Race goes down to wire
DROGHEDA United’s impressive 2-0 home win over Cobh, thanks to a Gareth McCaffrey double, seemed to put them firmly on course for the endof-season play-offs as it moved them eight points clear of fourth-placed Cobh with five games remaining.
However, key man Sean Brennan tweaked his hamstring in that game and Marc Griffin’s winning goal in Athlone the following week was soured somewhat by a needless sending-off for Gareth McCaffrey.
An Adam Wixted double in a 2-0 success against Shelbourne made it four wins on the bounce, but a woeful performance in a 1-0 defeat at Cabinteely ensured a nervy and exciting finish to the league season. Fourth-placed Cobh threatened to stage a smash-and-grab act to deny the Drogs their place in the play-offs.
Newfoundwell’s 3-1 win at Bellurgan United saw them move joint of the NEFL Premier Division, while at the other end of the table Boyne Harps beat Rock Celtic 4-3.
In the Leinster Senior League, Drogheda Town led three times but came away with nothing after a 5-4 home defeat by Mid Sutton Sportslink, but they won 2-0 at Parkvilla.
Charlie Graham scored the decisive goal as Boyne Rovers defeated Shelbourne 2-1 in the FAI Women’s Intermediate Cup Final at Whitehall.
Boyne Rugby Club made an encouraging start to their AIL campaign under new coach Graeme Eastwood with a bonus-point win over Bruff.
Renowned Laytown & Bettystown player Carol Wickham was the toast of Irish ladies golf when she helped her country claim goal at the expense of Belgium at the Senior European Team Championships in Poland.
Julianstown native Javan Nulty won the National Scratch Race at cycling’s National Track Championships.And in motorcycling, Duleek schoolboy Aaron Clifford scored his first national 600 Supersport win and repeated the feat in his second race of the weekend at Bishopscourt. Drogheda man Mark McConville clinched the Irish 650 Supertwin Stock championship.
Simon Ryan was second in the Harry Mallon Memorial 4-Mile Road Race promoted by his former club Boyne AC, with the O’Gibne brothers Oisin and Ruarcan fourth and fifth respectively after a great family duel. Sally Clarke from the host club was second in the Ladies event, behind Drogheda & District’s Ciara O’Reilly.
Ballapousta NS schoolboy Eoin Rogers competed in the World Pairs Angling Championships - the youngest person ever to do so.
Clogherhead’s Jack McCullough was declared the overall winner of the Northern Ireland H2O Swim Series ‘Junior King Award’.
The Wee County was strongly represented at the National Community Games Finals where gold medals were won by Ardee swimmers Harry Winston and Sam Winston and Ruarcan O’Gibne (Boyne AC) won the Under-16 Boys 1500m race on the track. Fellow athletes Euan Canniffe (Boyne AC) and Arthur Sands (Ardee & District) won bronze in the Under-14 javelin and Under-8 80m ‘B’ respectively.