Harvey and Killeen in tight scrap for National Cyclocross Series victory

*Dean Harvey, the national champion, and the in-form Tadhg Killeen duked it out on a soft day for racing in Round 3 of the National Cyclocross Series (Photo: Toby Watson)*

Dean Harvey (Martigues Sport Cyclisme) and Tadhg Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) engaged in a tight battle for victory in the men’s race in the third round of the National Cyclocross Series in Limerick.

And though Killeen managed to overtake national champion Harvey on the second lap, of five, and then put a decent chunk of time into him, Harvey gritted his teeth and ground out the win. Harvey had slipped a chain and damaged a jockey wheel, which put a hole in his effort, on that second lap.

At the end of the lap, Killeen had made up the five seconds he gave away to Harvey on the opening lap and pulled almost 20 seconds ahead. However, Harvey then pegged him back over the next two laps, setting up an exciting final passage of the circuit.

*Dean Harvey celebrates his win after a great battle in the men's race (Photo: Toby Watson)*

On that last lap, Harvey was considerably quicker than Killeen and ran out the winner by 18 seconds after a two-horse race for the win. Richard Barry (St Finbarr’s CC) took the final place on the podium, over three minutes down, while Team WORC’s Robin Seymour and Ian O’Connell were 4^th and 5^th.

In the women’s event, national masters champion Jean Wilson (EPIC MTB) was never really challenged. After a very fast start, she was just over 30 seconds clear of the nearest challengers going out onto the second lap of four.

And though eventual 2^nd and 3^rd place finishers, Rachel Newell (McConvey Cycles) and Aishling O’Connor (Orwell Wheelers), put up a determined chase, Wilson extended her lead through the second and third lap.

*Jean Wilson on her way to victory in the senior women's race (Photo: Toby Watson)*

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Though the leader, and eventual winner, eased off the gas on the final passage of the circuit, she won by 2:32 from Newell, with O’Connor in 3^rd place at 3:03.

The junior men’s race was won by Roch Morgan (Unattached Ulster) after he caught and distanced early leader Conor Regan (Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospacial) on the second lap of four.

In the end, they were separated by 24 seconds, with Ciaran O’Sullivan of host club Greenmount CA, taking the final step on the podium at 1:32.

Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) took an early lead in the Masters 40 race, before losing it to Darragh McCarther (Spellman Dublin Port) on the third lap.

*Roch Morgan celebrates his victory in the junior men's race in Limerick (Photo: Toby Watson)*

However, Kinning closed a gap of close to 20 seconds over the final two laps and edged put McCarter by a second at the finish. Ronan O’Flynn (Orwell Wheelers) was never too far from the front of the race and took 3^rd on the day, 21 seconds down on winner Kinning.

In the U16 boys race, Eoin Davis (Bohermeen CC) recovered from a slow start in the three-lap race to round the next two laps by far the fastest. He won by 13 seconds from James Geary (Fermoy CC). James Cunningham (Team WORC) was 3^rd at 27 seconds.

In the U16 girls race, Orla Mulhearne (Panduit Carrick Wheelers) won by one second from Ava Baker (Breffni Wheelers). Baker had built a lead of 41 seconds over the first two laps in the three-lap race but seemed to come unstuck at the last, perhaps returning to racing too quickly after being ill midweek. Ciara O’Connor (Drogheda Wheelers) was 3^rd.