Richardson’s Ràs triumph
SLANE native Ian Richardson was leading Irish County Rider in the An Post 8-Day International Ràs. Julianstown native Javan Nulty won the Sean Nolan Meath Grand Prix and Richardson went on to top the podium again in the Naas Time Trial. At the Isle of Man TT, Stamullen native Alan Bonner made an impressive return to the venue with a 21st-place finish in the Superbike race.
Drogheda United slipped up at the unlikeliest of venues - Stradbrook - as the league’s bottom club Cabinteely held out for a fully deserved point, but the subsequent 2-2 draw in Limerick could not have been more different as the Boynesiders played with passion and skill against the full-timers.
Aaron Ashe’s 89th-minute strike to give Drogheda a 2-1 lead was cancelled out in stoppage time, but it was still the first points dropped by Limerick all season and a good result going into the two-week summer break, with Pete Mahon’s men well placed in terms of their promotion play-off hopes.
A seven attempt to force a change to a summer season in the North East League failed at the agm. The NEFL’s presentation night had to be postponed due to a lack of interest from clubs receiving awards.
In the Dundalk Schoolboy League, Ardee Celtic were crowned Under-13 Cup winners.
Boyne AC’s Amy McTeggart won two medals for Irish Universities against their Scottish counterparts. The bucket list of Duleek & District’s Kevin Durkin was reduced by one after he completed the Club La Santa Lanzarote Ironman and his clubmate Derek Reilly won the 50km race at Donadea Forest Park. Liam Connaughton (Dunleer AC) set a new championship best to claim Leinster Under-17 javelin gold. Jonathan Commins, Conor McMahon, Sian Motharim and Abbie Sheridan all qualified for the Nationals from the Ardee & District club.
Local schoolboy Jack McCullough won the Junior race in the Clogherhead Round the Head Swim, while the title of open-water champion went to Colin Lowth.
Club chairman John Hurley captured the Greenhills Bowls Club Charity Singles Tournament title on the day of his birthday.
Eleven-year-old Ardee boy Eoin Rogers became the youngest ever winner of the King of Corstown angling competition.
County Louth golfer Gerard Dunne almost wrote himself into East of Ireland Championship folklore when coming within one shot of becoming the first ‘home’ winner since Finbar Ronan in 1985. Seapoint Pitch & Putt Club played host to the National Ladies and Gents Matchplay Championship.