle, crossing lanes, looking all around them and some even waving at the crowd (if indeed some athletes get going at all- some puzzled looking kids still at the start line as others were finished wondering what all the fuss was, others still wrapped around their mothers legs crying have wilted with stage fright on what was to be their big day. Luckily Daniel and Melissa were not one of those dramatic kids and showed true potential in their race, getting the princely reward of a bar of chocolate as they crossed over the finish line.
Under 8 Girls
60m Juliette Kieffer and Sophie Delaney.
80m Holly Ryan, Amy Clancy, Grace Connell and Erica Reilly (Kilbride)
Report- Both Juliette and Sophie were performing on the big stage for the first time and after an anxious wait they got going in their 60m heats where they fought all the way to the line achieving their goal of qualifying for next round. In the semis both girls performed well again with both missing out on a place in the final by one place in their respective races. In the longer race the quartet of Holly, Erica, Amy and Grace eased into the semis with strong performances. All three 80m athletes gave it their all in the semis accelerating towards the finish line in what looked like a stampede of angry girls, frustratingly it was only Holly who made the final in a very high quality field. Holly blew the rest of the field away in the final, earning a deserved gold medal and qualification for her first Community Games National Finals.
Under 8 Boys
60m Sam Eglington and Fionn O Reilly
80m George Comerford and John Hanlon
Report- Both Sam and Fionn are underage again next year and showed what a force they are going to be in the near future they qualified from their heats for the semi final where both lads were not far of a spot in the final. Both George and John both looked strong in the heats of the 80m, and stronger in the next round. In the final they looked a bundle of nerves with the dynamic duo earning a place on the podium and both winning their first Meath Community Games Track and Field medal.
Under 10 Girls
100m Ruth O Reilly and Julia Harkin
200m Li Ann Grogan and Catherine Hanlon
60m hurdles Grainne Hendericks and Amy Kennerney
Mixed Relay Team- Li Ann Grogan, Paul Magee, Tom Gormley and Amy O Reilly
Report– Both Julia and Ruth put in a huge effort in their heats to advance to the semi finals where they fell just short of making the final. Both Li Ann and Catherine impressed in their heats and semis and it was no surprise to see them both line out for the 200m final. Both our 200m athletes were in the mix through-out the race and much to the delight of their entourage both girls finished in the medals. It was a baptism of fire for both Grainne and Amy in the hurdles, this their first competitive competition at a new event. Both of our hurdlers looked like they were competing for years with Grainne missing out on a medal by inches in the final. The mixed relay team worked hard in their heat to make the final and again had to feel unlucky as they chased down the opposition the home straight to lose out the most minute of margins.
Under 10 Boys
100m Paul Magee
200m Andrew Norman and Cian Doyle
60m hurdles Tom Gormley
Report– Paul was a bit under the weather on Sunday morning and still manage to put in a decent run in his 100m heat. He stayed on despite feeling ill and played a major part in driving the mixed relay team forward in the afternoon. Both Cian and Andrew looked strong in their 200m heats and semis with Andrew having bragging rights this time around as he finished just ahead of his teammate in the final this time around. Tom who was another one who impressed in the mixed relay had a slip in his hurdles heat crashing face first into the turf. But in fairness to Tom he got up with a smile on his face and showing true character finished his race without any fuss-still smiling.
Under 12 Girls
100m Sinead Magee and Kate Gormley
Long Jump Lilly O Malley
600m Elizabeth Comerford and Sophie Brown
Ball Throw Alice Griffin and Mya Foley
Relay Team- Sinead Magee, Elizabeth Comerford, Kate Gormley and Isabelle Philips
Report– Both Sinead and Kate qualified from heats to the semi final, and onwards to the final of their age group 100m sprint. The girls had a smashing final with both ending up in the medals as Sinead just pipped the younger Kate on the line. Lilly had a good outing in the long jump and came away with a pb. Both Sophie and Elizabeth had hard heats in the 600m, fighting all the way to the line to qualify for the final where they again put in a good performance. Both Alice and Mya showed mighty strength in the ball throw where they finished in the upper half of throwers field. The under 12 girls had a fantastic relay outing. Unlucky to only come away with a silver after a gutsy fight all the way to the finish line.
Under 12 Boys
100m Maithieu Kieffer and Jack Doyle
Long Jump Senan Howlin
600m Ciaran McCormack and Dylan Ryan
Ball Throw Harry Doherty
Relay –Dylan Ryan, Maithieu Kieffer, Ciaran McCormack and Harry Doherty
Report- Mathieu and Jack were impressive in their 100m heats and semi finals but when it came to the final they were up against some formidable names. Both lads left all on grass track, with Maithieu coming away with a deserved bronze. Both Dylan and Ciaran qualified comfortably from the heats for the final, where Ciaran was a power to be dealt with as he controlled the race from start to finished as he claimed gold. Senan was also in the medals in the Long Jump where his leaps took him the podium. Harry in the Ball Throw was not far of a prize, however it was the relay where he came away with silverware as the boys were in superb form as they claimed gold and a trip to the National Community Games Finals to be held in Abbotstown in August.
Under 14 Girls
Long Jump Rachael Norman
800m Doireann Ni Fhlatharta and Sophie Dolan
80m hurdles Kate Griffin
100m Lucy Eglington and Lorena Harrison
Shot Putt Ruby McFeat
Relay- Doireann Ni Fhlatharta, Lorena Harrison, Lucy Eglington and Kayla Ryan
Report- Rachael was the first medal winner of the day as she claimed a bronze in the long jump, all bodes well for 2018 where she is under age again. Both Doireann (Gold ) and Sophie (Bronze) looked impressive as they dictated the pace on the 800m, Doireann heading to the Nationals for her sixth year in a row, Sophie a year younger will be one of the favourites for 2018. Kate won her heat in the 80m Hurdles, and was straight into the final without a break and showed great character as she kept a smooth technique over the barriers to claim a deserved silver medal. Both Lucy and Lorena were prominent in their semi finals, and had a huge battle with their usual rivals in probably the tightest finishing race of the day as Lorena won Gold and Lucy Bronze in a blanket finish, Lorena’s first County title. Ruby was another one of our athletes in this age group in action, trying her hand at the shot putt where she showed a lot of potential. As if all these girls had not proven how strong this age group is Kayla joined in the medal fest as she was part of our quartet in the 4 by 100m relay that destroyed the rest of the field ( even beating the whole boys field) to qualify for the National finals in Abbotstown this Summer.
Under 14 Boys
800m John Brown
Report- John ran the 800m final where he dug deep finishing in touch with the chasing group in a hotly contested race.
Under 16 Girls
1500m Bonnie McFeat and Katie Greene (Kilbride) and Kate Reilly.
Report-All three girls finished in the medals as the Kilbride duo set of at a fast pace to burn off the opposition, Kate holding off Katie to earn gold and a place on the Meath Squad for the National Community Games Finals in August.
A big thank you to all who travelled and helped out. A huge congratulations to Holly, Doireann, Loreana, Ciaran and Kate who qualified as individuals for the National Community Games Finals in Abbotstown in August, and also a slap on the back to both the under 12 Boys and under 14 Girls relay teams on qualifying for the National. If we left anybody out of the report please let us know, logistically this event is a nightmare for coaches so we are only human and do make the odd mistake in our note taking.
