The Athletics Leinster InterCounty Team

The Athletics Leinster InterCounty Team event is an relatively recent annual event for U14 and U16 boys and girls county teams from across Leinster. Team compete in 100m, 800m, Long Jump, Shot Putt and 4 x 200m with two athletes from each county competing in each event and points being awarded based on finishing position. The county team with the most points after the 5 events receives a plaque commemorating their achievement. This event was held for the second time on 15th September 2012 at Navan and being the host county, Meath entered teams in all 4 age categories. It proved to be a very successful day with Meath winning 2 of the 4 team events, the boys U14 and Girls U16 events. For the boys U14 team, there was wins for Kevin McGrath (Bohermeen) in the 800m (in an unofficial time of 2:06, not bad for a 13 year old) and Marc Shelly (Fr Murphys) in the Long jump. Kevin and Marc were supported all the way by Alex Hunter (Ratoath) who was 3rd in the 800m and Jack Hetherington (Dunshaughlin) who finished 2nd in the 100m. The quartet then combined superbly to win the 4 x 200m easily and the competition overall. The girls U16 also had several individual winners with Niamh Hetherington (Dunshaughlin) winning the 100m, Ashling O'Hare (Na Fianna) the 800m and Kelly Brady (Bohermeen) the Shot Putt. Sarah Armstrong (Bohermeen) put in a battling performance to finish 2nd in the 800m. Niahm, Ashling and Sarah were joined by Martha Dineen (Rathkenny) for the 4 x 200m which they won to confirm their place as champions in the overall competition. The girls U14 team of Olwyn Halligan (Rathkenny), Mairead McFadden (Bohermeen), Niamh Hand (Navan), Niamh Cowan (Dunshaughlin) and Ava Mangan (Dunshaughlin) competed very well in a tough competition to finish as 5th county overall. The boys U16 team of Luke McCabe (Cushinstown), Aaron Kealy (Dunshaughlin), Ivan Maher (Ratoath), Darragh Costigan (Dunboyne) and Shane Joyce (Cushinstown) were hampered be an early injury to Aaron and finished in 4th place overall. Well done to all these athletes.

County convention

To All County Officers/Post Holders, In accordance with the motion passed at our Convention in February 2012 the next Convention will be held in December 2012 (and annually in December from now on). I would ask that any Officers/Post Holders that do not wish to go forward for this Convention to please inform me ASAP so that this may be conveyed to clubs when they are considering nominations. It is my intention to have notice of Convention sent out before the end of September. Regards, Philip Cogavin County Secretary

News from Leinster Athletics

1) 30-09-12 - Kilcock Kilo Marathon - AAI Permitted - hosted by Kilcock GAA with the assistance of St. Coca's AC - commencing at 11.00am. 2) 30-09-12 - The Liz McDonnell Run - 5k Cross Country - commencing at 2.30pm. 3) 06-10-12 - Ferdia Challenge 5k and 10k Individual and Family Road Race, Fun Run-Jog-Walk - commencing at 3.30pm. 4) 25-11-12 - Inter Counties, Even Age Juvenile - Tattersalls Ratoath Co Meath. 5) 09-12-12 - Novice, Uneven Ages - Adamstown Co Wexford. 6) 03-02-13 - Masters, Intermediate & Juvenile Development - Gransha Park Co Derry. 7) 24-02-13 - Inter Clubs and Juvenile Inter Co Relays - Tullamore Co Offaly. Please also note that the next meeting of Athletics Leinster will take place on Thursday the 27th of September 2012.

