Drogheda duo do Ireland proud on biggest stage

TWO of Drogheda & District’s finest athletes were in action last Saturday at the British and Irish Masters Cross-Country International - and neither came home empty-handed.

This top-class event really is the athletics equivalent of rugby’s Triple Crown and the venue for this year’s race was Tollcross Park in Glasgow where the course featured feriously steep hills that would drive fear into the most hardened of athletes.

First up to run was Mary Leech who had been selected to run for her country in the Ladies Over-40 6k event.

Competing against the cream of Masters distance runners, Leech got stuck in right from the start and the hurt caused by those hills was etched on her face as she made her way round the very unforgiving course.

Encouraged by the large contingent of club supporters, Leech pushed on and played her part in the Irish team winning the bronze medals against tough opposition.

Next up was the Women’s Over60 race where Drogheda & District were represented by Nuala Reilly.

Reilly, short in stature but huge in heart, is always guanteed to give of her best and produce the goods when it matters the most and this race was to prove no exception.

With each of the four ladies on the team towards the top end of the field, the Irish team combined well to win the gold medals and Reilly now has a unique set of gold, silver and bronze from these championships over recent years.

The future of any athletic club, though, is in its ability to recruit and retain the teenagers who will be the seniors in a few short years.

Well, the future certainly looks bright for us after Sunday’s Leinster Uneven Age Cross-Country Championships in Tyrellspass, Westmeath.

Running in the Boys Under-17 race over 5k were Cormac Canning, Robbie Caffrey and James Nolan. These dedicated young athletes produced the run of the day and packed so well that all three finished within one second of each other!

Canning and Caffrey couldn’t be seperated and finished in sixth, with Nolan one place behind, and by finishing in the top 12 the trio automatically qualify for the Leinster team to run in the National Championships in Dundalk on December 11th.

In the Boys Under-19 6k race, Sam O’Neill put in a great effort to finish in 14th place and just miss out on qualifying for the Nationals.

O’Neill, who has an abundance of talent, was running out of his age group on this occasion and will get to run again in this event next year. Young Harry Caffrey also ran well against top-class opposition to finish 43rd in a field of more than 100 athletes.

Last Saturday’s Annagassan 10k road race also proved to be a good day out for some Drogheda & District members. Conditions on the day were good, and with a fast, downhill start hopes of some fast times were high.

Once the gun went, pocket rocket Shane Larkin lost no time in making his way into the leading group of about 12 runners.

Hanging on to the frontrunners certainly paid off for Larkin, and despite the strong headwind on the final 5k stretch he crossed the line in a fast 37:23.

Also running well was Bernadette Matthews who was the club’s first lady home in 46:24, picking up a second-in-category prize. Yvonne McMahon also had reason to smile as she finished third in her category in 48:10, while others who ran well included Robert Kierans (44:51) and Stephen Geraghty (44:56).

The Louth Athletics Awards took place last Friday evening in Dundalk where the guest speaker was Thomas Barr who finished fourth in the 400m hurdles at the Rio Olympics.

Three of Drogheda & District’s Juvenile members were awarded certificates in recognition of having won medals at National level, namely Lee McGuinness, Harry Caffrey and Cormac Canning, while also nominated for their achievements at county level were Blathnaid Donnelly, Sam O’Neill and Cormac Canning.

Looking ahead, all road lead to Drogheda & District’s new sports ground at Newtownstalaban for next Sunday’s Louth Senior-Cross Country Championships. Some great battles are expected as the cream of the county’s distance runners bid to win individual and team honours, so do come along and watch a great day’s racing.