Bohermeen retain Dan Bagnall Cup

Bohermeen AC retained the Dan Bagnall Cup at the Meath Cross-Country Championships hosted by Star of the Sea at Grennanstown, Stamullen on Sunday. Bohermeen opened their winter campaign with some very exciting individual and team performances at Grennanstown and Richard Byrne along with Star of Sea runner Ciaran McKenna set the pace throughout the 6000m novice race. The title went right to the line when Byrne was just pipped for the title. He had the consolation of leading Bohermeen to retain the Dan Bagnall Cup for the third year and seven times in the past 12 years having first won the cup back in 1971. Shane Boyle also got into the novice medals with a fine bronze placing. Bohermeen's winning squad was Byrne, Boyle, Chris Reilly, Darius Marcciukaitis and Dermot Farrelly. Dermot Clarke won the M45 title and helped the club team to silver with support from James Shanley, Thomas Gill and Damien Hilliard. In the ladies novice event Bohermeen ladies Linda Gunning and Avril Fitzsimons were placed first and second across the line. Patrica Fox won the M50 title. In the juvenile ranks Bohermeen juveniles produced the goods and five made it on the medal podium. Alan Monaghan moved up to u-12 and ran well to win. Conor Rennicks again showed his worth with a very impressive victory in the boys u-14 race over 1500m. Other fine runs came from Gearoid O'Brien, who was second in u-10 boys race, and Jack Hilliard who was third. Rose Finnegan was placed in the silver position in the girls u-12 race. The girls under 12 team also won the title and well done to all the young members and parents who made the effort to support club teams on the day. There was a big performance from the St Brigid's novice men's team as they finished second in their event. The team was led home by Thomas O'Reilly who secured fifth place with Fechin Heery eighth, Robert Caffrey 11th and Ronan O'Reilly crossing the line in 12th place. St Brigid's athlete Shane Hanley struck gold in the boys u-10 event while club colleague Grainne Sheridan secured third place in the girls u-18 race. Don Mahon led the Trim team to an excellent bronze in the masters category. The Wexford native has been a revelation this season and his second place in a very competitive M35 grade behind Shane Boyle (Bohermeen) will be great encouragement for him in this his debut season. John Canning was third in the M40 grade while Brian Cully took a similar placing in the M50 category. The Trim team of Mahon, Canning, Declan Swords and Enda Markey earned an impressive third place in the team event behind the highly-fancied Dunshaughlin and Bohermeen teams. Day two of the Meath Cross Country championships take place at Loughcrew, Oldcastle on Sunday, 12.0 with boys and girls u-9,u-11, u-13, u-15, u-17, u-20 and inntermediate mens and ladies races. Club juvenile athletes are asked to be at the course at 11.15 and adult runners at 12.0. Selected athletes for Bohermeen teams are asked to confirm their attendance to (086) 726077 by Friday evening.