Croal best Meath athlete

Bohermeen AC"s Derek Croal finished best of the local athletes when he secured third position in the South O"Hanlon four-mile road race at Claremont Stadium on Friday evening. The popular event was won by Gearoid O"Connor (Rathfarnham) who put in an impressive performance ahead of Noel Carroll (Shercock). There was some joy for the host club in the men"s event when Paul Gleeson (South O"Hanlon) claimed top spot in the masters o-40 category. His club colleague Mark Leacy was second in the masters o-45 race while the irrepressible Paddy Mangan (Dunshaughlin) was just edged out for top spot in the o-50 category by Dermot Kerr (Armagh). In the junior men"s event Donal Hanratty (Tara) finished just behind winner Stephen Kerr (Armagh). Pauline Curley (Tullamore Harriers) proved best in the senior women"s event with Lucy Darcy (Sportsworld) in second spot. In the women"s o-34 race Dunshaughlin AC"s Linda Fahy was second behind Kathleen Horgan (Sportsworld) while Rosemary O"Neill (Star of the Sea) clinched third position. Other local athletes to show up well included Annmarie McCloskey (Na Fianna) who was second behind Paula Murray (Mullingar Harriers) in the o-40 event with Ann Hunter (Ratoath) in third place. Mary Watters was one of the few local athletes to win on Saturday when she finished ahead of the rest in the o-45 race. Bohermeen AC finished third in the men"s team race. The combination of Croal, Shane Boyle and Dermot Farrelly racked up 51 points behind winners Armagh with 28 points. The women"s team event was won by Sportsworld (124) while the Navan trio of Mary Watters, Marie Reilly and Hazel Scorer were second with 245 points. They finished ahead of Dunshaughlin"s team of Lindy Fahy, Susan Duffy and Sarah Mulvaney. RESULTS Men: senior - 1, Gearoid O"Connor (Rathfarnham) 20.48; 2, Noel Carroll (Shercock) 20.53; 3, Derek Croal (Bohermeen) 20.55; O-40 - 1, Paul Gleeson (South O"Hanlon) 21.42; 2, Ed O"Connor (Na Fianna) 21.56; 3, David Carey (South O"Hanlon) 22.3; master o-45 - 1, Denis Kerr (Armagh) 22.01; 2, Mark Leacy (South O"Hanlon) 22.14; 3, David O"Connell (independent) 22.18; masters o-50 - 1, Dermot Kerr (Armagh) 21.13; 2, Paddy Mangan (Dunshaughlin) 21.15; 3, Ben White (Mullingar Harriers) 21.47; masters o-55 - 1, James Gillespie (Armagh) 24.33; 2, Noel Hanratty (Trim) 24.59: junior men - 1, Stephen Kerr (Armagh) 21.1; 2, Donal Hanratty (Tara) 21.1; Vincent Connolly (Mullingar Harriers) 22.12. Teams - 1, Armagh; 2, Mullingar Harriers; 3, Bohermeen. Ladies: senior - 1, Pauline Curley (Tullamore Harriers) 22.31; 2, Lucy Darcy (Sportsworld) 24.17; 3, Crona Brady (Sportsworld) 24.27: o-35 - 1, Kathleen Horgan (Sportsworld) 25.28; 2, Linda Fahy (Dunshaughlin) 26.04; Rosemary O"Neill (Star of the Sea) 30.17; o-40 - 1, Paula Murray (Mullingar Harriers) 26.02; 2, Annmarie McCloskey (Na Fianna) 28.24; 3, Ann Hunter (Ratoath) 29.08; o-45 - 1, Mary Watters (Navan) 26.41; 2, Angela Kerr (Armagh) 28.29; 3, Elaine McCormack (Tri na Mhi) 32.48; o-50 - 1, Nuala O"Reilly (Drogheda & District) 27.57; teams - 1, Sportsworld; 2, Navan; 3, Dunshaughlin. Eight athletes from Trim showed determination and endurance to complete the 120km Wicklow Way Relay event last Saturday. The event was limited to 35 teams, but the Trim combination - aptly named the 'Trim Bravehearts" - lived up to their name by running through the torrential rain, testing climbs and sharp descents. David Hawcroft was the first Trim athlete to get the relay underway and was followed by Brian Cully, Danny Byrne, Ann Tobin, Joe Rowe, Brendan Gilligan, Declan Swords and Maureen Lowther. The Trim contingent finished 25 minutes faster than last year. The following athletes have been selected on the Meath teams for round one of the AAI Track & Field League at Cork on Sunday. The team bus to Cork leaves Claremont Stadium on Sunday morning, 6.15. Men : 200m - Niall Dunne (Star of the Sea); 400m - Feilbhe O Cinneide (Bohermeen); 800m - Morgan McDonagh (Dunboyne); 1500m - Rory McDonnell (Dunboyne); 3000m walk - Michael Doyle (Tara); 400m - Niall Matthews (Navan); long jump - David Tobin (Trim); triple jump - Robert Whelan (Navan); high jump - Shane Crawley (Cushinstown); discus - Ger Nagle (Star of the Sea); hammer - Mark Hanley (Fr Murphy); javelin - Barry Kirwan (Navan); pole vault - Keith Doherty (Dunboyne); shot putt - Ger Nagle (Star of the Sea); 56lb for distance - Mark Hanley (Fr Murphy); 4x100 - Joey Monaghan (Navan), Derek Stapleton (Navan), Niall Dunne (Star of the Sea), Ciaran McDonagh (Fr Murphy); 4x400 - Colm Keogh (Ratoath), Derek Stapleton (Navan), Niall Matthews (Navan), Feilbh O Cinneide (Bohermeen) Ladies; 100m - Cheryl Dolan (Na Fianna); 400m - Sophie Kennedy (Navan); 800m - Elaine Plunkett (St Brigid"s); 3000m - Mary Hanley (Na Fianna); 1500m walk - Lucy O"Sullivan (Cushinstown); 100m hurdles - Aisling Watters (Navan); high jump - Rosemary Daniels (Na Fianna); Long jump - Doireann Meade (Star of the Sea); shot - Aisling Wynne (Navan); javelin - Grace O"Sullivan (Cushinstown); discus - Aisling Wynne (Navan); 4x100 - Aisling Watters (Navan), Doireann Meade (Star of the Sea), Sophie Kennedy (Navan) and Cheryl Dolan (Na Fianna); 4X400 - Elaine Plunkett (St Brigid"s), Sharon Monaghan (Fr Murphy) Sinead O"Kane (Dunboyne), Maggie Higgins (Na Fianna).