Glenmore out in force at Rás
GLENMORE sent a large contingent to the 50th Ras Na hEireann at Oldbridge in Drogheda.
Niamh Cranny was first out in the girls U9 500m running a fine race. Zoe White led the U11 girls taking 6th position out of age and together with Sarah Duffy, Aine Finnegan and Aoife Mc Donald took the silver team medal. They were closely followed by Holly Mc Cann, Sophie Cummiskey and Anna Gaztambide.
Mario Liam Gaztambide represented the club in the boys U11 1000m with a fine performance. The U13 girls also took a team medal as Jessica White, Grace Keenan, Ellen Callan and Katie Mc Donald landed the bronze with Mia Ashby, Leah Dunne, Eimear Finnegan and Aoife Keenan all competing well.
Elliot Nichols and Peadar Walsh ran well in the U13 boys 1000m. Lisa Conlon finished 4th in the girls U15 2500m followed by clubmates Ava Brady, Sarah Mallon and Ava Ashby.
James Dunne finished a strong 7th position in the boys U15 event just missing out on the medals. Ciaran Flynn and Katie Mallon both ran in the junior events.
Glenmore Seniors were also out in force at the 50th running of The Larry McGuill Ras Na hEireann XC in Oldbridge hosted by Dunleer AC. Shane Toner (20:18) Shane Lynch (21:19) Donal Mc Moreland (22:54) and Ciaran Flynn (23:11) put in fine individual and collective performances to secure a podium spot from a field of athletes from all corners of the country. Others to perform well well were PJ Hayes, Ciaran Walsh, Kenneth Mc Bride, Kevin Harnett, Tony Ashby and Llody Byrne. In the ladies 4km, Sarah Dooney, Katie Mallon, Kinga Byrne, Lorraine McCann, Erin McGreehan, Joan Farron and Vicky Leahy flew the Glenmore flag proudly.
The club’s Kearney McBride 5k road race will be held on Sunday 3rd March starting at the Bush school and finishing with a lap of the track at the Bush. Early bird registration rate still available. For further details check out Glenmore AC on facebook.
THE club held its AGM last Wednesday night and the following officers were elected to serve for 2019:
Honarary Presidents: Danny Ferguson & Michael McBride (RIP); Chairperson: Rose White; Vice Chairperson: Kenneth McBride; Secretaries: Fiona McQuade, Erin McGreehan, Melissa McCoy; Assistant secretary: Hilary Parker; Treasurers: Jim Clerkin,Lorraine O’ Reilly, Melissa McCoy; Competition Secretary: Eamonn Conlon; PRO: Sarah Moore ; Senior PRO: Fiona McQuade; Registrar: Lorraine O’Reilly.; Assistant Registrar: Marie O Connor; Child Welfare Officers: Lloyd Byrne, Vicky Leahy; Website: Eamonn Conlon; Facebook: Kinga Byrne; Photographer: Sharon Tuohy; County Board Delegate: Dermot Barry; ; Club gear: Joan Stewart, Lorraine O’Reilly, Marie O’Connor; Club phone: Irene Brady; Race Co-ordinators: Patrick O’Reilly, Stephen O’Connor; Fun on the run co-ordinator: Melissa McCoy
On Thursday evening a small group of juveniles travelled to compete in the Armagh road races where Lisa Conlon a winner on the night.
Ava Brady, Ava and Mia Ashby and Oisin Mc Coy all competed well also. IT was a busy week for all at St Peter’s AC as athletes competed in Armagh and Drogheda.
The journey north to Armagh City for the annual road races is always a fantastic occasion, attracting massive numbers in all the juvenile races which precede the high-quality adult races.
The club had debutants in the under 9 age group with Senan Dolan and Caoimhe Morgan and both coped very well and showed great promise for the future.
