Sean McKenna's win in Kerry Group Rás Mumhan helped him to top spot in the Cycling Ireland A1 rankings for the just-concluded season (Photo: John Coleman – Dc Images)
After going on one of the best early-season runs in the modern era, Sean McKenna maintained his form through most of the 2015 campaign to come out on top in the Cycling Ireland official A1 rankings.
The Team Aquablue man not only won 11 races over the seven-month road season but also represented Ireland at home and abroad; all while studying in university.
In the first weeks of the season - the 3½ week period from February 22nd to March 17th to be precise - the Dubliner took a staggering six wins.
These included the Lacey Cup in Co Kerry, Mick Lally Memorial in Co Meath, Rás Naomh Finian in Co Meath, Newbridge GP in Co Kildare, Boyne GP in Co Meath and the St Patricks Day Race, also in Co Meath.
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The only race he didn't win in the period to St Patrick's Day was the Cycleways Cup in Co Meath at the start of March where he was 2nd.
He then went on to win the Dungarvan Open Race, the Peter Bidwell Memorial in Co Louth, the Moynalty GP in Meath and a round of the BikeWorx Series in Co Kildare.
Mark Dowling competing for Ireland in France last month. He had a terrific season, winning some of the hardest races in the country.
McKenna won Rás Mumhan riding for the Irish development team and was also selected to ride abroad for the national team in the U23 Nations Cup in France in April.
Having just gone into his final year in college, the last of his exams will be completed in spring and while it is not confirmed where he will ride next year, a stint abroad looks likely.
McKenna took a total of 225 points at the top of the rankings. He was ahead of Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne) and Damien Shaw (Team Asea), who scored 203 and 182 points respectively
The impressive Dowling took eight wins in total. And while he enjoyed success from early in the season, his strongest run came in the latter weeks of the campaign.
His first two wins were huge ones and were scored early; the Des Hanlon Memorial and overall victory in the Tour of Ulster.
Of his last nine results of the year, six were wins; the Tralee Manor West GP, Noel Teggart Memorial, National Criterium Championships, Beechmount Cup, Rás Cill Mocheallóg and Laragh Classic.
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Damien Shaw takes the national title in Omagh, just one of a series of victories for him despite a broken collar bone and other injuries during the season.
Dowling got his first, long overdue, call-up to the national team when he was selected for the Kreiz Breizh Elite, a UCI2.2-ranked event, in France last month.
Rounding out the podium in the rankings was Damien Shaw; the Irish amateur who beat all comers to take the National Road Race Championships back in June.
And just four weeks before riding away from young Eddie Dunbar (NFTO Pro Cycling) to claim the title, he had finished on the podium in the last three stages of the An Post Rás after some very strong riding.
Like Dowling, Shaw also won eight races this season, despite being injured and sidelined a couple of times.
Aside from claiming the national road race crown he also won: the Cycleways Cup, Tour of Ards, a stage of the Tour of Ulster, Deenside Cup, Seamus Kennedy Memorial, Mullingar Criterium and the John Beggs Memorial.
He had been selected to ride for Ireland in the same team as Dowling last month in France but a broken collar bone just days after being crowned national champion forced him out.
Shaw is currently in Majorca with the Irish team preparing for the European Track Championships.
Cycling Ireland A1 Rankings 2015
1 Sean McKenna Team Aquablue 225
2 Mark Dowling Dunboyne Cycling Club 203
3 Damien Shaw Team Asea 182
4 Robin Kelly Waterford Racing Club 164
5 Eoin Morton UCD Cycling Club 158