Dunboyne AC in action

Sept 23rd Star of the Sea Cross Country Stamullen Seniors : Rory Kavanagh (15th) and Rory O'Neill (25th) both had good runs in their first cross country race of the year over a 6k course near Stamullen. Both men will be looking to do well in the Meath Novices next month. In the womens 3k race Emilia Dan finished first in her age category and fourth overal. Well done Emilia. Juveniles : Well done to the 10 athletes that attended The Star of the Sea cross country meet today.They were Dara and Daniel Kinnane,Ciaran Lonergan,Aoibhin and Doireann Ní Fhlatharta,Abigail and Victoria Knox,Anna and Kate Griffin and Faye Howlin. Doireann Ní Fhlatharta came second in the girls U10 individual race and the U10 girls team also came in 2nd and they were Doireann,Abigail and Faye.Congratulations girls! Sept 23rd Charleville Half Marathon Cork Tony O'Neill ran a PB in a time of 1.28.44 to finish in 126th place. Gary O'Hanlon had no starting line issues this week and finished 4th in a time of 1.08.13 19th September - Leinster schools combined events - Santry stadium In the colours of Castleknock College, Darragh Costigan was 6th in the Intermediate boys combined events and he will be still eligible for this age group next year. His performances over the 6 events were as follows 100m Hurdles -15.9s, 200m 25.5s, 800m 2:34, Shot Putt 8.21m, High Jump 1.80m and Long Jump 5.76m. On the 15th September, Darragh competed on the Meath team in the Leinster inter county team event that finished 4th in Navan, jumping 5.37m in the Long Jump to finish second and also running on the 4x200m relay team.

