The winning Bohermeen team - see details below

Bohermeen make it three in-a-row at Road Relay Championships

Published: Thu 28 Mar 2019, 7:00 AM

Bohermeen AC won the men's Meath Road Relay Championship for the third year in-a-row on Sunday, the first Meath club to achieve that feat in the 15-year history of the event.

The Bohermeen club hosted the 15th annual Meath Road Relay Championships on Sunday morning from the Bohermeen Community Centre and it was a successful venture.

The Joe Kenny Cup (women) and Mattie McGrath Cup (men) were presented to teams from Dunboyne and the host club respectively following an action-packed morning.

Recently appointed Meath AAI president Rose Healy from Fr Murphy AC was on hand to make the presentations.

Bohermeen AC men's winning team at Sunday's Meath Road Relay Championships Kevin McGrath (left), Darragh Rennicks, Rose Healy Meath Athletics President making the presentation, Tony Walsh, Kevin Reilly.

Some 30 teams were in action as most of the affiliated clubs were represented with 15 teams in both the men’s and women's events.

The uniqueness of the championships mean that runners of all ages can take part with four categories comprising the 800 metres, one-mile, one and a half miles and the final leg is over a distance of two miles in that order.

Athletes in the 15 - 16-year-old categories are restricted to the two shorter distances while the overall length of the four events combined is five miles.

THE NAVAN AC TEAM

LADIES

The ladies relay was won impressively by the Dunboyne quartet of Marie Tobin, Doireann Ni Flatharta, Claire Ni Fhaircheallaigh and Eva McNeilis.

The quartet dictated from gun to tape having held the lead from the start for an impressive victory.

Ratoath, last year’s winners, had to settle for silver and Na Fianna completed the top three for a bronze medal.

Dunboyne ladies received the Joe Kenny Cup for winning the Meath title.

DUNBOYNE LADIES TEAM

MEN

The men’s relay started as soon as the final ladies team crossed the line, but unlike the ladies race the result wasn’t as clear cut until the final 200 metres.

With 15 teams lined up Shane Hanly of St Brigid's took the athletes through the first leg in pole position, but the A and B squads of Ratoath were prominent holding first and second positions on the road going into the final two-mile leg.

Darragh Rennicks of host club Bohermeen was in close pursuit in third place.

The time gap between Rennicks and the young Ratoath athletes appeared out of reach for the seven-time Meath senior cross-country champion, but he astounded many as Bohermeen’s photographer on duty Annie Ball spotted him through her Nikon lens 500 metres out with a narrow lead.

Rennicks crossed the line in front to lead Bohermeen men's team to their third win in-a-row and the first club to win the title in three consecutive years.

Bohermeen’s winning quartet for the Mattie McGrath Cup was Tony Walsh, Kevin McGrath running the fastest mile of the day 4:37 despite a cone-turn on the road, Kevin Reilly who has been a club member for over 30 years and Rennicks who posted the fastest two-mile leg of the day in an impressive 9:42.

RATOATH ATHLETES

RESULTS

MEN
Grade A
1, Bohermeen 24:59 (Tony Walsh, Kevin McGrath, Kevin Reilly, Darragh Rennicks); 2, Ratoath 25:09 (Brian Kiernan, Peter Kilgallon, Philip Marron, Ciaran Crowther); 3, Ratoath B 25:30 (Jed Walsh, Kyle Witter, Matthew Hayes, Marcus Clarke).
Grade B
1, Dunboyne 25:50; 2, Cilles B 26:04; 3, St Brigid’s 26:31.
Grade C
1, Dunshaghlin 26:44; 2, Cilles B 28:33; 3, Duleek & District 28:34.

START OF THE LADIES RACE

LADIES
Grade A
1, Dunboyne 29:08 (Marie Tobin, Doireann Ni Fharta, Claire Ni Fhaircheallaigh, Eva McNeilis); 2, Ratoath 29:50 (Karen Hayes, Aimee Doherty, Hannah Slatetry, Aine O’Connor); 3, Na Fianna 31:31 (Sarah Clarke, Emma Neary, Bridgie Clarke, Mary Hanley).
Grade B
1, Navan 31:50; 2, Bohermeen 31:59; 3, St Brigid’s 32:42.
Grade C
1, Dunboyne B 32:28; 2, Dunshaughlin 33:09; 3, Fr Murphy 34:04.

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