Conor Murphy, Greta Lawless win on opening day of Verge Cross Clonmel

Conor Murphy on his way to victory in the U16 boys race at Verge Cross Clonmel (Photo: Sean Rowe)

Conor Murphy (Rostrevor Mountain Bike Club) and Greta Lawless (Team Worc) have won the U16 races at Verge Cross Clonmel on Powerstown Park, Clonmel, Co Tipperary.

Murphy took the victory by 30 seconds from David Gaffney (Dungarvan CC) with Cameron Henry (Inspired Cycling) 3rd at 1:03. Lawless took victory in the girls race by 1:36 from Faith Robinson (Bray Wheelers) with Aisha Gannon (Breffni Wheelers) placing 3rd at 1:48.

In the boys race, Murphy took an early lead, gaining just over 10 seconds on eventual runner-up Gaffney on the first lap of three. Cameron was about 20 seconds down in 3rd and was being closely chased by a trio of Ryan Daly (Scott Bright Motor Group), Jack Woods (Carlow RCC) and Hugh Og Mulhearne (Panduit Carrick Wheelers).

On the second lap, Murphy once again looked strong out front; adding about 20 seconds to his lead over Gaffney and Cameron, with that pattern repeated on the final lap. In the end, after 28 minutes of racing, Murphy topped the podium from Gaffney and Henry. Daly was 4th at 1:21 with Woods in 5th at 1:49 and Mulhearne rounding out the top six in the 23-rider field at 2:28.

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Greta Lawless was delighted with her win in the U16 girls race (Photo: Sean Rowe)

In the girls race, while Lawless took an early lead over Robinson there was very little to separate them; both riders going out onto the second lap of three with just a few lengths between them. Eventual 3rd placed finisher, Gannon, was about 25 seconds back after that opening lap, with the race for victory already set for a two-up battle between Lawless and Robinson.

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On the second lap, Lawless proved strongest of the two front-runners, putting about 30 seconds into Robinson to open what looked like a decisive lead.

While Gannon remained in 3rd, Kate Murphy (Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club) and Rhiannon Dolan (Cuchulainn CC) closing in on her.

On the final lap, tough Lawless slowed a little she had victory in the bag; winning the race from Robinson and with Gannon holding 3rd. However, by the chequered flag Murphy had closed to within four seconds of Murphy, with Dolan in 5th some 2:35 down on the winner and Sarah Gaffney (Dungarvan CC) in 6th at 2:52.

The senior men's race - a support event before the UCI-ranked senior racing tomorrow - was won by top road rider Mark Shannon (Burren CC) after four laps and 41 minutes of racing. He was 45 seconds up on David McCarthy of Verge Sport PI Cycles. John Dempsey, another of the Verge Sport PI Cycles riders and one of the organisers of this weekend's races, was 3rd at 1:10.

In the women's support race, Joanne Grogan of American tam BMB Racing claimed victory by just 22 seconds, and after four laps of racing, from compatriot Kimberley Coleman (Green Mountain CX Team). Irish rider Elizabeth Kent (Arcane Cycling Team) rounded out the podium at 3:55.

Sat, Oct 15th: Verge Cross Clonmel

Promoted by Clonmel CC

U16 Girls Race

  1. LAWLESS Greta Team WORC 32:23
  2. ROBINSON Faith Bray Wheelers 33:59
  3. GANNON Aisha Breffni Wheelers 34:11
  4. MURPHY Kate Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 34:15
  5. DOLAN Rhiannon Cuchulainn CC 34:58
  6. GAFFNEY Sarah Dungarvan CC 35:15
  7. SHARKEY Aoibhinn VC Glendale 35:39
  8. FLAVIN Ami Dungarvan CC 36:19
  9. O'ROURKE Grace Cuchulainn CC 38:33
  10. DOLAN Ffion Cuchulainn CC 38:55
  11. REILLY Aine Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 40:35
  12. DENNEHY-O'SULLIVAN Hannah Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 41:19
  13. O'SULLIVAN Naomi Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 45:00
  14. MURPHY Edith Cuchulainn CC 47:50

