Meath athletes prominent at Athlone

Excellent performances from Mark Hanily, Barry Kirwan, Barry Delany and Kourosh Foroughi helped Meath retain their Premier status in the second round of the National Athletics League which was held at Athlone IT on Sunday. The men's and women's teams were in action and both were looking to qualify for the finals next month. Both Meath teams finished in sixth place with the men's team scoring 87 points and the women's team getting 63. Fr Murphy athlete Hanily, who finished third in the national championships last weekend, threw 53.59m in testing conditions to win the hammer by over five metres. Kirwan from Navan AC took top points in the javelin with a throw of 45m. Star of the Sea athletes Delany and Foroughi were also in the winners' enclosure with Delany taking the 56lbs for distance and Foroughi taking the high jump with a leap of 2.15m. On the track, Bohermeen's Darragh Rennicks put in a brave and gutsy performance in the 800m. He ran a very mature race finishing second to Andrew Connick, one of the top two-lap runners in the country. Grainne Miggin from Fr Murphy AC was the stand-out performer on the women's team taking second place in the hammer with a throw of 35.96m. Another Fr Murphy athlete Karen Monaghan took third place in the discus while Star of the Sea's Orla Timmons (pictured) ran an excellent 3000m in finishing second to divisional winner Liz Cuskelly of Tullamore Harriers. The versatile Cheryl Dolan of Na Fianna finished third in the shot with a best mark of 8.76m, fifth in the long jump and also ran a strong leg in the 4x100m relay. RESULTS Men - 200m - 3, Neil Dunne, Star of the Sea; discus - 4, Larry Murtagh, Fr Murphy; long-jump - 4, David Tobin, Trim; 100m - 7, Joey Monaghan, Navan; 3000m - 5, Derek Croal, Bohermeen; 400m - 5, Robert Whelan, Navan; 1500m - 6, Morgan McDonagh, Dunboyne. Women - triple jump - 4, Karen Dunne, Bohermeen; 400m hurdle - 4, Karen Dunne, Bohermeen; 400m - 6, Karen Crean, St Brigid's; 800m - 5, Elaine Plunkett, St Brigid's. The exact placing of both teams within the overall league is dependent on the results from the other league competition which was staged at Santry. Team manager Gerard Heery thought that it was unlikely either team would make this years finals in Tullamore next month. Star of the Sea hosted the 2010 Gormanston Beach Run on Friday evening. The event kicked-off with a series of low key fun runs for under-age boys and girls. Some of the leading road runners in the county took part in the 5km adult run at low tide along a course between the mouth of the Delvin river which forms the county boundary with Dublin and the point of Ben Head near the aerodrome. In the men's race the first three finishers were Paddy Mangan, Dunshaughlin, Gerard Heery, St Brigids and Sean Murphy, Trim. The women were led home by local athlete Orla Timmons followed by Linda Fahey, Dunshaughlin and Linda Gunning, Bohermeen. In the junior ranks there were good performances from Gavin Maher, Dunshaughlin and Rachel Neary, Na Fianna. Next Sunday the action will switch to the entirely different terrain of Mullaghmeen Forest where St Brigid's AC will host the county hill-running championships. The course which takes runners through the wonderful beech forestry overlooking counties Meath, Westmeath and Cavan is over a distance of 5km. Entry fee is €10 and the action will get underway at noon. There will be prizes in the following categories, senior men and women - first three, junior men and women - first three, masters men and women - first over 40/50/60, teams - first three.