Double delight for Dunleer
DUNLEER AC can boast two senior Louth Cross-Country champions for 2018 after Karen Costello and Garry Campbell emerged as winners of the ladies and men’s races respectively at Newtownstalaban.
Costello has just been selected to run in the upcoming International Masters Meet in Swansea and based on her runaway victory in the Ladies 6km race she is in great form. Costello led her team to victory and was hugely supported by her great team of Dunleer AC ladies, with Nicola Welsh third and Dearbhla Greene fourth, backed by Nicola Courtney, Sandra Doheny and Denise Gallagher.
Campbell won the Men’s 10km race by a huge margin in a time of 31:31, retaining his Louth senior title in the process, also and led his team to victory.
The first six home were all in Dunleer colours, with Campbell followed home by Tomás Cotter (2nd), Jack Boylan (3rd) and Darragh Greene (4th), with Pat Fitzpatrick and Anthony Connolly fifth and sixth respectively. Dunleer’s second team finished in fifth place thanks to the efforts of Paddy Mahoney, Patrick Connolly, Mark Carroll, Richard Califf, Aonghus Rooney, Shane Lavery and Ollie Mc Hugh.
The Dunleer juveniles had great fun in the relay competition and some very composed running led to team medals and fine performances all round.
It seems that recent performances by the seniors have inspired a new generation, judging by the performances of the Dunleer AC juveniles rainy, mucky and windy conditions at last weekend’s Leinster Cross-Country Championships in Wexford.
Young Cormac Greene ran a terrific race to finish second in the Under-9 non-championship Leinster event and was backed by his clubmates Lucas Lavery and Darragh Rooney.
The Under-11 girls age group had an individual medallist after Sally Sheridan finished 11th, with Leah Rooney also having an excellent run. Dunleer’s Boys Under-11s gave a great team effort but as they are still under 10 were more interested in gaining experience at this level.
Dunleer AC had three girls in the top 12 in the Under-13 race, with an outstanding win by Erinn Leavy, supported by Rebecca Baldwin in eighth and Lucy Sheridan 12th, and Aibhe Reilly moving up an age to make the team.
In the Boys Under-15 race Dunleer had another individual medallist in James Russell - finishing 10th.
Neasa Reilly stole the show in the Under-17 Girls event with a brilliant win, while Peter Meegan earned an individual medal in the same age group with sixth place in the boys event and Danny O Brien was 13th in the Under-19 event.
The Dunleer AC crew will be beginning preparations for Rás 50 over the next few weeks. Rás na hÉireann will be celebrating its 50th staging on Sunday February 17th at the (OPW) Battle of the Boyne site at Oldbridge.
Results
Fosters Premier Div: Thatch 6, Sally Inn 4; Matthews 7, Boyne Valley 3; Lantern Bar 4, Greyhound 6; Mariner 6, Carranstown A 4. Fosters Div 1: Carranstown B 5, Morning Star A 3; Grennans 5, Hill Bar 3; Maguires A 4, Cottage Inn 4; Thatch C 4, Pheasant 4.
Fosters Div 2: Morning Star 3, Valley Inn 5; Fair Green Bar 4, Foxs 4; Nolans 3, B/W Thatch 5; Alverno 5, Lynchs 3.
Fosters Div 3: Coast Tvn 3, Mariner B 5; Railway Bar 8, Thatch B 0; Watters 5, Admirals 3; Maguires B 5, Barney Macs 3.
Fixtures
Friday November 16th
Fosters Premier Div: Greyhound v Matthews; Mariner A Thatch A; Carranstown A v Boyne Valley; Sally Inn A v Lantern Bar.
Fosters Div 1: Maguires A v Grennans; Cottage Inn v Pheasant; Hill Bar v Carranstown B; Morning Star A v Thatch C.
Fosters Div 2: Sally Inn B v Fair Green Bar; Foxs v Alverno; Morning Star B v Nolans; B/W Thatch v Lynchs.
Fosters Div 3: Barney Macs v Mariner B; Thatch B v Maguires B; Thatch D v Watters; Admirals v Coast Tvn.
Tables
Premier Division Division 1 Division 2 Division 3