Kilkenny spin for St Peter’s AC’s Dundalk athletes at the weekend

A group of St Peters Athletes enjoyed a trip down the M9 motorway to Kilmacow Co Kilkenny on Sunday for the annual St Senans AC open Cross Country meeting.

The long journey was worthwhile as all of the athletes performed excellently.

It total the club had four podium finishes.

Dearbhla Allen was the top Performer with a fantastic run in the girls U14 race which was run over a challenging 1500M course, Dearbhla got off to a good Start and was in Second place after lap one but then took control and led out the next two laps and cross the line some 5 seconds clear of the girl in second place.

Leah Mooney moved up an age group to compete in the girls U18, the race was run along with the junior , senior and Master ladies.

Leah showed great courage having recently recovered from a foot injury and put herself into the competitive end of the race and finished very strongly to take the U18 silver medal.

Niamh Brady wasn’t going to her two training partners have all the glory as she took part in a very strong U16 girls race, the pace was hot from the start and that didn’t deter Niamh who battled from gun to tape and earned a very deserving bronze medal with a third place finish.

The boys U16 was really stacked with quality with no fewer than five of the top twelve athletes from last years U15 National Championship.

Cian Gorham showed how much he has improved with his ability and work ethic and didn’t look out of place as he battled from the start in the lead group, in the end Cian had to Settle for third, which was a great result considering the opposition and will help to bring him on.

Soon to be a St Peters athlete Sean Reilly also had a great performance in the same race moving up an age and really working hard to finish 7th.

Sean Allen showed some glimpses of his former self when he ran a very strong last lap passing many athletes on his way round .

Rory McLoughlin who would be known more as an 800M track runner, moved up an age to the boys U18, again this was a really top Quality race and like the others this will help make Rory stronger to match his undoubted ability having recently ran 2.01.86 for 800M

Next up for the St Peters Athletes will be the County Cross Country Championships which are due to commence with day 1 taking place at the home of Drogheda & District AC at Newtownstalaban which will be for Novice and even ages in the juvenile.