Mary masters the opposition

The 40th Ras na hEireann had a change of venue last weekend when the famous Battle of the Boyne site near Drogheda hosted the event for the first time and Navan AC"s Mary Watters continued her great form to claim the Ladies Masters crown. There was very little to cheer about following the main senior events of the day, but in the Master"s races Watters claimed top spot and was followed home by Bohermeen"s Avril Fitzsimons in second with Linda Gunning (Bohermeen) in third and Navan"s Breda Clifford in fourth. Watters superb run secured the masters ladies crown for Navan and she was joined on the successful team by Clifford and Marie Reilly. Dunshaughlin"s Shauna Moore once more underlined her outstanding potential when she claimed the u-19 crown. Her club mates Niall Swann (u-13), Gavin Maher (u-15) and Stephen King (u-19) also impressed with strong displays. Trim"s Aaron Murray finished third in the boys u-13 race. Watters and Trim"s Noel Hanratty continued their fine run of form when they both claimed top honours at the BHAA Garda St Raphael"s Credit Union Cross-Country races in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, but pride of place went to Fiona Reid who claimed the ladies overall title. Reid was in outstanding form in the ladies race and Watters was also outstanding when she claimed the o-45 crown. Na Fianna"s Brigid Clarke was second in the o-40s race while Bohermeen"s Fitzsimons was third in the o-35 event. Hanratty"s victory in the o-55 four-mile race was his third in recent weeks. South O"Hanlon"s Mark Leacy was second in the o-45 category while Summerhill"s Ollie Payne was third at o-65 level. A number of Meath athletes attended the Scottish Indoor Masters track and field championships in Glasgow last weekend and some returned laden with medals following a hugely successful meeting. Trim"s Moira Groome-Peppard won the W40 60 metres in a time of 9.14 seconds and followed that run with a second place in the W40 200m in 31 seconds flat. Dunboyne runner Michael Cornyn was second in the M45 400m (62.47) seconds while in the M50 200m race Kevin Carey (Navan AC) finished fourth. Bohermeen athlete Darragh Rennicks, in leading the Bohermeen senior team at the Armagh Races, was the first junior athlete home securing his first big win in athletics. In the coming weeks Rennicks will make his second trip to Ulster when he contests the All-Ireland schools senior boys race over 6.5km at Belfast.