Results Des Hanlon Memorial men's race, Co Carlow | Sticky Bottle

*The Cycling Ireland National Road Series Round 2 event - Des Hanlon Memorial - proved a hard-fought race in Co Carlow today, with Matthew Devins winning the men's race (Photo: Toby Watson)*

Having suffered what could have been career-ending concussion during Rás Tailteann last year, Matthew Devins (Dan Morrissey-Primór by Pissei) has come back to the sport in flying form and took another win today - this time at the Des Hanlon Memorial in Co Carlow.

While he said he was not feeling the best in the race today, and missed the key move when a big trio broke clear on the last climb, Devins grovelled his way back into contention. He took the victory as much with his grunt as he did with his legs.

Over the last climb, it was Daire Feeley (All human-VeloRevolution) who went clear with Dean Harvey (Trinity Racing) and Conn McDunphy (Lucan CR). And though Devins saw those three big engines powering away from him as the road kicked up and the finish loomed, he did not give up hope.

He managed to set off in pursuit of the leading trio with Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport) and they combined to gradually get back up to the three leaders to make a five-man breakaway on the run in to the finish.

As all five were so strong - and race so aggressively - it was little surprise that the attacks flew off the front in the closing kilometres. However, each surge forward was neutralised by the others in the group. And when he came down to a five-up sprint, Devins proved best.

He took victory from Watson, Feeley, McDunphy and Harvey in that order. And while Devins won today - ahead of top riders in that front group - he said earlier in the race he did not feel in top shape.

"I wasn't feeling it today," he said. "I was struggling big time and I know when people see that I won the race (they'll think) 'he must be only saying that'. But I was really feeling it. So I kind of just had to gamble and hope that things weren't too scattered all over the road by the final climb. I just really rode hard tempo on the climb

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"And then it was McDunphy and Dean Harvey who attacked and Feeley went with them too. I couldn't respond to it at all, and I just said 'I'll keep my head down and just give it everything I have'. Then me and Lindsay (Watson) were chasing them over the top of the climb and we only caught them what about 5km to go.

"I just had to keep believing that I could win it, even though it was unbelievably hard. I had little goals as I went along, because it gets pretty tough mentally when you're getting it that hard. But all my little goals were coming true.

"I hoped that if I could keep the head down and just keep working hard we could hopefully catch them. And then there was a lot of cat and mouse coming into the line, everyone was attacking. None of us had a leg left, it was just so hard.

"I could see Feeley was on the hoods coming to the line with about 300m to go. And I knew he was the biggest threat. I thought 'Feeley doesn't sprint on the hoods' so I just knew he probably didn't have it today.

"And then I just gave it everything in the sprint and I was over the moon to win it. It's so nice to win. It was pretty tough going mentally over the winter (due to concussion) and I didn't know if I'd ever get back to (racing).

"And I felt this race would be my first main target and if I could get fit for this race, I'd be happy. So it's just so nice, especially with the team as well - it's the biggest race for the team, arguably the biggest one-day of the year. So it's so nice to win, I'm so happy."