Ace AC’s young athletes delivered another series of fine performances at the Louth Even Age Cross Country Championships in Bellurgan on Sunday, showcasing the club’s growing strength across all age groups.
With many of the club’s older athletes sitting out this meet to focus on next weekend’s Leinster (Odd Age) Championships and the upcoming National XC Finals, the spotlight turned to Ace AC’s talented younger runners and they didn’t disappoint.
The day began with the U8 Boys’ race, where Finn Murphy showed tremendous courage and determination. After taking a heavy fall early on, he picked himself up and stormed through the field to claim an impressive fifth place, setting the tone for the rest of the team.
In the U10 Girls’ category, Cathryn Cumming produced a superb run to earn a well-deserved bronze medal, while teammates Maeve Reynolds and Clara Plunkett also turned in strong performances.
The U10 Boys’ race saw another standout display as Harry Reilly, competing out of age, ran brilliantly to finish 14th overall and 5th among the U9 boys, an excellent achievement against mostly older competitors.
There was more success in the U12 races. Ruairi Cooney produced his best ever cross-country performance to take silver, while Tadhg Kelly continued his steady improvement with a confident and composed run.
In the U12 Girls’ race, Ella Doyle impressed once again, finishing just outside the medals in fifth place. Sophie Black and Sophie Walsh both ran strongly, while Muireann Chamass and Amy Walsh, competing a year out of age, showed real grit and promise for future races.
The U14 categories also brought positive results, with solid performances from Ollie Marrion, Fiachra Murphy, and Caoimhe Carolan, each showing continued progress and potential.
It was another excellent day for Ace AC, whose athletes continue to impress across county and provincial competition. The club now turns its focus to the Leinster Odd Age Championships, where several of Sunday’s young stars will be back in action with confidence high.
