Successful secondary schools championships

Over 350 athletes took part in the Meath Secondary Schools Cross-Country Championships at the Franciscan College, Gormanston on Wednesday of last week. The mild weather and the dry ground ensured there were very pleasant conditions for the athletes who came from 13 secondary schools. The organisers were encouraged to see that the overall standard has improved from last year and there were also some strong competitive performances which bodes well for the Meath athletes in the coming Leinster schools competitions. Young athletes from the Bohermeen club were well represented at the championships with Darragh Rennicks a comfortable winner in the senior boys race while Brian McGrath, representing St Patrick's Classical School, Navan showed plenty of grit to take the silver in the boys minor 1000m race. Siobhan Hegarty, representing Eureka, won an excellent bronze in the minor girls event while Karan Dunne was fourth in the junior race. RESULTS BOYS Senior: 3000m - 1, Darragh Rennicks (Kells Community College); 2, Luke Forde (St Peter's, Dunboyne); 3, Daniel English (Ashbourne Community College); team - 1, Franciscan College, Gormanston; 2, St Peter's, Dunboyne. Intermediate: 3000m - 1, Thomas Moran (Kells CC); 2, Eammon Wallace (Ratoath College); 3, Brian McDonnell (Ratoath College): team - 1, Ratoath College; 2, Franciscan College, Gormanston; 3, Ashbourne Community College. Junior: 2000m - 1, Aaron Hanlon (St Mary's Diocescan School, Drogheda); 2, Ciaran Connaughton (St Mary's, Drogheda); 3, TJ Caffrey (St Patrick's CS, Navan); team - 1, St Mary's Diocescan School Drogheda; 2, Franciscan College, Gormanston; 3, Ratoath College. Minor: 1000m - 1, Ross Blaney (O'Carolan College, Nobber); 2, Brian McGrath (St Patrick's CS, Navan); 3, Colm Leighburn (Ashbourne CC); team - 1, O'Carolan College, Nobber; 2, St Patrick's, Navan; 3, St Peter's, Dunboyne. GIRLS Senior: 1500m - 1, Shauna Moore (Dunshaughlin Community College); 2, Rachel Neary (St Michael's, Loreto Navan); 3, Emma Doherty (St Peter's College); team - 1, St Peter's College, Dunboyne; 2, Sacred Heart, Drogheda. Intermediate: 1500m - 1, Emma Troy (Scoil Mhuire, Trim); 2, Alison Daly (Scoil Mhuire, Trim); 3, Orla O'Donnell (Scoil Mhuire Trim); team - 1, Scoil Mhuire Trim; 2, Ashbourne Community College; 3, St Michael's Loreto Navan. Junior: 1000m - 1, Kirsty McDonnell (Sacred Heart, Drogheda); 2, Aoife O'Neill (St Peter's College, Dunboyne); 3, Caoimhe Moore (Dunshaughlin CC); team - 1, St Peter's College, Dunboyne; 2, Sacred Heart, Drogheda; 3, Ashbourne Community College. Minor: 1000m - 1, Deirdre Healy (Ratoath College); 2, Niamh Gallogly (Dunshaughlin CC); 3, Siobhan Hegarty (Eureka, Kells); team - 1, Ashbourne CC; 2, St Michael's Loreto, Navan; 3, Scoil Mhuire, Trim. Bohermeen's Darren Vahey put in a fine performance to secure third place in the All-Ireland Schools National Multi-Events Championships at Tullamore. This was Vahey's first All-Ireland schools medal. The events included in the championships were 200m, 800m, long jump, shot putt, 100m hurdles and discus. At the opening race of the cross-country season Star of Sea promoted their annual event at Grennanstown, Stamullen. Bohermeen's Derek Croal was sixth overall in a good field and was well backed by Dermot Farrelly, Damien Hilliard and James Shanley while Avril Fitzsimons also made a welcome return to cross-country action. Bohermeen Bohermeen AC's very popular children's running league started last week with over 220 children turning out on the opening night. The league continues on Tuesday, 6th October with the final and presentation on Saturday, 17th October. Next Sunday the opening round of the Meath Cross-Country Championship takes place in Stamullen and all selected athletes are asked to be at the juvenile course at 11.15 and adults at 12.0. Over 8,000 runners took part in the Dublin half marathon on Saturday. It was the third in the Adidas series and is used by many athletes as preparation for the Dublin marathon. The series has been a phenomenal success this year and there have been good performances from the Trim runners in all rounds this year. The first of the Trim finishers was John Ferry in the M35 category in one hour and 29 minutes. Maureen Lowther ran one hour 40 minutes in the W35 grade and is now concentrating on longer runs ahead of the 30th Dublin marathon in October. Brian Cully ran one hour 37 minutes in the Phoenix Park event just five days after his run in the Kilkenny half marathon. David Hawcroft (1.38:49) finished fourth in the M60 age group. Noel Hanratty finished in second place in the All-Ireland half marathon championships in Ballybofey. Hanratty completed the course in one hour 25 minutes to take silver in the M55 grade behind Hugh Gallagher from Letterkeny