Kissane gets upper hand on Maes in battle for Kerry road crown

Conor Kissane has been crowned Kerry road race champion after getting the better of a very aggressive Richie Maes today in Gneeveguilla in the Kingdom.

A three-man
breakaway took flight away from the rest of the field and while they were pursued
by a strong group of chasers they survived out front to fight it out for the
medals.

Up front, Kissane
was there with his Killarney CC team mate John Brosnan; that duo with Maes
(Strata 3-VeloRevolutio) for company.

While Maes did his
best to get clear of the Killarney men, he came up short in that regard and was
beaten at the finish by Kissane.

Maes had to settle for the silver medal with Brosnan taking the bronze, making for a 1-3 for the Killarney riders.

With nine laps of a
6.8km circuit to negotiate, the racing was aggressive from the start when Maes signaled
his intent by getting clear early on his own.

He had a gap of
about 30 seconds on the bunch by the end of the opening lap, though Kissane and
Brosnan went after him and caught him on the second lap.

With such a strong
trio clear, anyone back the road looking to get to the front of the race again
had their work cut out for them.

However, that did
not stop others in the field having a go and the attacking in the bunch
eventually saw a group of six chasers form in pursuit of the three leaders.

Promoting club Sliabh
Luachra CC had two riders in that chase group in the shape of Ben Murphy and
Denis O’Connor.

National junior
road race champion and international rider Tom Moriarty (O’Leary Stone Kanturk)
was also in the chase group along with Patrick Galvin and Lorcan Daly, both
Killarney CC, as well as John James Griffin of Tralee Manor West BC.

They were later
joined by another Killarney man, Aaron O’Donoghue, and Declan O’Carroll of The
Chain Gang, making for eight in the chase group as the contest progressed.

However, the
leaders were simply too strong and were never seen again; Maes doing his best
to break clear of Brosnan and Kissane by to no avail.

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At the finish Kissane took the three-up sprint for victory from Maes and Brosnan. Behind them, Moriarty and Galvin sprinted it out for 4^th and 5^th – Moriarty getting the verdict – after getting away from the larger chasing group on the final lap.

Sun, Sept 27: Kerry
Road Race Champs

Gneeveguilla, Co
Kerry

Promoted by Sliabh Luachra
CC

A1 Result

1. Conor Kissane Killarney CC
2. Richie Maes Strata 3-VeloRevoultion
3. John Brosnan Killarney CC

A2 Podium

1. John James Griffin Tralee Manor West BC

A3 Podium

1. Denis O’Connor Sliabh Luachra CC
2. Jason Costello Killorglin CC
3. Vincent O’Leary Tralee Manor West BC

Junior Podium

1. Tom Moriarty O’Leary Stone Kanturk
2. Patrick Galvin Killarney CC
3. Aaron O’Donoghue Killarney CC

Masters 40 

1. Declan O’Carroll The Chain Gang
2. Matt Moloney The Chain Gang

Masters 50

1. Brendan Brosnan Abbeyfeale CC
2. John Crowley Killarney CC

Team Prize

• Killarney CC - Conor Kissane-John Brosnan-Patrick Galvin

U16 Boys

1. Adam Linehan Killarney CC
2. Dinny Murphy Sliabh Luachra CC
3. Louis Steadman Murphy Killarney CC

U16 Girls

1. Amy Fleming Sliabh Luachra CC

U14 Boys

1. Donagh O’Connor Killarney CC
2. Eoin Hillard Sliabh Luachra CC
3. Darragh Dennehy Sliabh Luachra CC

U14 Girls

1. Kate Murphy Sliabh Luachra CC
2. Rebecca Sheehy O’Leary Stone Kanturk
3. Shayna Daly Killarney CC

U12 Boys

1. Conor Lynch Sliabh Luachra CC
2. Cianan Dennehy Sliabh Luachra CC

U12 Girls

1. Abbeigh Dennehy Sliabh Luachra CC