Stephen Murphy takes victory at Crotty Cup, Co Clare | Sticky Bottle

Stephen Murphy of Black Rose took victory in the Crotty Cup (Photo: Balooz.com)

Stephen Murphy of Black Rose has taken victory in the Crotty Cup in Co Clare after getting clear late in the race with Ronan Killeen (Lucan CRC).

Both had started in the scratch group in the main event
and attack several times before they were left at the head of affairs to fight
it out for victory.

At the finish it was Murphy who got the better of
Killeen, though both had ridden very well.

It was Murphy’s first big win and having been coached by
EvoPro Racing rider Daire Feeley of late he is looking much stronger this
season.

The race was run off in a handicapped format over three
laps of a 44km circuit, with eight minutes between the A1-A2 group and the A3s.

When the scratch group did not work as well as expected
in the early stages, riders began attacking it.

That aggression saw a five-ma n group break clear. It included, among others, Paul Kennedy (Newcastle West), David Brody (Castlebar CC) and Conor Kissane (Killarney CC).

The scratch group before the racing really began to split

Killarney's Kissane drives a breakaway on away from the A-A2 group

About a lap into the race, and as the breakaway from the
A1s had caught the limit men, Murphy and Killeen also went on the offensive.

They managed to get clear of the scratch group and rode
across to those up ahead, where the attacks began to come thick and fast.

That aggression from the large front group saw a
breakaway of about 15 men go clear, with Killeen and Murphy present.

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On the last passage of the climb on the course, Murphy
attacked, with Killeen going after him. Murphy was on his own for a period;
about 25 seconds clear with Killeen in the middle of that gap.

However, Killeen worked away and got across to the lone
leader; the duo then putting their heads down and combining well for the last
15km or so.

They pulled out a gap that proved to be the winning of
the race. Murphy had studied the course and made sure to get into the final
left hand bend first.

Coming out of that corner he went full gas for the line
and managed to hold off Killeen to take victory, with the Dublin ride in 2nd
place.

It was a very strong win for Murphy, who had been riding well
in the early months of the year, placing in the Deenside Cup, Castlebar CC and Markievicz Cup.

For his part; Killeen has been ever-present in the results including 2nd at both Mondello and on the opening stage of Rás Mhaigheo.

Behind the leading duo, Jarlath Hassett of Burren Road Club came through to round out the podium on the day.

He was followed by Neil Hodges (Killarney Cycling Club), Eoghan
McArdle Ruane (Galway Bay CC) and Daniel Bresnan (Greenmount CA).

Also placing on the day and in the breakaway were: James O’Sullivan (Blarney CC), David Walshe (Castlebar CC), Conor Kissane (Killarney CC) and Marcus Treacy (Killarney CC).