Conor Murphy keeps Damien Shaw at bay to take another Cycleways Cup victory

Conor Murphy kept Damien Shaw at bay in Navan today and took the win (Photo: Marian Lamb – Cycling Ulster 2012)

A late attack from new Aqua Blue rider Damien Shaw very nearly won him the Cycleways Cup in Navan, Co Meath, today. But Conor Murphy of Eurocycles dug deep to chase him down before taking victory in the gallop.

That pair were first and second after three hard laps on what was a breezy day for racing, with their breakaway companion Greg Swinand (Usher IRC) taking third place after completing what was a small but strong race-winning escape.

Murphy told stickybottle that Shaw was very strong.

“With around 5km to go he put in a hard attack, it really took me absolutely everything I had to get him back again. Then Greg got back up to the two of us with around 1km to go so it was the three of us at the finish and I managed to get the win.”

The 30-year-old from the Emyvale area of Co Monaghan, who won four races last year including great stages in Rás Mumhan and the Tour of Ulster, said he had increased his mileage over the winter months compared to his preparations for last season.

This was partly due to the fact that, like a huge number of people across the country, he has found himself out of work.

“It’s been good for the mileage but not good for the pocket,” he said of his employment status.

Murphy added that with the A1 and A2 riders all starting together in the main event, it was a large and active bunch. However, while groups did sneak up the road regularly in the opening two laps, none of those moves were to prove decisive and all were neutralised by the dogged chasing group.

It was as the race moved into the business end of the day, going out onto the last lap, that the difference in strength in the early season field began to show.

Murphy decided to have a go and was joined at first by Shaw and then by Swinand. With three honest and strong riders up front, they knuckled down to the task at hand immediately and pulled out a gap.

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They ploughed on for almost the entire final lap as a tight unit until Shaw decided to test the waters with 5km remaining. When Murphy wiped out that move and the trio arrived at the finish together, the Eurocycles man put in a very strong gallop and was a clear winner, with Swinand in 3^rd being distanced by the other two in the sprint.

However, on the basis of today’s showing the Usher IRC former national veterans’ champion is showing no signs whatever of slowing down.

After that trio came a group of around 20 or so riders, with Paidi O’Brien of Planet Tri taking the sprint for fourth.

Garry Jeffers of Easter Tyrone was fifth, and he has clearly wintered well. The 23-year-old rode the Hewitt & Gilpin Phoenix GP in Crumlin last Sunday and despite it being his first A1 race, he stormed to victory alone. His strong showing again today marks him out as one to watch.

Another emerging rider, Javan Nulty of DID Dunboyne came home just behind Jeffers this afternoon to take sixth place.

Today’s victor, Murphy was riding his first race of the season and said he was delighted to have opened his account so quickly. He previously won the race two years ago. He is planning to follow a full race schedule each weekend until Rás Mumhan and then after that key Easter fixture he will begin to focus on his approach to the Rás.

Despite having won a stage in Rás Mumhan last year and having held the KOH jersey, he said he wasn’t sure if he would count himself as a favorite for the overall this year.

“Even in our own team you have some very good riders with Adam Armstrong winning the KOH there last year and then the likes of Fraser Duncan, Thomas Martin and the others. So we’ll see what happens, I guess time will tell.”