Barry wins after Shanahan blunder; Keenan also victorious

Eddie Barry, centre, has come out of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan in good form and put it to use this afternoon by winning the combined masters' race promoted by Newcastle West cycling club. The MODA Kingdom Endurance Sports man edged Martin O’Loughlin (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) to the line in Broadford. (Photo thanks to Brendan Slattery - TheBigLittleBikeShop)

By Brian Canty

Eddie Barry took his first win since the Silver Pail GP in Fermoy two years ago, winning the Masters’ 40 race promoted by the Newcastle West Knights cycling club in Limerick this afternoon.

The Moda Kingdom Endurance Sports rider had half a bike to spare on Martin O’Loughlin (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) at the end of the 80-kilometre event.

Those two had been part of a breakaway that also included Hugh Mulhearne (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) and Tom Shanahan (Limerick CC).

There was a strong field of 50 riders for the event that saw the M50 and M60 riders given a two-minute advantage on the M40 men.

Shanahan was one of the strongest in the latter group and he stormed clear of his compatriots and after 10 kilometres, he had halved the deficit to the men up front.

Barry and O’Loughlin were two of the strongest in the M40 group, as was the latter’s teammate Mulhearne, a former national vets’ champion.

Over the next three laps the M40 riders slowly reeled in the limit group while Shanahan, who went through the limit men when he caught them, was joined by a number of others.

But not content with that, he went solo again and at the bell he appeared on his own with 30 seconds of a lead.

However, he thought he was on the final lap and though he had won until he was informed there was a lap to go and credit to him, he pressed on alone again.

Chasing him now were O’Loughlin, Barry and Paul Bolger of Slaney CC.

Alas, Shanahan was reeled in on that last lap and to add insult to injury, he would end up fourth.

Coming to the line, Barry went early in the gallop and just about got it right, with O’Loughlin a fraction of a second behind.

Bolger would nick third from a shattered Shanahan.

Tom Daly was the first M60 rider home with AJ Murphy of Midleton CC the first M50 man home.

In the women’s race there was a hefty field of 24 riders – a very healthy number given the snow that fell this morning and surely must have deterred a couple.

The 63-kilometre event was dominated by a break of five riders that went clear and were never seen again before the finish.

They were Aideen Keenan and Monica Marconi (Scott Orwell Wheelers), Fran Meehan (PowerHouse Sport), Fiona Guihen (Irish Centre for Cycling) and Sinéad Oakes (Nenagh CC).

Behind, it was the Waterford racing team who did much of the chasing, with Emma Walsh one of the big names to miss the move.

The race was characterised by a very aggressive final up front.

Marconi dangled out front alone over the top of the final hill and forced the others - apart from team mate Keenan - into a chase.