Some nights in sport seem to glow brighter than others and last Thursday was that kind of special evening where everything comes together—effort, spirit, teamwork, and joy and the result is something far greater than medals.  

That was exactly what unfolded at the 2025 Louth Relay Championships, where Boyne AC’s athletes lit up the track in their vibrant green and yellow, racing not just for glory but for each other, their coaches, and their club.

Andrew and Keith, the coaches who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare the teams, support the athletes, and guide the club with care, passion, and precision

From the first event of the evening, it was clear that this was going to be a special night. The Under 9 Girls team, Sophie Halligan, Norrie Judge, Ruby Winters, and Lily Collins showed incredible composure and determination far beyond their years, storming to a hard-earned bronze medal in one of the most competitive age groups. Their performance set the tone for what was to come.

In the Under 10 Girls Green Team, Neasa O’Sullivan, Stella Gow, Emilia Wheat, and Folasade Chloe Bello-Osagie, with Sophie Halligan stepping in as sub, delivered a flawless race. With pace, precision, and poise, they powered home to take a sparkling gold, showing just how dominant and well-drilled they were.

Not far behind them, the Yellow Team of Aoife Everitt, Una McEntee, Alice Rose, and Ellie Fay, supported by subs Ruby Winters and Norrie Judge, missed the podium by a whisker, finishing fourth in a final that was so tight, any one of the top teams could have claimed a medal. Their run was a perfect example of heart and tenacity.

The energy continued with the Under 11 Girls Green Team. Mia McSherry, Folasade Bello-Osagie, Heather Kingston, and Beyla Bowler Stone, with Ellie Fay and Emilia Wheat waiting in the wings, combined strength and speed to secure a fantastic bronze. Their teammates in the Yellow Team, Amy Murray Sullivan, Millie Bell, Masie Fay, and Mollie Kelly, with Stella Gow stepping in as sub, ran with great unity and fight, pushing right to the line for a fourth-place finish in another hotly contested final.

The Under 12 Girls raced with grit across both teams. The Green quartet of Caitlin Hughes, Beyla Bowler Stone, Saorlaith, and Jessica McMahon, with Mia McSherry as sub, fought every inch of the track and were just edged out in fourth, while the Yellow team, Mollie Kelly, Lauren Halligan, Heather Kingston, and Mia Little showed immense determination to take fifth, with support from Millie Bell and Amy Murray Sullivan.

The Under 13 Girls, Sophie Finnegan, Caitlin Hughes, Jessica McMahon, and Amanda Okwarah, alongside Ashley Byrne and Mia Little ran with strength and coordination, finishing fifth in a race that demanded everything from every team.

In the Under 14 Girls, Amanda Okwarah returned alongside Moya Kennedy, Isabelle Winters, and Sophie Finnegan, and together they ran a strong, controlled race that earned them a well-deserved bronze. The Under 15 Girls, Hila Raji, Georgia Rice, Isabelle Winters, and Mollie Fay, supported by Moya Kennedy took to the track like seasoned pros and pushed themselves to an outstanding silver, just missing out on the top spot.

Then came a commanding performance from the Under 16 Girls, Shauna Crosbie, Mollie Fay, Zara Lee, and Dara Ellie Winters, with Georgia Rice as sub who put on a dominant display to take gold, running with a confidence that lifted the entire Boyne camp.

The night reached its emotional peak in the Under 17 Girls final, where Shauna Rice, Zara Lee, Dara Ellie Winters, and Hannele Raji, celebrating her birthday in golden style, with Shauna Crosbie stepping in when needed, put in a sensational performance that earned them gold. There was a joy to their racing that summed up the entire evening, fast, fearless, and full of heart.

On the boys’ side, the evening was equally remarkable. The Under 10 Boys, Nicolas Carolan, Christian Shields, Harrison Stearn, and Cormac Brodigan, with Kelton Bowler Stone subbing, claimed a brilliant bronze, showing that the next generation of Boyne sprinters is already knocking on the door.

In the Under 11 Boys Green Team, Conor Hughes, Cormac Brodigan, Rasmus Fangerau, and Malachy Brodigan, with Nicolas Carolan stepping in as sub, held their own in a blistering final to finish fifth, while the Yellow team of Harrison Stearn, Mikey Kavanagh, Christian Shields, and Ben Carr, dug deep for sixth, competing with admirable resilience.

The Under 12 Boys with Jesse Fomenky, Finnbar O’Sullivan, Tadhg Lalor, and Finbar Fagan, with Rasmus Fangerau and Malachy Brodigan in reserve, gave it absolutely everything, finishing just outside the medals in fourth. The Under 13 Boys Green Team, Harry Kingston, Sean Clarke, Will Gow, and Cillian Hickey, with Finnbar O’Sullivan were cool and clinical, earning a terrific silver. Their counterparts in the Yellow team with Thomas Crosbie, Luke Carr, Sebastian Stearn, and Matthew Molloy, with Eben Stone ran with great synergy to finish a commendable fifth.

The Under 15 Boys, Ruadhan Fangerau, Joe Bell, Aaron McMahon, and Riley Byrne, with Eoin McEntee were nothing short of superb, racing to a commanding gold. That momentum carried into the Under 16 Green Team, where Riley Byrne returned alongside Karl McDonagh, Aaron McMahon, and Louis Devitt, with Joe Bell in reserve, and once again Boyne struck gold, their execution on the day flawless. The Yellow Team with Joe Bell, Cillian Everitt, Jack Willis, and Eoin McEntee, with Ruadhan Fangerau as sub,showed great cohesion and stormed to bronze, ensuring a double podium finish for the club.

Finally, the Under 17 Boys Green Team, Sam Doyle, Evan Gamble, Emmet McShane, and Ryan McMahon ran with such authority that their gold medal seemed never in doubt. The Yellow team,Harvey Fomenky, Cillian Everitt, Conor McGranaghan, and Louis Devitt, with Karl McDonagh stepping in, sealed the night with yet another bronze, capping off a thrilling end to a golden day.

These young athletes showed the very best of sport: teamwork, courage, and joy. And as they walked off the track, one thing was clear—green and yellow don’t just shine. They soar.