McDunphy is 'Leinster Hill Climb' champ, junior O'Brien impresses

Conn McDunphy is the Leinster Hill Climb Championships winner for 2023 (Photo: Caroline Kerley)

Conn McDunphy (Lucan CRC) has won the Leinster Hill Climb Championships again, proving best of a large field on the 1.68km climb of Jenkinstown Hill in Co Louth.

The in-form McDunphy, who also won the recent Sliabh Luachra Clasaicí and claimed the latest round of the Mondello Series last Tuesday, clocked a time of 4:41 on the climb, though did not set a new Strava record for the segement.

Luke Smith (Moynalty CC) was 2nd and first-year junior Killian O'Brien (Orwell Wheelers) claimed 3rd place in the combined category field. Teenager O'Brien, who has really impressed on the climbs this year, went very close to the times of top A1 riders McDunphy and Smith.

Smith was just eight seconds down on winner McDunphy while O'Brien was only a further three seconds down, some 11 seconds behind McDunphy. Conal Scully (Dan Morrissey-Primor by Pissei) was 4th, at 13 seconds, while Matthew Hoare (Roadman Cycling Club) was 5th, at 22 seconds.

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As O'Brien is a junior, he was not eligible for a senior medal, meaning gold and silver went to McDunphy and Smith while Scully collected the bronze for his efforts. O'Brien was junior winner, taking that title from silver medal winner Adam Prendergast (Cuchulainn CC). Celine Ann McPhillips (Newry Wheelers CC) won the women's category.

The Strava record of 4:21 - a considerable 20 seconds faster than McDunphy's winning time - was not troubled during Thursday night's title race. It was set by McDunphy, in more favourable conditions, when he was crowned champion on the same climb two years ago.

Thurs, Aug 17th: Leinster Hill Climb Championships 2023

Promoted by Cuchulainn Cycling Club

Jenkinstown Hill, Co Louth (1.68km, 8.1 per cent)

  1. Conn Mc Dunphy Lucan Cycling Road Club 00:04:41
  2. Luke Smith Moynalty Cycling Club 00:04:49
  3. Killian O Brien Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 00:04:52
  4. Conal Scully Team Dan Morrissey - Primor by Pissei 00:04:54
  5. Matthew Hoare Roadman Cycling Club 00:05:03
  6. Sean Lundy Bray Wheelers 00:05:21
  7. Sam Cleary Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:25
  8. Colm Bellew Clontarf Cycling Club 00:05:37
  9. Niall Browne Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:40
  10. Fergus Crilly Navan 00:05:41
  11. Luca Holmes Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 00:05:41
  12. Tomas Mc Cabe Un-Attached Leinster 00:05:42
  13. Jamie Byrne Carlow RCC 00:05:45
  14. Eamonn Byrd Dublin Wheelers 00:05:49
  15. Conor Mc Keown Un-Attached Leinster 00:05:49
  16. Colin Robinson Bohermeen CC 00:05:52
  17. Ian Lambden Team Dan Morrissey - Primor by Pissei 00:05:55
  18. Callum Mc Caffrey Cuchulainn CC 00:05:57
  19. Cormac Meegan Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:58
  20. Alan Allman Redmond Un-Attached Leinster 00:06:11
  21. Niall Kieran Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 00:06:13
  22. Paul Noble Slaney Cycling Club 00:06:14
  23. Davis Quinn Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 00:06:26
  24. Calum Goss Cuchulainn CC 00:06:42
  25. Pj Hynes Cuchulainn CC 00:06:45
  26. Adam Byrne Carlow RCC 00:06:49
  27. Simon Byrne Cuchulainn CC 00:06:52
  28. Johnny Mc Cabe Cuchulainn CC 00:06:56
  29. Sean Delaney Cuchulainn CC 00:06:59
  30. Naoise Byrne Carlow RCC 00:07:10
  31. Michael O Rourke Cuchulainn CC 00:07:26
  32. Adam Prendergast Cuchulainn CC 00:07:27
  33. Grace O Rourke Cuchulainn CC 00:07:41
  34. Ffion Dolan Cuchulainn CC 00:08:09
  35. Celine Ann Mc Phillips Newry Wheelers CC 00:08:27

Category Winners | Leinster & Louth Champs

A1 Leinster Podium

  1. Conn McDunphy Lucan Cycling Road Club 00:04:41
  2. Luke Smith Moynalty Cycling Club 00:04:49
  3. Conal Scully Team Dan Morrissey - Primor by Pissei 00:04:54

A2 Leinster Podium

  1. Matthew Hoare Roadman Cycling Club 00:05:03
  2. Sean Lundy Bray Wheelers 00:05:21
  3. Fergus Crilly Navan 00:05:41
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A3 Leinster Podium

  1. Sam Cleary Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:25
  2. Colm Bellew Clontarf Cycling Club 00:05:37
  3. Eamonn Byrd Dublin Wheelers 00:05:49

Women Leinster Podium

  1. Celine Ann McPhillips Newry Wheelers CC 00:08:27

U14 Girl Leinster Podium

  1. Naoise Byrne Carlow RCC 00:07:10

U14 Boy Leinster Podium

  1. Sean Delaney Cuchulainn CC 00:06:59
  2. Michael O Rourke Cuchulainn CC 00:07:26

U16 Girl Leinster Podium

  1. Grace O Rourke Cuchulainn CC 00:07:41
  2. Ffion Dolan Cuchulainn CC 00:08:09

U16 Boy Leinster Podium

  1. Niall Browne Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:40
  2. Luca Holmes Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 00:05:41
  3. Jamie Byrne Carlow RCC 00:05:45

Junior Leinster Podium

  1. Killian O Brien Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club 00:04:52
  2. Adam Prendergast Cuchulainn CC 00:07:27

Louth Podium Female

  1. Grace O Rourke Cuchulainn CC 00:07:41
  2. Ffion Dolan Cuchulainn CC 00:08:09

Louth Podium Male

  1. Sam Cleary Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:25
  2. Niall Browne Drogheda Wheelers 00:05:40
  3. Tomas Mc Cabe Un-Attached Leinster 00:05:42

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