Latest news with #StMary'sDS
Irish Independent
06-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
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.
Irish Independent
02-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Drogheda MMA fighter Dayne (13) aiming for World Championships in Abu Dhabi on the back of European success
The St Mary's DS first-year student, now 13, was just 12 when he travelled to Serbia in February with members of his club SBG Drogheda, including head coach Paul Byrne, and Dayne's dad Tony also accompanied him on the trip. Dayne had started competing in April last year and in just a few months he won three national gold medals as well as a gold and silver in jujitsu. He embraced the tougher challenge of competing in Europe brilliantly, defeating opponents from Serbia, Israel, Switzerland and Romania to make it all the way to the final in his category, the impressive victories coming by arm bar, knockout, unanimous decision and then anaconda choke in the semi-final. Unfortunately the final proved a step too far as Dayne lost by split decision to his Ukrainian opponent, but he is undeterred and continues to be totally dedicated to what is a tough sport. Proud mum Ciara explained the lengths her son goes to in his pursuit of success. 'Dayne started doing MMA around when he turned 10 years old, instantly took to it and was obsessed. He went from training three times a week to six days a week, sometimes two or three classes in a row, ranging from JuJitsu and kickboxing to wrestling. His stepdad Karl trains too. 'When Dayne arrived home from Serbia we had about 30 family members and friends waiting in the house to welcome him home. We are all so proud of him for his achievement, for the town and for his club. He is so dedicated at such a young age and we all firmly believe he will go far with this. 'His video got over 2.2 million views on Facebook alone and thousands more on Instagram, with people saying he is one to watch, and his head coach Paul Byrne goes above and beyond. 'The main thing he is working towards now is making Team Ireland again, this time to travel to Abu Dhabi for the World Championships in July.' Ciara said the family were very grateful for sponsorship they'd received from local businesses to help Dayne compete on the biggest stage. 'MMA is not funded by the government like other sports,' she pointed out. 'Athletes rely heavily on donations and sponsors as they are costly trips and there is a short space of time to plan for them, from getting selected to fight day. 'For Serbia, we had less than a month to get it planned and in order to get there we had a lot of help from local businesses Becky's Basic Services, Callunas tanning salon, Auntie Paula's Crèche, Avanti Drogheda and even the staff from his old primary school Marymount NS Drogheda.'