U16 Boys Race

  1. MURPHY Conor Rostrevor Mountain Bike Club 28:34
  2. GAFFNEY David Dungarvan CC 29:14
  3. HENRY Cameron Inspired Cycling 29:37
  4. DALY Ryan Scott Bright Motor Group 29:55
  5. WOODS Jack Carlow RCC 30:23
  6. MULHEARNE Hugh Og Panduit Carrick Wheelers 31:02
  7. O'BRIEN Darragh Comeragh CC 31:05
  8. O'CONNOR Philip Dungarvan CC 31:12
  9. KILLEEN Fionn Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 31:12
  10. O'KEEFFE Ben Killarney Cycling Club 31:51
  11. MAY Oisin Scott Bright Motor Group 32:09
  12. O'SULLIVAN Ciaran Greenmount CA 32:16
  13. MCCAFFREY Callum Cuchulainn CC 32:48
  14. CLONEY Cillian Comeragh CC 33:19
  15. O'MAHONY John Newcastle West Cycling Club 34:42
  16. COLLINS Diarmuid Newcastle West Cycling Club 34:44
  17. KAVANAGH Brian Gorey Cycling Club 34:45
  18. DEMPSEY Jack Carlow RCC 35:08
  19. BYRNE Jamie Carlow RCC 35:09
  20. BUCKLEY Nicholas James Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 35:14
  21. SHEEHAN Colin O'Leary Stone Kanturk 36:02
  22. O'CALLAGHAN Oran O'Leary Stone Kanturk 39:07
  23. FITZGERALD Seán Gorey Cycling Club 39:35

Men’s Support Race

  1. SHANNON Mark Burren Cycling Club 41:01
  2. MCCARTHY David Verge Sport PI Cycles 41:46
  3. DEMPSEY John Verge Sport PI Cycles 42:11
  4. CONDON Brian Blarney Cycling Club 42:30
  5. O'FLAHERTY David Carlow RCC 42:51
  6. O'BRIEN Diarmuid All human/VeloRevolution Racing Team 43:24
  7. LOGUE Dermot Panduit Carrick Wheelers 43:58
  8. RAYMOND Keith Bottecchia Racing Club 44:08
  9. RYAN Alex Ibis Off Road p/b Eliel Clothing Team 44:09
  10. To Be Confirmed 44:34
  11. BIRCHALL Paul Verge Sport PI Cycles 44:35
  12. FLANNERY Ronan St Tiernans Cycling Club 44:53
  13. HEVERIN Gerard Kinning Cycles Cycling Club 45:13
  14. CLONEY James Comeragh CC 45:20
  15. BYRNE Ryan Spin the Bean Power by Coffee 46:00
  16. BUTLER John Club Rothaiochta Na Sionainne 46:20
  17. RYAN Des MBCC 46:42
  18. NIXON Aaron Dungarvan CC 46:42
  19. RYAN Jerry Upperchurch Drombane Cycling 47:10
  20. DOLAN Karl Cuchulainn CC 47:56
  21. BEAMISH Gearoid Clonakilty Cycling Club 48:28
  22. RYAN Ailbe Black House Racing 49:24
  23. ALLEN Evin Un-Attached Munster 50:17
  24. HINES Michael Un-Attached Munster 50:39
  25. KELLEHER Donie Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 50:45
  26. A MURPHY Tim Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club 55:13
  27. CLEVERLEY Richard Sliabh Luachra Cycling Club -1 lap
  28. HURLEY Patrick MBCC -1 lap
  29. CALLANAN Denis Dungarvan CC -1 lap
  30. ESCAROS-BUECHSEL Frank De Ronde Van Cork CC -1 lap

Women’s Support Race

  1. GROGAN Joanne BMB RACING TEAM 46:01
  2. COLEMAN Kimberly GREEN MOUNTAIN CX TEAM 46:23
  3. KENT Elizabeth Arcane Cycling Team 49:56
  4. O'DWYER Sienna Limerick Cycling Club 50:04
  5. ROCK Sinead Midleton CTC -1 lap

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