Star of the Sea AC cross country Thank You

I would like to thank all the clubs and athletes who supported this year's event to make it our most successful day ever. However I would like to apologise for the delay with the junior senior and masters results due to bad connections in the chip timing setup. While we had moved to chip timing to speed up results of the senior races and all their permutations it did not work out on this occasion.I went through the whole lot last night and checked all the results and entries. They are included on the attched spreadsheet. Times can be had by visiting the Precision Timing website. While the times for the men's race are correct the ladies are not. I have uploaded both the reports below to our Star of the Sea Facebook page where they can be viewed on the files section. There are approx 230 photos also up on our page. You can view Star of the Sea AC on facebook by following this link: http://www.facebook.com/groups/staroftheseaathletics/ Regards, Brendan Meade Race Secretary Star of the Sea AC Star of the Sea AC Star of the Sea AC held their 24th Annual Cross Country Meeting on September 23rd 2012 in perfect conditions on the hills of East Meath last Sunday. The sun shone over East Meath early in the day for the juvenile races but while the weather might have got a little cooler as the clouds gathered for the junior, senior & master races the pace of the races was definitely hotter. The crowd of about 800 (our largest to date at the Greenanstown venue) were treated to great racing through all age groups from the U9’s to the last race on the programme the senior men’s 6k. Once again we had athletes from as far apart as Portarlington to Belfast and were particularly well supported by our neighbouring counties of Westmeath, Kildare and Louth. The club would like to thank our sponsors FBD Insurances who sponsored the prizes for the winners of the ladies and men’s race and Dunne’s Centra Stamullen who supplied us with bananas for all our finishers. The committee of Star of the Sea AC would like to thank all our members who contributed by setting up the course, making cakes and sandwiches, those that then had the energy to go and run those hills, all our volunteers on the day that help to make the event run so smoothly and especially those in the tea tent that manage to refresh the many weary limbs with a hot cuppa. The quality of the racing through all the juvenile races was exceptional with some very close finishes. In the team stakes for the Star of the Sea Shield, which goes to the best juvenile club, Dunleer AC and Rataoth AC made the early running but true to form Mullingar Harriers moved into the lead in this competition from race seven in the programme. In the end they finished easy winners of the Shield with a total of 82pts from Naas AC in 2nd place on 31pts. The first podium finish for the host club came in the u12boys 1500m with Cian Casey finishing strongly to take the bronze medal. The U15 girl’s race had Mullingar winning the gold medal from Naas AC based on the position of the last scoring athlete as both teams tied on 24pts. The U17 boy’s 4500m race for the Sean Higgin’s Memorial Cup saw a new name added to the cup with Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers) taking the win from Gary Campbell (Dunleer AC) with Jack McGowan (Bohermeen AC). Sarah Fitzpatrick (Dundrum South Dublin AC) led from gun to tape to take the victory from Clodagh O’Reilly (Annalee AC) in the ladies race over 3000m. These two junior athletes were followed home by Nicola Bull (Star of the Sea AC) who fought hard to hold off the challenge of master athlete Emilia Dan (Dunboyne AC). Dunshaughlin sisters Ursula Byrne and Linda Fahy fought out the battle for 5th and 6th place with Ursula gaining the upper hand on the race to the line. Nuala O’Reilly (Drogheda & District AC) came down to the cross-country after already running the Rathfarnham 5k earlier in the morning and took the victory in the ladies O/50 category. The men’s race over 6k was an enthralling contest with Colin Costello from the host club going into an early lead. As Costello the All Ireland 1500m champion opened up a sizeable lead over the first two laps, Robbie Matthews (Dunshaughlin) moved clear of the chasing pack and set about bridging the gap. Matthews who had a great season on the Meath road racing circuit this year, gradually closed on Costello and edged passed the East Meath man as they went out on their last lap. These two athletes last raced against each other in the South O’Hanlon 5k Road race where Costello came out on top but this time Matthews was making no mistakes and he powered home for a great win with Costello 2nd some 13seconds back. Patrick Roche (Naas AC) was 3rd with Vinny Connolly (Mullingar Harriers) taking 4th place. Damian Martin (Raheny Shamrocks AC) was the first master man across the line in 6th place. The junior men’s race was easily won by Robert Tully (Star of the Sea AC) from Cormac Costello also Star of the Sea with Tony Aspel (Crookstown-Millview) in 3rd place. In the men’s O/50 category Patrick O’Grady (Drogheda & District) took the win from Dermot Clarke (Bohermeen) with Benny Byrne (Dunshaughlin) in 3rd place. In the O/60’s race Pat Collins (Liffey Valley AC) finished first with Patsy Fitzsimons (South O’Hanlon AC) second and Conor Cooney (Drogheda & District AC) claiming 3rd place. In the team race Star of the Sea easily won the combined Jun/Sen team prize from Liffey Valley while in the master’s men the team prize was won by Raheny Shramrocks AC with Dunshaughlin AC in 2nd place. Results: U9 Girls 500m 1st Grace Fitzpatrick Dunleer AC 2nd Amy Doherty Ratoath AC 3rd Lily McEnteggart Blackrock AC 4th Caer NiGhibne Boyne AC 5th Hannah Breen Crookstown-Millview AC 6th Ciara Smith Tara AC Teams 1st Boyne AC 38pts 2nd Tara AC 42pts 2nd Mullingar Harriers 67pts U9 Boys 500m 1st Fionn Drummond Ratoath AC 2nd Oisin Cheshire Dunleer AC 3rd Sean Quinn Glenmore AC 4th Patrick Farrell Dunleer AC 5th Criostar Bewne Beechmount Harriers 6th Sean McEvoy Dunleer AC Teams 1st Dunleer AC 12pts 2nd Glenmore AC 40pts 3rd Boyne AC 53pts U10 Girl’s 500m 1st Nessa Reilly Blacrock AC 2nd Doireann Ni Fhlatharta Dunboyne AC 3rd Aoife Rutherford Ratoath AC 4th Beatrice Drummond Mullingar Harriers 5th Ava Ross Glaslough Harriers 6th Alice Ferguson Glenmore Ac Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 25pts 2nd Dunboyne AC 42pts 3rd Ardee & District AC 53pts U10 Boy’s 500m 1st Tom Kligannon Ratoath AC 2nd Conor Gray Dunshaughlin AC 3rd Dean Carroll Shercock AC 4th Colin Smith Mullingar Harriers 5th Conall Quinn Mount Pleasant AC 6th Mark Shaw Mullingar Harriers Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 19pts 2nd Tara AC 35pts 3rd Boyne AC 53pts U11 Girl’s 1000m 1st Abigail Dunne Naas AC 2nd Abbey Sheridan Ardee & District AC 3rd Ciara Quinn Glenmore AC 4th Eavha Stewart Naas AC 5th Niamh O’Reilly Tullamore Harriers 6th Sally Murphy Naas AC Teams 1st Naas AC 11pts 2nd Boyne AC 32pts 3rd Mullingar Harriers 37pts U11 Boy’s 1000m 1st Shane Smith Tara AC 2nd Patrick Tucker Crusaders AC 3rd Eoin Quinn Mullingar Harriers 4th Andrew Shaw Mullingar Harriers 5th Ciaran Luby Mullingar Harriers 6th James McArdle Unattached Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 19pts 2nd Mullingar Harriers 30pts 3rd Crusaders AC 46pts U12 Girl’s 1500m 1st Susan Glennon Mullingar Harriers 2nd Elysia Green Mullingar Harriers 3rd Molly Aspell Crookstown-Millview AC 4th Lauren Carey Naas AC 5th Rebecca Balfe Emo Rath AC 6th Megan McNamee Mullingar Harriers Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 9pts 2nd Beechmount Harriers 39pts 3rd Naas AC 49pts U12 Boy’s 1500m 1st John Whitelaw Mullingar Harriers 2nd Adam Bate Mullingar Harriers 3rd Cian Casey Star of the Sea AC 4th Danny O’Brien Ardee & District AC 5th Aaron Getty St. Brigid’s AC 6th Enda Gaffney Mullingar Harriers Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 9pts 2nd Naas AC 36pts 3rd Tara AC 45pts U13 Girl’s 1500m 1st Amy Clarke Na Fianna AC 2nd Sarah Clarke Na Fianna AC 3rd Andrea Brady Mullingar Harriers 4th Eva Cummins Boyne AC 5th Rebecca Duffy Beechmount Harriers 6th Davicia Patterson Beechmount Harriers Teams 1st Na Fianna AC 13pts 2nd Mullingar Harriers 24pts 3rd Beechmount Harriers 43pts U13 Boy’s 1800m 1st Jack McCullough Dunleer AC 2nd Conor McHugh Mullingar Harriers 3rd Shane Hanly St. Brigid’s AC 4th Tony O’Conor Naas AC 5th Ruarcan O’Gibne Boyne AC 6th Jack Moran Mullingar Harriers Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 21pts U14 Girl’s 2000m 1st Alannah Bate Mullingar Harriers 2nd Naoise McConnon Ardee & District AC 3rd Eva O’Donovan Navan AC 4th Leah Cooney St. Michael’s AC 5th Hannah Stewart Glenmore AC 6th Orla Mullally St. Michael’s AC Teams 1st Glenmore AC 25pts U14 Boys 2200m 1st Darragh Drury Shercock AC 2nd Paddy Maher Dunshaughlin AC 3rd Jack Fitzgerald Newbridge AC 4th Pierce McCormack Beechmount Harriers 5th Tadgh Leahy Glenmore AC Teams None U15 Girl’s 2200m 1st Eimear Fitzpatrick Dundrum South Dublin AC 2nd Anna Cleary Naas AC` 3rd Cliodhna O’Connor Crookstown-Millview AC 4th Roisin Crowe Crookstown-Millview AC 5th Rachel Glennon Mullingar Harriers 6th Janet Copeland Beechmount Harriers Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 24pts (last athlete 11th) 2nd Naas AC 24pts (last athlete 13th) 3rd Beechmount Harriers 31pts U15 Boy’s 2500m 1st Oisin O’Callaghan Abbey Grammar 2nd Oisin O’Gibne Boyne AC 3rd Shane Hughes Mullingar Harriers 4th Conor McGee Beechmount Harriers 5th Christy Conlon Beechmount Harriers 6th Cormac Dalton Mullingar Harriers Teams 1st Beechmount Harriers 17pts 2nd Mullingar Harriers 21pts U17 Girl’s 3000m 1st Siobhain Delany Naas AC 2nd Aishling Moody Mullingar Harriers 3rd Lorna Moody Mullingar Harriers 4th Ruth Murphy Naas AC 5th Edel Glennon Mullingar Harriers 6th Ciara Gallagher Naas AC Teams 1st Mullingar Harriers 10pts 2nd Naas AC 11pts U17 Boys 4500m 1st Jack O’Leary Mullingar Harriers (Winner receives the 2nd Garry Campbell Dunleer AC Sean Higgins Memorial 3rd Jack McGowan Bohermeen AC Cup) 4th Odhran Copeland Beechmount Harriers 5th Oisin Quinn Mullingar Harriers 6th Lorcan McGee Beechmount Harriers Teams 1st Beechmount Harriers 24pts 2nd Glenmore AC 32pts Star of the Sea Shield 1st Mullingar Harriers 82pts (for best juvenile club) 2nd Naas AC 31pts 3rd Dunleer AC 26pts

