06-05-2025
Boyne AC athletes star for their schools at North Leinster Championships
In the opening Minor field session, Hila Raji floated over every high jump bar that dared stand in her way, sealing gold before hustling across the infield to sling a discus far enough for silver.
Minutes later, Hila's older sister Hannele sent the shot put thundering beyond the sector tape for an Intermediate title and then swapped throwing shoes for spikes and dashed to a 200m silver that proved power and pace can share a surname.
On the track, Junior miler Jack Willis shadowed the leaders for three laps before unleashing a personal-best sprint that carried him to a brave fifth, while Cillian Everitt followed with an 800m so fearless it left the timekeepers shaking their heads.
The crowd scarcely caught its breath before the Minor sprints crackled to life. Eoin McEntee's start drew a gasp, and when the medals were decided Riley Byrne dipped for bronze and Aaron McMahon blitzed the anchor leg of a relay that glittered gold.
One age group up, the baton quartet of Ryan McMahon, Evan Gamble, Harry Devitt and Emmet McShane stitched together four immaculate exchanges, adding another victory stamp to the programme after Ryan's individual sprint triumph and Harry's silver in the javelin.
Distance royalty followed in the elegant stride of Dara Ellie Winters, who glided through the Intermediate mile with a bell-lap kick that secured gold, before returning 20 minutes later for bronze in the 1500m.
Shauna Rice ground out a relentless Junior 3,000m to finish fourth, then cheered Georgia Rice as she propelled a javelin into Minor bronze territory.
In the sand pit Zara Lee carved a long-jump personal best with each landing, while rising star Grace Nolan ripped another PB from the stopwatch in the 800m.
Late afternoon belonged to the eldest age group.
Romeo Fomenky uncorked a start fit for a Diamond League final to seize the Senior 100m crown, then dragged his relay quartet to silver with an anchor leg that forced the stadium announcer to hunt for fresh superlatives.
Ailish Keenan logged six gritty 3,000m laps before storming her own relay stage for matching silver, moments after brother Seamus danced the steeplechase water like a dragonfly on glass to claim fourth.
In the throws circle, Oliver Carolan balanced a javelin silver and shot put bronze on opposite shoulders, while Louis Devitt matched the family's podium touch with a bronze-winning spear in the Juniors.
Minor shot put débutant Sean Alhaddad pocketed bronze with a cool opening series, and Caoimhín McShane fought through back-to-back Senior 400 and 200m finals, planting a pair of fifth-place finishes in the club ledger.
Sprinter Molly Fay, handed the unforgiving third leg of the Junior relay, clawed back metres and hearts in equal measure, proof that courage sometimes travels faster than medals.
By twilight the medal count glittered, personal bests lay scattered like confetti and every second-level campus in Drogheda - St Mary's DS, Ballymakenny College, Our Lady's College Greenhills, Sacred Heart Secondary School, St Joseph's CBS and St Oliver's CC - had watched its students carry classroom honour and club pride hand in hand.