The under eleven age group in the girls race the St Peters Club was very well represented and also had representation on the podium as both Emily and Hannah O’Reilly finished 8th and 9th respectively. Grace Carey, Katie Preston, Niamh Allen, Dearbhile Morgan and Aoibhinn Hughes all battled really well through the big field of Athletes.
The boys under 11 were led home by Donacha Reidy closely followed by Cain Murtagh and Cian Smyth. The girls under 13 race was a great race for St Peters with the inform Dearbhla Allen in the mix up front from gun to tape, Dearbhla was part of a break away group and at one stage it looked like she may take victory but had to settle for a brilliant third, Orla McLoughlin was next in for St Peters and was closely followed Catherine Carey.
The boys under 13 also strong performances from Harry O’Reilly who ran very bravely from the gun and finished in sixth position, Oisin Reidy also had a strong run in the same race.
The girls under 15 race had a total of six St Peter’s Athletes in action Niamh Brady led the St Peters fight with a tenth place finish and was closely followed by Ellie Smyth, Julie McLoughlin, Lucy Smyth, Isabeal Fitzpatrick and Judith Bell.
The boys under 15 was a really strong showing from the St Peters Club with three athletes making the first 10 podium. Mark Litchfield led the St Peters charge THE 50th Rás na hÉireann was celebrated in great style over the weekend, beginning with a plaque unveiling and tree planting in Larry Mc Guill’s honour on Saturday and followed by a very successful photo exhibition in the Dunleer AC clubrooms.
Friends of Dunleer AC and the Mc Guill family travelled from near and far for Sunday’s 50th Rás ns hÉireann and title sponsor Kingspan were on hand to present the medals and support the event.
It was a great show of friendship and enthusiasm, respect and athleticism, with the youngest athletes performing to the best of their ability from Under-9 right up to Under-17, and then the Juniors, Seniors and Masters throwing their hats in the ring with outstanding Dearbhla Allen with her Armagh Road Race trophy.
with an excellent third place finish in which he was pushed all the way to the line by club mate Dean Murtagh in fourth and Cian Gorham in sixth. Sean Allen also had a decent run in the same race.
On Sunday the battle of the Boyne sight in old Bridge was the venue for the 50th Ras Na Heireann. Niamh Brady was once again the brightest star on grass for the Dromiskin based club when she finished in 2nd place in the girls U15.
Dearbhla Allen continued her brave running with a fourth place finish. Cian Gorham had probably his best run yet in the Blue of St Peters with a fourth place finish.
Killian McKeown gave his all in the boys under 9. Harry O’Reilly had another fine run with a third place finish in the boys under 13 race.
Training continues as the club now prepares for the Track and Field season on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6.30. performances across the board.
The presence of the US team was very exciting for all concerned, as was the geographical spread of athletes and enthusiastic supporters from Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly, Cavan, Laois, Dublin, Clare, Mayo, Armagh, Down, Carlow, Kildare and Monaghan.
Former winners were honoured with medals specially crafted for the occasion, including the first Rás winner from 1970 in Micky Johnston, Willie Keane from Clare, Charlie Breagy (Dunleer), Rosie Lambe (Knockbridge), Martin Quinn (Dunleer), Angela Kerr (Armagh), Ann Marie Holdcroft (Dunleer) and Mick Priest from Meath.
The Larry Mc Guill Cup for the winner of the Men’s 6km Rás na hÉireann was presented to Matt Mc Clintock of the USA, while the women’s 4km winner - Joanna Thompson (USA) - was presented with the Dunleer AC Cup.
The Sandra Floyd Cup was presented by Ann and Joyce Floyd to the winning team of Dunleer AC for the second year in a row, with Neasa Reilly, Nicola Welsh, Karen Costello and Dearbhla Greene the scoring members.
The Noel Mc Guill Cup was presented by Larry’s brother Barney to the winning men’s team - also for the second year in a row - North East Runners. Peter Meegan received the Louis Duffin Cup as the first Dunleer AC man home and this was presented by Kay Duffin.
In the juvenile races Dunleer