Picture: Ruairí Cooney
Ruairí Cooney produced a standout performance at the Leinster Cross Country Uneven Age Championships at the weekend for Ace AC, securing his first ever Leinster medal with an impressive 11th place finish in the boys under 13 race.
Cooney finished inside the top 12 to claim a Leinster medal and, in doing so, booked his place at the National Championships in a few weeks’ time. It was a significant achievement for the young athlete, who delivered an excellent performance in a very competitive field.
There were further successes on the day, with the boys under 17 team claiming a Leinster team medal. The team was made up of Taylor Gregory, Nathan Robertson, Alfie Marron, Samuel Plunkett and Eoin McEntee, with all five contributing to a strong team performance.
u17 team L-R Taylor Gregort, Sam Plunkett, Alfie Marron, Eoinm McEntee and Nathan Robertsson.
The boys under 19 team also enjoyed a successful outing, securing a Leinster team medal. Rhys Clark, Eoin O’Gráinne, Ruairi O’Gráinne and Tadhg Ford Dunne were part of the team, which also represented the county and helped secure qualification for the National Championships. The group therefore came away with two medals, a Leinster team medal along with a county medal.
u19 team L-R Eoin O’Grainne, Rhys Clarke, Tadhg Forde Dunne and Ruairi O’Grainne
There were also encouraging performances from the girls under 11 team, led home by Clara Plunkett, with Maeve Reynolds close behind. Both Maeve and Una McEntee showed great determination after falling in the race, getting back to their feet and continuing to the finish. Catherine Cumming and Millie Roche completed the team.
Others to run well on the day included Adam Cumming, Harry O’Reilly, Tayo Lawrence, Domnhall McGreal and Finn Murphy.
It was a positive day for the club, with both individual and team success across the age groups. Ruairí Cooney’s first Leinster medal and qualification for the National Championships provided a particular highlight.
