Ardee athletes make hay while sun shines
THE sun shone brightly for Dunleer AC’s 50th running of the Rás na hÉireann in Oldbridge on Sunday and the Ardee & District AC contingent came away with happy memories of the wonderful atmosphere at what was a superbly run event.
The first race involving the Ardee club was the Boys Under-9 500m and they had immediate success as Harry Breen came third and Tom Joe McCormack fifth - both receiving beautiful commemorative medals - closely followed by Kristupas and Jokubus Ruskyte, Patrick Callan and Alfie O’Sullivan. This group were triumphant as they went on to win the first-place team medals.
Jessica McCarron, enjoying an impressive sprint finish in the Girls Under-11 1,000m, just missed out on the medals as the club’s sole runner, but out in force in the boys equivalent were Oran Lynch, Alex Callan, Daniel Cirdei and Max O’Sullivan who all ran out of age impressively and came away with the third-place team medals.
Displaying some wonder performances over 1500m were Ardee’s Under-13s Molly Keenan, Caoimhe Carolan and Gabrielle Ruskyte for the girls and Arthur Sands, Dylan McCarron and Charlie Sands for the boys. The club’s Girls Under-15 team of Ava McNally, Orlaith Carolan, Samantha McCarron and Ruth Gillespie run 2,500m to take fifth place overall, while Jack McCarron was very impressive running out of age against tough opposition in the Boys Under-15 2500m.
Last of the Ardee juveniles to run on the day was Rebecca McCarron who produced a steady race out of age in the Under-17 3,000m.
Ardee’s senior Ladies took to the course next, running 4,000m, and joining veteran Rás competitor Pauline Breslin were Bernie Balfe, Yvonne Callan, Michelle Lynch and Annemarie Dillon who took fifth place overall as a team.
Ardee’s men’s team of Shane Carroll, Michael Lundon, Conor Lynch and Peter Carolan finished the day for the club, with impressive performances from newcomers Shane and Conor.