DID Dunboyne’s O’Mhuire takes Sean Nolan GP after attacking ride with Conor Murphy

By Brian Canty

Fiachra O'Mhuire (DID Electrical Dunboyne) took one of the biggest wins of his career in Navan yesterday, Sunday, when he outsprinted breakaway companion Conor Murphy (Eurocycles) to take a brilliant win in the Sean Nolan Meath GP.

O'Mhuire was aggressive from the outset and he got his just desserts for such a high-risk strategy when he held off Rás Mumhan stage-winner Murphy and also the hungry peloton who were led in by Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing Club) a few seconds back.

The Dubliner had double reason to celebrate as he is now set to jump into the top 10 ranked riders in the country, having occupied 13th place in the most recent Cycling Ireland rankings published last week.

His win yesterday followed some very aggressive riding and though he tried a similar stunt on stage six of the An Post Rás with Philip Lavery before being eventually gobbled up, his tactics paid off this time around.

On the second of three laps the duo broke clear and for over a lap never had more than 20seconds on the peloton. Working well together they stretched that advantage to 50 seconds on the last lap with the chase being mainly led by Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways) and Greg Swinand (Usher IRC) but DID Dunboyne and Eurocycles worked to disrupt the chase.

Sherlock, showing some good form ahead of the National Championships in a fortnight, broke clear alone with 3km to go when the gap had closed down to 12 seconds. But with the bunch chasing hard Sherlock was absorbed and Robin Kelly claimed third just five seconds after the two leaders crossed the line.

In the A3 race, run over two laps (84km), a dead heat was declared, with Eoin Morton and David Griffin sharing joint first.
So with just one trophy for the winner, and Morton hurrying off to work afterwards, Griffin got the gong but organisers have agreed to have a replica made up for Morton.

In the A4 race, also run over two laps, Jim O'Rourke was quickest to the line, edging out Ray Coogan and Karl Lynch.

Also, Spaniard Sara Ortiz continued her good form with a fine sprint victory over Mel Spath in the latest round of the Stickybottle National League.

In the underage categories, Mark Downey of Banbridge, a younger brother of An Post-Sean Kelly professional Sean Downey, took yet another win while Dion McCarthy won the U14 race, making it two wins from two for him over the weekend.
Eoin Birchall won the U12 race, having also won in Roundwood 24 hours earlier

A1/A2 Race 75 miles

1st Fiachra O Muire Did Dunboyne 2:53:27
2nd Conor Murphy Eurocycles @st
3rd Robin Kelly Waterford Racing @ 5 secs
4th David Walsh Slaney CC @st
5th Colm Bracken Murphy Surveys
6th Brendan Whelan Cycling Pursuits
7th Derek Finnegan Liverpool Century
8th Daniel Clifford DID Dunboyne
9th Javan Nulty DID Dunboyne
10th John Horgan Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes
(There were 61 starters)

A3 Race 84km

(Photo Finish could not split 1st and 2nd so a dead heat was declared)
1st Eoin Morton UCD & Barry Griffin Comeragh CC
3rd Ciaran McKenna Emerald CC
4th John Maguire S.E.R.C
5th Shane O Donoghue W.R.C
6th Rory Farrell Staggs Lucan
(There were 85 starters)

Unplaced Juniors
1st Craig Aarrigan DTC Orwell Wheelers
2nd Ciaran Campbell Drogheda Wheelers
3rd Aidan Wall Navan Avonmore

A4 Race 84Km

1st Jim O Rourke Western Lakes
2nd Ray Coogan Stamullen Fast Lane
3rd Karol Lynskey Bohermeen CC
4th Patrick Smith Dublin University
5th Ben Delaney Wexford Wheelers
6th Kenneth Berry Lakeside Wheelers Mullingar

(There were 44 starters)

Women’s “Stickybottle.com National League” 84km

1st Sara Ortiz Black Rose Racing
2nd Melanie Spath Cycleways
3rd Amy Brice Phoenix CC
4th Eve McCrystal Garda CC
5th Francine Meehan Tullamore CC
6th Anne Dalton DTC Orwell Wheelers
(There were 23 starters)