Daire Feeley sees off Orwell's Liam Crowley and Evan Keane after a fantastic battle at the Donal Crowley Memorial in Blarney (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Daire Feeley (Burren CC) finally got his hands in the air in Blarney, Co Cork, on Sunday at the Donal Crowley Memorial. And he did it the hard way; having to get the better of the in-form Pinergy Orwell duo of Evan Keane and Liam Crowley.
Exactly 100 riders turned out to race across the three events, just a handful down on last year when four races were held. One of the stand-out performances was by Paul Kennedy, the 45-year-old Burren CC man. However, his absolutely epic effort was almost matched by Philip O'Connor (Burren CC), and then Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Pissei).
Indeed, O'Connor and Maguire had every right to come away from the race kicking themselves for what might have been. That especially applies to O'Connor who was, somehow, almost across to the leading trio on his own, only to endure a mechanical issue with a dropped chain.
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In the end, Feeley, Crowley and Keane went to the line for a three-up sprint only 15 seconds ahead of Maguire and O'Connor. And it was Roscommon man Feeley who just held off Crowley for the win, with Keane coming home 3rd. Behind them, Maguire got the better of O'Connor in the 3rd-4th scrap.
Matthew Walls drives a move on just ahead of first-year U23 Toby Sweetman and impressive junior Shane O'Brien (Photo: Sean Rowe)
And then came Kennedy, who had been away solo for the best part of 80km from the start of the race. The Masters rider, and winner of the Lacey Cup in Kerry two weeks ago, still had enough to sprint in for 5th place. He was at the head of a chasing group just 37 seconds down on the winner.
The race was run from Blarney, over 2½ laps of a very undulating course, with a short run out to the circuit and then back again to the finish, for a total race distance of 140km.
As has been the case in a number of races so far this season, Pinery Orwell had a group of riders in the event to go up against another group, from Burren CC, though there were also plenty of others well able to take it on.
Kennedy went for broke not long after the start, getting clear solo and perhaps catching the Orwell riders on the back foot. Though it was always unlikely he would go solo all the way to the line, his presence off the front took the pressure off Burren CC.
Philip O'Connor put in a fine chase of the three leaders, and though they were motoring, O'Connor probably would have caught them but for a mechanical (Photo: Sean Rowe)
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Kennedy quickly got his lead up to 30 seconds, but then it went out to two minutes. However, there was constant attacking in the bunch, which gradually closed down Kennedy's advantage.
Those firing moves off the front include the Orwell riders, Matthew Walls (APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery), Rory Condon (Zappi Racing), Toby Sweetman (Team Buffaz Gestion de Patrimoine) and Shane O'Brien (CAMS Majaco), among others.
Kennedy lingered out front for the longest time but with about one lap of the circuit to go, Orwell's Keane attacked, with Feeley going after him. And that surge by the Orwell man eventually resulted in Kennedy's recapture.
Coming to the main climb on the course, on that final lap, Feeley lit it up with a big move and he was joined by Crowley. They began to move clear of the others, though Keane managed to get across to them.
As they came down off the climb and raced onto a flat stretch of road, the leaders averaged 65km per hour for about 6km, though young O'Connor was chasing on his own. He was, incredibly, closing in on the leaders, getting to withing just seconds of them. But then he suffered his mechanical, and the three up front pressed on without him.
Paul Kennedy's solo effort was nothing short of epic, yet he still had the legs at the end for 5th - and now aged 45 years (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Behind them, Maguire was attacking after O'Connor, who initially had a gap of about 50 seconds over him. But Maguire was able to close it down, and got to within 15 seconds of the leaders on the line.
After Feeley, Crowley and Keane went 1-2-3, then came Maguire and O'Connor, with Kennedy then getting the sprint for 5th. Right being Kennedy, in order, came: Bren Broekaart (Tuam Cycling Club), Eoin Clifford (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen), Padraig Moran (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) and Walls.
The C2 race, over 90km, was won by Jack Lawless (Gorey Cycling Club) in a two-up sprint against John O'Mahony (Newcastle West Cycling Club).
Oran Ocallaghan (O'Leary Stone Kanturk) then beat James O'Shea (Velo Revolution-Speed Queen), with Ben O'Keeffe (Newcastle West Cycling Club) just seconds behind in 5th.
The C3 race went to Ruairi Coakley (Dan Morrissey Pissei) from Stephen Gillman (O'Leary Stone Kanturk) and Shem Cullen (Spin the Bean Power by Coffee); the top three all finishing solo.
Damien Culhane (Newcastle West Cycling Club) took 4th at the front of a chasing group, with Alexander Graham-Smythe (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) taking 5th.