2013 Dates.

The Meath Board will announce its 2013 permit events in the coming weeks. The listing for next year was discussed at the September meeting and awaits sanction from AAI.

Votes of Sympathy

The September meeting of Meath Athletics Board passed votes of sympathy with the McCullough, Monks and Murtagh families at its September meeting.

Star of the Sea CC

Brendan Meade the county athletics board chairman will once again host the first cross country race of the season on his farm at Greenanstown, Stamullen on Sunday 23 September. The Star of the Sea club has lined up a major programme of cross country races right through he under age grades through to the junior, senior and masters. You can register online here http://www.runireland.com/events/star-sea-c-c

Churchgate Collection

The Meath Athletics Board 2012 churchgate collection will be on Sunday 23 September.All clubs will be contacted shortly with permits etc....

Cross Country dates and venues

The September meeting of Meath Athletics Board has announced the following venues and dates for its 2012 cross country championships. 7th October, 12 noon, St Brigids AC will host the novice, masters and even age championships at Ballinacree, near Oldcastle. 14 October, 12 noon. Dunboyne AC will host the intermediate, junior and uneven age championships at Dunboyne. The senior cross country championships will be staged at 11am on Sunday 16 DECEMBER at a venue to be confirmed. The Meath Athletics Board will host the national inter counties cross country championships at Tattersalls, near Ratoath on Sunday,25 November.

Ratoath AC 5km

Ratoath AC will host their first five kilometre road race on Sunday 16 September. You can register online at this link. This race like all the races promoted by Meath athletic clubs is fully licenced by Meath Athletics Board and the national governing body, Athletics Ireland. http://precisiontiming.primo-solutions.co.uk/ps/event/Ratoath5km

Bohermeen AC run coming up

40th Rennicks Cup 5 Mile Road Race 9th September 2012 This race is sanctioned by AAI and the Meath Athletics Board. The 40th Rennicks Cup and 37th Fr Delany Cup is just around the corner. This years event like last will run a 5k fun run alongside the 5 mile event and will be in aid of the Children's Hosiptal Crumlin. Commemorative Technical T-shirts will be given to the first 200 entrants with sizes guaranteed on a first come first served basis. Usual awards in all grades, event start and post race refreshments etc at Bohermeen Community Centre. On line entries can collect bibs on morning of race from 10am. Further times may be made available as entry grows. Club members will be able to collect bibs on Thursday evening following training at 7pm. http://www.runireland.com/events/40th-rennicks-cup-and-37th-fr-delany-cup Rennicks & Fr Delany Cups History The event has a long and distinguished history. The Rennicks cup was first staged in 1972 when local stone sculptor Attie Rennicks presented a silver cup to Bohermeen AC for the purpose of promoting and developing athletics in the area. The cup is a minature Sam Maguire and was made by the same makers Hopkins & Hopkins of Dublin. The event flourished as a cross country race until 2001 when the foot and mouth epidemic forced the promotion onto the roads and it has been on the tarmac ever since. The sister race the Fr Delany race for ladies was first staged in 1975 when the local PP of Bohermeen parish Fr Patrick Delany presented a cup to the club. He has since many years ago passed on like Attie and now both events stand as a fitting memorials to these fine members of our community. Course The course is quite scenic and enjoying to the eye of both the 5 and 10 mile runner. The 5 mile starts just up the road from Bohermeen community centre which is also race headquarters. The opening mile is relatively flat on the Newline or Famine road built by local labour in 1847. Mile two sees runners pass the former home of late local poet and historian Paddy Hyland. Further on the route runners pass Harry Iretons old house now Niall Monaghan's garage. Now only a stones throw from the now defunct Ardbraccan white quarry suppiler of stones to many great buildings including the custom house in Dublin. As the runners travel into mile 3 and 4 they pass Durhamstown castle the oldest lived in house in Ireland. Into the final mile and passing Bohermeen school and church and here in 1927 the first meeting of Bohermeen AC took place. The course is quite ok a few rises over the M3 and quite flat in parts. Not like Mondello or like Connemara!