6 Paidi O'Brien Team Osborne Meats/McCarthy Cycles 151
7 David Watson North Down CC 135
8 Bryan McCrystal Team Asea 127
9 Alastair Macaulay Team Asea 124
10 Martyn Irvine Madison Genesis 122
11 Angus Fyffe Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club 108
12 Conor Hennebry Carrick Wheelers Cycling Club 106
13 Stephen Murray STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 92
14 Daire Feeley Team iTAP 89
15 Colm Cassidy Team Aquablue 87
16 Seán Lacey Team Aquablue 84
17 Simon Ryan Team Hennebont Cyclisme 79
18 Marcin Mizgajski Rossbury Racing 75
19 Derek Joyce Galway Bay CC 67
20 David Hamilton North Down CC 59
21 Greg Swinand Team Aquablue 55
22 Dermot Radford Tipp Wheelers 54
23 Des Woods Newry Wheelers CC 50
24 Craig Sweetman Stamullen M Donnelly RC 50
25 Darnell Moore Caldwell Cycles Omagh 49
26 Cathal Moynihan Team Aquablue 49
27 Patrick Clarke Liquidworx Fitscience 49
28 Christopher Reilly Team Asea 48
29 Michael Storan Liquidworx Fitscience 47
30 Connor McConvey Team 3M 46
31 Ronan McLaughlin Foyle CC 46
32 Cian Delaney Stamullen M Donnelly RC 45
33 Ian Richardson UCD Cycling Club 44
34 Joseph Breheny UCD Cycling Club 41
35 Anthony Walsh Team Aquablue 41
36 Ryan Sherlock Un-Attached Leinster 37
37 Craig McAuley Caldwell Cycles Omagh 36
38 Paul O'Reilly Fixx Rouleurs 35
39 David Nugent Seven Springs CC 35
40 Mark Reilly Liquidworx Fitscience 34
41 Edward Barry MODA - Kingdom Endurance Sports 32
42 Gareth McCullough Newry Wheelers CC 32
43 Seán O'Malley Western Lakes CC 30
44 Roger Aiken Team Asea 30
45 Conor Murphy Caldwell Cycles Omagh 30
46 Eoin O'Connell Blarney Cycling Club 28
47 Seán Hahessy Liquidworx Fitscience 27
48 Ryan Reilly Amicale Cycliste Bisontine 26
49 Jonathan Taylor Carn Wheelers 26
50 Fraser Duncan Team Asea 26
51 Marc Potts Omagh Wheelers Cycling Club 25
52 John Hodge Dungarvan CC 25
53 Jarlath Hassett Burren Cycling Club 25
54 Michael Millar Phoenix CC 25
55 Peter Hawkins C.T. Tomacc 24
56 Michael Fitzgerald STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 23
57 Keith Gater Waterford Racing Club 23
58 Shane Scully Nenagh Cycling Club 22
59 Ken Tobin TEAM BIKEWORX Celbridge 20
60 John Heverin Clann Eireann CC 20
61 Eoghan Clifford Galway Bay CC 20
62 Glenn Kinning Kinning Cycles 20
63 Chris Troy Castlebar Cycling Club 19
64 Cathal Smyth Phoenix CC 19
65 Javan Nulty Dunboyne Cycling Club 19
66 Paul McCarter Donegal Bay Cycling Club 19
67 Liam Dolan Cuchulainn CC 19
68 Sean McIntyre Caldwell Cycles Omagh 19
69 Mark Downey Amicale Cycliste Bisontine 19
70 Ryan Mullen An Post Chain Reaction 18
71 Conor McIlwaine AAA Cycling 18
72 Gareth McCormack Castlebar Cycling Club 18
73 Gavin Magowan Dromara Cycling Club 18
74 Daniel Stewart Phoenix CC 17
75 Paul Mulligan Caldwell Cycles Omagh 17
76 Mark O'Callaghan Limerick Cycling Club 17
77 John Madden Dig Deep Coaching - Inspired Cycling 17
78 Joseph Fenlon Team Asea 16
79 John Brosnan MODA - Kingdom Endurance Sports 16
80 Joe Christian Gorey Cycling Club 16
81 Craig Rea C.T. Tomacc 15
82 David Brennan Castlebar Cycling Club 15
83 Ronan Killeen Lucan Cycling Road Club 15
84 Michael Crowley Team Osborne Meats/McCarthy Cycles 14
85 Darragh McCarter Donegal Bay Cycling Club 14
86 Aaron Buggle Fixx Rouleurs 14
87 Anthony Murray Westport Covey Wheelers Cycling Club 14
88 Derek Cunningham TEAM BIKEWORX Celbridge 13
89 Neill Delahaye Team Asea 13
90 Jason Henry Un-Attached Ulster 13
91 Eugene Murtagh Lucan Cycling Road Club 13
92 Aidan Crowley STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 12
93 Derek Finnegan Keevan CC 12
94 Aaron McGrady Phoenix CC 12
95 Stephen Clancy Team Novo Nordisk 12
96 Lindsay Watson PLUSHmtb 11
97 Shane Power Waterford Racing Club 11
98 Anthony Doyle STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 11
99 Mark McGauley Scott Donnybrook Landscape Co. 10
100 Liam Curran Curran Racing 10
101 Steven McAllister Ballymoney CC 10
102 Michael Ahern Dungarvan CC 9
103 Marcus Christie Bissell ABG Giant 9
