Daire Feeley (Burren CC) has taken his second win of the season, this time proving victorious at the Sliabh Luachra Clasaici in Knocknagree, Co Cork, over a lumpy course with two main claims to be tackled six times.
And though Patrick O'Loughlin (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) and Eoin Clifford (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team) put in a huge effort on the final lap to get up to the breakaway, catching most of them, the strongest of the aggressors hung on.
Feeley was matched most closely by Eoin Kelly (UCD Cycling Club), until about 7km to go in the 96km race. But eventually the Roscommon man's attacking did the job and took him to victory, on a day when both breakaway and main event split to pieces.
Seven men led the charge through most of the race, though that breakaway disintegrated in the final as riders who missed the boat very nearly got back to the front in time for the chequered flag.
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The race was six laps - of just under 16km - for a total distance of 94km, with the usual attacking from the start in the Sliabh Luachra CC promotion. On the opening lap a breakaway of three went clear; Philip O'Connor (Dungarvan CC), Mark Shannon (Burren CC) and James Hanrahan (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team).
A game of cat and mouse then took hold in the bunch, with everyone waiting to see if a chase group would get going in pursuit of the three leaders. But it wasn't until towards the end of the second lap that such a group went clear.
Feeley was there with Eoin Kelly (UCD Cycling Club) and Robert McKenna (Bray Wheelers) as well as Conal Scully (Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team).
They got across to the three leaders making for a formidable breakaway, with Burren CC and Dan Morrissey Pissei Cycling Team having two men up there.
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And though the group had serious firepower, the bunch never gave up. Feeley and Shannon combined well and on the third lap Shannon began attacking in a bid to force the others to chase.
That action then split the breakaway, with Feeley, Kelly, O'Connor and Scully clear by the end of the fourth lap. And at the end of the next lap - completing lap 5 and embarking on the sixth and final lap - Feeley took flight through the finish line area.
Though O'Connor and Scully lost their places at the front as a result of that aggression, a clearly in-form Kelly was able to match Feeley and made the move with him; the duo leading the race in the early stages of that final 16km lap.
About halfway around the final passage of the circuit, Feeley took on Kelly; attacking him and managing to break free of the UCD man before a solo ride to the finish.
Behind him, O'Connor showed impressive staying power to catch Kelly and beat him to the line for 2nd place, some 31 seconds down on Feeley.
Patrick O'Loughlin (Panduit Carrick Wheelers), who was among the group of riders that never gave up on the chase, also proved strong deep in the final. The Carrick man took 3rd, just one second off O'Connor, with Kelly taking 4th on the same time as O'Loughlin and Clifford in 5th.
On the final climb, O'Loughlin and Clifford got away from the group they were with and effectively got on to the back of O'Connor and Kelly coming into the finish.
That was a strong ride by both, with Clifford - clearly in good form - making moves once his team mates Scully and Hanrahan were caught by his group in the latter stages of the race.
