Gerards go well in Meath

DUNDALK clubs including St Gerards AC were strongly represented as the annual Star of the Sea Cross-Country got the winter season off to a start race on Sunday last in fine conditions in Greenanstown, Stamullen .

Wearing the red singlets of St Gerards with pride were Cara and Leah Miele, Hazel Larkin, Isabel and Sarah Holmes, Tom Phillips, Adam Joynt, Ben and Adam Eccles, Doireann Conlon, Sophie McGinnity, Ellie Mc Veigh Abaigh Moonan, Enya Silkena, Grainne and Emily Moran and Keeley and Leah Mooney.

With representation from clubs from all over the region, competition was of the usual high standard.

First into action on the challenging course were Sarah, Cara and Hazel who all did well on the day.

Next up were the boys u9 team, racing together for the first time. The highly promising Tom Phillips led the way home followed by Adam Joynt and Ben Eccles and just missed out on a team prize in a bold showing.

The girls U10s performed excellently, with the ever reliable Doireann Conlon running a clever race and finishing very fast to pick up the silver medal spot, followed by one to watch Sophie McGinnity, Ellie Mc Veigh and Keeley Mooney.

In the boys U10 race the ever improving Adam Eccles finished well up the field, showing he is going the right way.

The highly successful girls U11 team continued the good work, with Abaigh Moonan running a perfect tactical race battling to the line, just to be pipped at the post finishing in second place, followed by a fast finishing Enya Silkena in third, with Grainne Moran following them home to ensure the girls picked up team gold.

Emily Moran ran her usual solid race as the club’s sole competitor in the girls U12 race.

Leah Mooney ran another excellent race in the U14 girls 2,000m. With the distance a little shorter than she would like, she took a while to get into her running, keeping on well throughout the race to finish strongly in fourth place with an excellent run, followed home by Isabel Holmes and Leah Miele, with the girls just missing a team prize.

This was a great start to the winter season for the club’s young athletes, many of whom were debuting at cross country.

With the Louth championships taking place over the next two weeks, the experience will greatly benefit them as they continue their progress.

Picture: Ken Finegan They’re off! Elite runners are to the fore, including Mick Clohisey, Paddy Hamilton, Emma Mitchell, Brian McCluskey, Eric Keogh, Catherina McKiernan and Darragh Greene to name but a few, at the Stephen Carroll/Captain Mark Duffy Blackrock AC 4 Mile...

Abaigh Moonan and Enya Silkena of St Gerards AC on the podium after their second and third place finishes at Star of the Sea Cross-Country Races.

Julie McLoughlin, Niamh Brady, Harry Oreilly, Sean Allen and Cian Gorham of St Peter’s AC.