Sean Lally Jnr takes the IVCA-promoted event in Meath on Tuesday night with his father, Sean Snr, just over his right shoulder hanging on for second. It was a rare and remarkable 1-2 for the family and one that the elder said gave him as much satisfaction as any win he had during his own distinguished career.
By Brian Canty
Teams notching a 1-2 in bike races might be a rare and special occasion but when a father and son achieves the feat it’s an altogether more remarkable occurrence.
And when both are veterans, and the father is in his 70s, it is very unique territory indeed.
But such was the case on Tuesday night when Sean Lally Jnr edged out his father Sean Snr in an IVCA promoted race outside Summerhill, Co Meath.
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For the winner, it was all the more sweet because he’s been out of the sport for over 30 years having packed in the bike not long after moving into the senior ranks.
So he and father Sean Snr were delighted when they emerged 1st and 2nd in the bunch sprint that decided it.
“It was brilliant but no more sweet because I beat my Dad," said Sean Jnr.
“People were saying ‘you beat your Da’ but I didn’t, I beat everyone else. I wasn’t racing against him.
“We were coming in for the sprint and it was all being led out by two lads at the front.
Coming in for the sprint on Tuesday night were Sean Lally Snr on the far left and his son in the same kit three in from the right (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
“Sean Snr was following and there was a headwind so the two lads at the front ran out of steam," continued the winner.
“Sean Snr attacked on the right with another guy locked on his wheel so I went left and into the wind as I was feeling strong.
“I knew I had him but I was just hoping no one would come around him and he’d get second.
“It was the icing on the cake when I discovered he was just behind me; a wonderful feeling, I must say.”
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For the vanquished, it wasn’t a case of the young fella getting one over on him.
And though he’s taken a huge number of wins in his long domestic and international career, Sean Snr said seeing his son win gave him as much pleasure as any victory he had claimed for himself.
“Three years ago he was three stone heavier than he is now but he kept at it," he said of junior.
"So to come back and win is absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t be prouder of him.
Sean Snr, left, jokes that he and son Sean Jnr, right, like to get to the races early and give themselves "plenty of time to have a worry". Pictured above with another supervet still well able to move, Eddie Mongey. Sean Jnr is in Clontarf CC kit but has just moved to the same Smart Lamps outfit as his father (Photo: Brendan Culleton)
“I didn’t appreciate the 1-2 at the time but a lot of people made it known and I guess it is pretty unique," continued Dubliner Sean Snr, who races with his son as part of the Smart Lamps team.
“He made a comeback after being years away from the sport and he’s slowly getting fitter; he’s been second and third in races and I knew if he kept his cool he’d get it right.
“I was always a good finisher and I told him to follow me coming to the line.
“The two guys ahead of me were going fast but they were running out of road.
“I was on the front with too far to go so I had a look under my arm; he was there and I thought ‘perfect, If I don’t get it, he will’.”
“He went to the left and I knew he had it so I let out a big cheer; one of the lads had a video camera and they thought it was him celebrating but it was me.
“It was incredible. I race the others, I don’t race my son. So I got a bigger kick out of that than from anything I’ve done myself.”
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