By Brian Canty
Eddie Barry (Blarney CC) is favourite to land the Munster Road Race Championships title in Whitechurch on Sunday having impressed in recent outings on the domestic scene.
Barry, a powerhouse with years of experience at the top level here at home, was unlucky to finish third in the Leahy Cup in Cobh recently having ridden across to Paidi O'Brien who was away on his own before Sean Lacey came around him in the closing stages for the win.
Having ridden the An Post Rás, the Nationals as well as Rás Mumhan and a string of other top events already this year, it's fair to say Barry's pedigree is unquestionable and he will take some stopping. And with O'Brien and Lacey both set to sit out the event, he'll certainly fancy his chances.
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The evergreen Blarney man was in excellent form as well during the week, blitzing everyone to win the Fermoy league race on his own and he will mount a strong challenge on Sunday.
O’Brien (Dan Morrissey/Speedy Spokes) will not be in Whitechurch as he takes a weekend off to recuperate from his seventh place finish at the National Road Race Championships in Clonmel last weekend.
The Banteer native also confirmed that last year’s runner-up in the Munster Championships, Sean Lacey, is also set to miss the event as he is abroad, which should please the many that are expected to descend on the town for the race.
Mick Hennessy and Olan Barrett are strong riders also and carry the hopes of the Fermoy club in the A1/A2 race and the former, following an excellent Rás Mumhan in March has a phenomenal pedigree on the domestic scene and finished third here last year.
Others to watch out for will be talented youngster Stephen Clancy (Dan Morrissey/Speedy spokes), former mountain biker Matt Slattery (Killarney CC) and Dermot Radford (Tipperary Wheelers).
The A1/A2 race will cover 10 laps of an 11 kilometre circuit.
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In the separate A3 race, Dylan Foley (St Finbarr’s) is a promising junior with the ability to get into breaks and perform, while Brian O’Connell (Blarney CC) usually shows up well over this course.
Others who should be in the shake-up are sprinter Mark Gunning (Waterford Racing Club) and Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers junior Sean Hahessy.
The A3’s will cover 8 laps of the 11 kilometre circuit. There is also a full programme of underage racing.
Sign-on is from 10am at Rockmount AFC in Whitechurch and entry is €10.
First off are the U14 riders at 11.30am and they’ll cover 2 laps (22 kilometres altogether).
They are followed by the U12’s at 11.35 who will just cover one lap.
Next up are the A4’s at 12.10 and they’ll have 5 laps to contend with while the U16’s are racing at 12.15 with one lap less (4 x 11km).
The A1/A2 riders will start at 1.45pm while finally, the A3’s start at 1.50pm.
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