Meath runners keep it local in Leinsters.

The second day of the Leinster cross country championships was staged at
Dunboyne on Sunday. There were a number of individual, club and county medal
winning performances by Meath athletes. There was an added invcentive for
club and county teams in this event as the first four teams in each category
goes forward to the national championships which will take place at
Adamstown Co Wexford on Sun. 9 December.

In the first race of the day Shane Smyth from Tara Athletic Club put in a
great run to take silver in the boys under 11 race and lead his club team of
Jake cullen, Niall Finnerty and John Cullen to an excellent thrid place in
the inter clubs. The girls under 13 race featured some very strong
individual performance by Meath runners with vicory going to Amy Clarke, Na
Fianna ahead of local Dunboyne athlete Nicola Duffy with Sarah Clarke
(cousin of the winner) occupying forth spot. The Na Fianna club team
finished second in the club competition with Emma Neary and Sara Daly making
up the squad. These girls combined with Petra Reilly to get the bronze for
Meath in the inter counties
Alan Monaghan put in a very impressive run to add the Leinster under 15
title to the under 14 title which he took recently in Rathdrum. He led a
very strong county squad to victory in the inter county competition with
club mate Kevin McGrath,10th, Eoin Smyth,12th, Paddy Maher,14th,Alex
Hunter,16th,Philip Marron,27th.

The county also won the under 17 inter counties with Andrew Coscoran putiing
in another strong race to finish second overall, ahead of Conor Rennicks.
the other scoring memebrs of the team were Ciaran Bowers,6th,Jack
McGowan,12th,Gavin Maher,20th, Niall Cornyn,27th. In the girls under 19 race Ciara Rooney added the under 19 bronze to the under 18 bronze she earned on the hills and glens of Avondale House recently.

In the adult races the best team performance came from the womens team who
finsished third with Karen Lavelle,7th, Emilia Dan,10th, Linda Fahy,19th,
Ursula Byrne,20th. There was great local support for Luke Forde from
Dunboyne AC who put in a very spirited display to get into the silver medal
spot in the mens intermediate behind Tullamore Harrier, Liam Brady.
The results from Dunboyne and the first days events at Rathdrum auger well
for the prospects of local athletes and some of the teams as they prepare
for the nationals. The county plays host to the AAI Woodies even ages and
inter county senior cross country championships at the very apt venue of
Tattersalls, Ratoath on Sunday 25 November.