Sam Moloney, the first-year U23 rider with Burren CC, won the Kanturk Three Day overall after seizing the yellow jersey and then defending it on the final stage despite having no team mates in the race.
The 18-year-old Burren CC rider, who competed on the Irish junior team at the Newcastle West Four Day, Co Limerick, two years ago told stickybottle he was delighted to emerge with overall victory, especially after coming under intense attack from his main rivals on the 104km final stage.
"I was nervous enough going into the last stage but then I just tried to relax," he said. "I just said I'd see what was going on and how it was going to play out. With about two or three laps to go the attacks started to settle down a bit.
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"And I knew the legs would be there to get me to the finish and to bring back any moves that might go. I didn't want to overthink it, I just wanted to let the race play out and see what I could do."
That final stage was on a near 15km flat circuit, with seven laps to complete. Moloney had taken yellow the previous day when he was part of the stage 3 breakaway. That ensured he went into the final stage with 25 seconds over 2nd placed John Hodge (Dungarvan CC).
Willem O'Connor (JEGG-DJR Academy) was 3rd overall at 33 seconds going into the final stage, with James Delaney (Orwell Wheelers) next, in 4th place at 35 seconds. Killian O'Brien (Orwell Wheelers) was 5th at 36 seconds and after him the next man - Oisin Ferrity (Caldwell Cycles) - was almost four minutes back.
On the final stage there was a significant crash on the opening lap, which caused a split in the bunch. What would prove to be the winning breakaway went clear around that point of the race.
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And while the breakaway went clear, and made it all the way to the finish, none of those up front was a danger on GC. However, back in the bunch, Moloney - a first-year University of Limerick student from Ardnacrusha in Co Clare - could not relax as he came under intense attack.
Hodge, O'Connor, Delany and O'Brien - the four still in contention to take the yellow jersey - all put in repeated digs through most of the race until the final two or three laps. However, Lucan's Delaney was determined to keep trying.
"Those top four guys on GC were putting attacks in from early on but later it was really only (Delaney) from Lucan who was going," Moloney said. "He was riding very strongly. When he attacked he was going hard and he was going a good few times."
Up front, Conor Prendergast (Galway Bay CC) won the stage from the breakaway, adding that victory to his win on stage 1. Sam Bolger (Killarney CC) was 2nd with Darragh McGee (Dungarvan CC) 3rd, Liam O'Brien (Fermoy CC) 4th, David Culloty (All human-VeloRevolution) 5th and Cal Tutty (Dungarvan CC) in 6th at 37 seconds.
Yellow jersey Moloney was 18th on the stage, finishing in the bunch some 1:48 down and doing enough to retain yellow, with the top of the general standings unchanged.
"I was delighted, it was really good to get a result," Moloney said of securing the overall victory. "I've been struggling since the start of this year to try and get my form up there, so I'm happy out to get something out of it."
Moloney was very consistent through the weekend, making the breakaway on stage 1, placing 6th in the stage 2 TT and then making the breakaway again on stage 3 to take yellow before finishing it off with defensive ride on the last stage.
He said he was now looking forward to riding the Crotty Cup and Shay Elliott this weekend before tackling Rás Tailteann in two weeks.
