Paul Kennedy, the former Team Skyline man now racing again for Burren CC, has taken his tally of wins for the 2026 season to an incredible 11 (Photo: Caroline Kerley)
When Paul Kennedy (Burren CC) told stickybottle at the start of the season - after winning the Lacey Cup – that a change of coach and training, with fewer miles, had put him in the best condition of his life, he wasn't spoofing.
The 45-year-old from Adare, Co Limerick, has just won his 11th race of the 2026 campaign. His latest victory came last night, Tuesday, after Kennedy and team mate Daire Feeley worked over Eoin Clifford, though the Velo Revolution-Speed Queen man put up a very strong fight.
Over 58km, starting just outside Shannon, Co Clare, the M&M Memorial Classic was a handicapped event for C1, C2 and C3 riders. The riders set off with a five-minute gap between the C1 scratch group and the C3s.
Though Kennedy obviously started with the C1s, he didn't wait for them to catch those ahead, instead attacking the C1s and getting across to the C2s without them.
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However, the C1 group then eventually caught Kennedy and the C2s, before their group mopped up the C3s ahead.
In the attacking that followed, Burren CC men Kennedy and Feeley got away in a very strong three-man move, with the aforementioned Clifford.
The Burren riders took turns to attack Clifford and as the last lap approached, Feeley jumped, with Clifford bringing him back.
Kennedy then countered and managed to get clear solo, riding to his latest win. Feeley beat Clifford in the sprint that settled 2nd and 3rd.
Patrick Dundas (Unattached) proved best of the rest, taking 4th ahead of a brace of Greenmount CA riders, namely Bruno Coppola and the evergreen Vinnie Gleeson.
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Deirdre Hynes, of promoting club West Clare CC, won the women's category on the night, taking the Melanie Lynch Cup. Kennedy secured the Michael Lynch Trophy while Dundas won the C3 Malachi Murray Trophy.
Tues, June 23rd | M&M Memorial Classic
Promoted by West Clare CC
Shannon, Co Clare
- Paul Kennedy Burren CC
- Daire Feeley Burren CC
- Eoin Clifford Velo Revolution-Speed Queen
- Patrick Dundas Unattached
- Bruno Coppola Greenmount CA
- Vinnie Gleeson Greenmount CA
Women's Melanie Lynch Cup
- Deirdre Hynes West Clare
C1 Michael Lynch Trophy
- Paul Kennedy Burren CC
C3 Malachi Murray Trophy
- Patrick Dundas Unattached
Masters 50 Winner
- Dermot Radford Dan Morrissey Pissei
Masters 60 Winner
- Tom Shanahan Limerick CC
Primes 1 & 2
- Richard Quinn Club Rothaíochta na Sionainne
