Daire Feeley powers to career-best result from Colm Cassidy

Daire Feeley's win in the Mullingar GP was arguably the best of his career. He was out front for much of the day and really had to work for victory on a very challenging course (Photo: Sean Rowe)

Roscommon’s Daire Feeley yesterday took his biggest win since entering the senior ranks when he won the Mullingar GP following a thrilling battle with Colm Cassidy (Aquablue) and Joseph Breheny (UCD CC).

The former Irish junior international was in flying form over the course of the 138-kilometre feature race, beating the more established men on a very testing course.

Feeley and the aforementioned duo went clear on the first of three smaller 35-kilometre laps before joining up with a smaller 11 kilometre course, which was also completed three times.

After that trio went clear on the first of the big laps a chase group of over a dozen riders went in pursuit.

In here were many of the big guns, with ASEA and Aquablue well represented while comeback man Stephen Shanahan (Limerick CC) as well as Stuart Cook and Keith Finn of Lakeside Wheelers were also there.

Feeley, Cassidy and Breheny worked hard up ahead, however, and managed to stay clear of that large escape. They were still away when that big chase group was trimmed to six in the latter portion of the race.

The race then hit the three smaller 11-kilometre laps outside Multyfarnham and a group including Mark Dowling (DID Electrical Dunboyne), Anto Walsh (Aquablue) and a few others went after the leading trio.

Breheny suffered disastrous luck up ahead when he punctured out of the break and never managed to get back on, though he was never caught from behind and still managed to hang on for third.

The two leaders pressed on and pulled out a gap that extended to well over three minutes on the bunch.

Feeley had the better legs approaching the hard incline to the line but Cassidy had plenty of time behind to make sure of second and credit to Breheny for battling all the way to the finish to take a well-deserved third.

Sun, July 19th: Mullingar GP

A1-A2 Race

1 Daire Feely (iTap)
2 Colm Cassidy (Aquablue)
3 Joseph Breheny (UCD CC)
4 Sean McKenna (Aquablue)
5 Stephen Shanahan (Limerick CC)
6 Mark Dowling (DID Electrical Dunboyne)
7 Cathal Moynihan (Aquablue)
8 Anto Walsh (Aquablue)

Women’s Race

1 Sinead Oakes (Nenagh CC)
2 Orla Montague (Dublin Wheelers)
3 Catherine McAteer (Garda CC)
4 Sinead Kennedy (Nenagh CC)
5 Eimear O'Reilly (Towers CC)
6 Michelle O'Hallloran (Lakeside Wheelers)

A3 Race

1 Shane Donoghue (Waterford RC)
2 Shane Quinn (Longford CC)
3 Pierre Kinsella (Sheelin Flyers)
4 Stephen Finnegan (Eire Og)
5 Diarmuid Kavanagh (Bray Wheelers)
6 Karl Powderly (Tuam CC)
7 Louis (Karnec Sorento)
8 Phil O'Flaherty (McNally Swords)

A4 Race

1 John Simpson (Unattached)
2 Trevor Reilly (TC Oldcastle)
3 Adam Wieliczko (McNally Swords)
4 Davin Mullin (Sundrive TT)
5 Owen Hogan (Burren CC)
6 Darren Burke (Unattached)
7 Joe Kenny (Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar)
8 John Connolly (Clonard CC)

U16 Race

1 Shane Higgins (Black Rose)
2 Sean Kennedy (Lakeside Wheelers)
3 Conor Coleman (Dungarvan CC)
4 Aaron Cullen (Donadea Wheelers)
5 Jack Caldwell (Navan RC)
6 Ciaran O'Sullivan (Comeragh CC)

U14 Race

1 Mark Smith (Moynalty)
2 Ryan Gerathy (Inspiration)
3 Danny McDonald (Burren CC)
4 Aaron Wade (Lakeside Wheelers)
5 David O'Sullivan (Moynalty)
6 Robert Keane (Carlow RC)