Kirwan spears bronze at All-Ireland championships

Navan Athletic Club's Barry Kirwan continued his recent good run of form when took the bronze medal in the javelin event at the All-Ireland Schools championships at Tullamore last weekend. Kirwan, who was representing St Patrick's CS, Navan, registered a throw of 49.04 metres to clinch the bronze in the senior male category in what was a very impressive showing by the youngster. The javelin is a very technical and demanding discipline and there is now a depth of talent in the category in Meath with Kirwan's display at Tullamore a further indication of recent progress. Kirwan's performance follows his gold medal-winning display the week previous when he threw 49.98 metres at the u-23 Leinster Track & Field championships. Kirwan, who also plays rugby for Navan RFC, is a very keen athlete who has been improving considerably over the past number of years. In the next month he will compete in the All-Ireland Club championships and, as in previous years, he will represent Meath at a senior level in the Inter-Club Track & Field League. The Meath Athletics Board are actively encouraging field throwing events and this year have set up support and coaching for a Meath Development squad. Coaches from around the county have pooled their resources and are conducting workshops and coaching for juvenile athletes to ensure that there is a steady flow of new talent in the sport in Meath. Athletes from Navan AC won a record number of medals at the Leinster juvenile, junior and u-23 championships at Tullamore. Shannon Sheehy was a triple medal winner when claiming the silver in the girls u-12 ball throw. She also took the bronze medals in the 60-metre sprint and the long jump in the same age group. Eva O'Donovan brought her tremendous cross-country form to the track when winning the girls u-12 600-metres in a very fast time. Tara Gallagher and Orla Conlon took gold in the girls u-9 300-metre pairs competition and the silver medal in the 60-metre event. Aoife Farrell and Megan Gavin performed very well when taking the bronze in the girls u-10 ball throw pairs competition. Louise McDermott picked up a bronze medal with the Meath team in the girls u-11 relay team. Kirwan finished off a great week when throwing a personal best of just under 50 metres to take the junior javelin competition. This follows his Leinster Schools javelin victory when representing St Patrick's CS, Navan where he was voted athlete-of-the-year at the school. Sophie Kennedy was a double medal winner when taking the silver medal in the junior ladies 100m and the bronze in the 200m event. Robert Whelan took bronze in the junior mens triple jump competition. Joey Monaghan was just pipped for a medal in the final of the u-23 100m sprint and other atletes who made their finals but finished just outside the medals included Albhe Leahy and Aoife O'Reilly in the girls u-12 sprint and Sean Conlon in the boys u-11 high jump. MEATH TEAMS The Meath teams have been selected for round one of the AAI Track & Field League in Antrim Forum on Sunday, 13th June. Bus leaves Claremont Stadium, Navan at 8.30. The teams are: Men: 100m - Joey Monaghan (Navan); 200m - Neil Dunne (Star of the Sea); 400m - Feilib O Cinnede (Navan); 800m - Colin Costello (Star of the Sea); 1500m - Daragh Rennicks (Bohermeen); 5000m - Mark Hoey (Star of the Sea); 3000m s/c - Rory McDonnell (Dunboyne); 3000m walk - Micheal Doyle (Tara); long jump - Kourosh Foroughi (Star Of The Sea); triple jump - Robert Whelan (Navan); high jump - Kourosh Foroughi (Star Of The Sea); discus - Ger Nagle (Star of the Sea); javelin - Barry Kirwan (Navan); pole vault - Keith Doherty (Dunboyne); shot putt - Ger Nagle (Star Of The Sea); 56lb for distance - Barry Delaney (Star of the Sea); 4x100 - Joey Monaghan (Navan); Niall Matthews (Navan); Neil Dunne (Star of the Sea); Colm Keogh (Ratoath); 4x400 - Colm Keogh (Ratoath), Turlough Grant (Navan), Niall Matthews (Navan), Feilib O Cinnede (Navan). Ladies: 100m - Cheryl Dolan (Na Fianna); 200m - Sophie Kennedy (Navan); 400m - Karen Crean (St Brigid's); 800m - Sharon Monaghan (Fr Murphy); 3000m - Mary Hanley (Na Fianna); high jump - Jenny Reilly (Na Fianna); triple jump - Jenny Reilly (Na Fianna); long jump - Cheryl Dolan (Na Fianna); javelin - Grace O'Sullivan (Cushinstown); hammer - Grainne Miggin (Fr Murphy); discus - Karen Monaghan (Fr Murphy); 4x100 - Sophie Kennedy, Cheryl Dolan, Vanessa Hullon (Dunboyne) & Moira Peppard (Trim); 4x400: Karen Crean (St Brigid's), Sharon Monaghan (Fr Murphy), Mary Hanley (Na Fianna).