104 Keith Finn Lakeside Wheelers CC 9
105 Denis Dunworth MODA - Kingdom Endurance Sports 9
106 Jack Wilson An Post Chainreaction 9
107 Jason Prendergast Liquidworx Fitscience 9
108 Adam Armstrong Northern CC 9
109 Gary Cranston EAST ANTRIM CC 9
110 Gary Jeffers East Tyrone Cycling Club 9
111 Elmer Pieterse Liquidworx Fitscience 8
112 Darragh Bailey Team iTAP 7
113 Dave Reilly South Dublin CC 7
114 Chris Jeuken Burren Cycling Club 6
115 Colm Laverty Stamullen M Donnelly RC 6
116 Mark McKinley Newry Wheelers CC 6
117 Fergus Rooney Phoenix CC 6
118 Eoin McCarthy An Post - Chain Reaction 6
119 Mark Millar Velo Cafe Magasin 5
120 Michael Hennessy Fermoy Cycling Club 5
121 Michael Devins Un-Attached Connacht 4
122 Stephen Shanahan Limerick Cycling Club 4
123 Ryan O'Donovan Cork Giant Team 4
124 Paul Kennedy STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 4
125 Neil Long Dublin Wheelers 4
126 Matt Slattery STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 4
127 Brian Stewart Phoenix CC 4
128 Christopher McGlinchey Chain Reaction Cycles 4
129 colin robinson Stamullen M Donnelly RC 4
130 Gary Gorman Stamullen M Donnelly RC 3
131 David Coughlan STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 3
132 Mark Shannon Burren Cycling Club 3
133 Fintan Ryan Dunboyne Cycling Club 3
134 Jody Wright Phoenix CC 3
135 Eugene T Moriarty Dunboyne Cycling Club 2
136 David Walsh STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 1
137 Philip Lavery Scott Donnybrook Landscape Co. 1
138 John Kenny Navan Road Club 1
139 John Lynch Murphy Surveys Kilcullen CC 0
140 Peter Tuohy Castlebar Cycling Club 0
141 John Mannix MODA - Kingdom Endurance Sports 0
142 John Mason Dunboyne Cycling Club 0
143 John Mc Carthy St. Finbarrs CC 0
144 Marcus Flavin Dungarvan CC 0
145 Hugh Mulhearne Carrick Wheelers Cycling Club 0
146 Ian Inglis Black Rose Racing 0
147 Paul Vaughan Team Sportactive Racing 0
148 Paul Wilkinson West Down Wheelers 0
149 Joseph McCrory Carn Wheelers 0
150 Eoin Whelan Seven Springs CC 0
151 Eric Downey Orwell Wheelers CC 0
152 Marcel Kock Phoenix CC 0
153 Con Collis UCD Cycling Club 0
154 Karl Morgan Phoenix CC 0
155 Martin Birney Team Sportactive Racing 0
156 Martin Gill Wexford Wheelers 0
157 Cathal Doyle Carn Wheelers 0
158 Keith Fox Shannonside Cycling Club 0
159 Kevin Lynch Newry Wheelers CC 0
160 Cormac Clarke ILLI-Bikes Cycling Team 0
161 Danny Bruton Stamullen M Donnelly RC 0
162 David McCann Phoenix CC 0
163 David McKnight Team Vision Racing 0
164 David Montgomery Team 3M 0
165 David Brody Team iTAP 0
166 Darragh Zaidan Adamstown Cycling Team 0
167 Gareth Mc Gonagle Dublin Wheelers 0
168 Gareth McKee Banbridge CC 0
169 Barry Horgan Tralee Manor West BC 0
170 Brian Canty Liquidworx Fitscience 0
171 Andrew Meehan Dunboyne Cycling Club 0
172 Gary Crory VC Glendale 0
173 Desmond Foley Phoenix CC 0
174 Christopher Beattie Un-Attached Ulster 0
175 Dylan Foley Amicale Cycliste Bisontine 0
176 Geoff Sheehan TEAM BIKEWORX Celbridge 0
177 Brian McArdle Orwell Wheelers CC 0
178 Ben Delaney Black Rose Racing 0
179 Adrian Hedderman Un-Attached Munster 0
180 Bobby Coleman Mego Racing Team 0
181 Alex Donald Phoenix CC 0
182 Ciaran Clarke Ballina Cycling Club 0
183 James Davenport Dunboyne Cycling Club 0
184 Sean Downey An Post Chain Reaction 0
185 Mark Buchanan Inishowen Wheelers 0
186 Stuart Cox Lakeside Wheelers CC 0
187 Stephen Halpin TEAM BIKEWORX Celbridge 0
188 Stephen O'Sullivan Dunboyne Cycling Club 0
189 Michael Lucey STRATA3/VeloRevolution Racing Team 0
190 Kyle Houston Castlereagh CC 0
191 Liam Corcoran Castlebar Cycling Club 0
192 Sam Bennett BORA - ARGON 18 0
193 Thomas Martin Caldwell Cycles Omagh 0
194 Raymond O'Shaughnessy Cuchulainn CC 0
195 Robin Seymour Team WORC 0
196 Rory Devlin Inishowen Wheelers 0
197 William Larmour North Down CC 0
198 William Whelan Kilmallock Cycling Club 0
199 Michael Butler Team DMG 0
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