Chris Reilly (left) put in a strong late attack to win in Balscadden today, with Craig Sweetman (right) in second place again (they are pictured here earlier in the season)
A late attack by Bohermeen's Chris Reilly saw him snatch victory from the favourites at the Pat & Monie Nolan Memorial in Balscadden in Co Meath today, Saturday.
Having made his way into a 16-man front group earlier on, Reilly jumped clear on a descent inside the final kilometre and managed to hold off the chasers. They were led home by a fast-finishing Craig Sweetman of the promoting club Stamullen Fast Shipping, with Barry Meade of Planet Tri taking third.
"I knew I wasn't going to beat Paidi or Sweetman in a sprint so the only thing was to attack," said Reilly afterwards.
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"I attacked coming across the flyover heading into Balscadden into a block headwind and I knew I had to bury myself to the finish."
Having begun as a handicap, the race merged on the third of five laps before the lead group went clear the next time up Cottage Hill.
"I wasn't feeling too bad early on," said Reilly.
"It was steady and we got through the A3s and then lost them on the climb. I was feeling okay on the climb but the last time up it I was swinging a bit but I seemed to catch my breath a bit after it. I had it in my head to go on the flyover because I think it was last year that Fiachra O'Mhuire did the same thing to us and he got away. I had that in my head and I just went for it."
Having claimed the scalps of former pro O'Brien and others, Reilly is hoping to build on the victory as the An Post Rás approaches next month.
"I had one win last year in the west, at the Black Rose Grand Prix, but I'm delighted to have beaten a few good riders here today. Hopefully I'm coming into a bit of form because I was struggling there at the start of the year."
Behind him, Sweetman had to settle for his fourth second place of the season ahead of Meade, while Paidi O'Brien (Planet Tri) edged out Simon Ryan (Visit Nenagh) for fourth.
Results of Pat & Monie Nolan Memorial - 50k (Saturday) at Balscadden
1 Chris Reilly, (Bohermeen CC)
2 Craig Sweetman, (Stamullen M Donnelly RC)
3 Barry Meade, (Planet-Tri)
4 Paidi O'Brien, (Planet-Tri)
5 Simon Ryan, (Visit Nenagh)
6 Patrick Clarke, Castlebar CC)
7 Eric Downey, Orwell CC
8 Matthew Heaney, (Clann Eireann)
9 Danny Bruton, (Standard Life NRPT)
Unplaced A2
1 Sean McKenna (UCD)
2 Sean Rigley, (SDCC)
3 Murt Rice (U/A)
Unplaced A3
1 Brian McArdle, (Orwell CC)
2 Alan Brosnan, (Dublin Whlrs)
3 Ciaran Farrell, (Dublin Whlrs)
Unplaced A4
1 Michael Maher, (Adamstown CC)
2 Gareth Dargle, (Stamullen M Donnelly)
3 Joseph Breheny, (UCD)
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Unplaced Juniors
1 Dylan 0'Brien, (Kanturk CC)
2 Darragh Long, (Standard Life NRPT)
3 David McCarthy, (Standard Life NRPT)
Under 12
1 Eoin Birchall, (Team Ballyhoura)
2 Aaron Heaney, (Clann Eireann)
3 Shauna McFadden, (Errigal CC)
4 Laura Birchall, (Team Ballyhoura)
5 Jonathan Cooke, (Limerick CC
6 Emmett Gorman, (Stamullen M Donnelly)
Under 14
1 Tom Kinght (Kanturk CC)
2 Kanrad Grygiemcz (O'Leary Stone)
3 PJ Doogan, (Errigal CC)
4 John Lynn, (O'Leary Stone)
5 Jack McCarthy, (U/A)
6 Luke Coll, (Stamullen M Donnelly)
Under 16 - (girls only, selection race)
1 Emily Birchall, Ballyhoura
2 Josie Knight, (Kanturk CC)
3 Ciara Doogan, (Errigal CC)
4 Christine Russell, (Errigal CC)
5 Laura Cooke, (Limerick CC)
6 Amy Harkin, (Errigal CC)
Under 16 boys
1 Dion McCarthy, U/A
2 Adam Stenson, (Lucan CC)
3 Dermot White (Lucan CC)
4 Jude Roche, (Newbridge CC)
5 Barry Talt, (Murphy Surveys, Kilcullen)
6 Robert Murphy, (Newbridge CC
(Results with thanks to Kay Howard from promoting club Stamullen M Donnelly)
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