McKenna, Dolan and Macaulay last men standing as break splits to pieces in Dunboyne

Sean McKenna pushed the pace in the closing stages in Meath yesterday as the breakaway fell apart and the bunch mopped up all but the strongest.

Sean McKenna has taken a really impressive victory for UCD CC in a three-up sprint at the end of the Seamus Kennedy Memorial in Co Meath.

McKenna, who recently represented Ireland at the World Student Championships, was part of a 12-man group that went clear of the field on the second of six laps before taking flight in the final kilometres, taking Alistair Macaulay of Phoenix CC and Cuchulainn’s Liam Dolan with him.

McKenna would beat those two in the gallop for the line, with Macaulay – who rode in the break at the National Championships last month - taking second ahead of Dolan.

Another of the yesterday’s breakaway men, Robin Kelly of Aquablue smelt the danger of the bunch closing from behind and jumped away at just the right time, clinging on for fourth before the bunch swamped the remainder of the escape.

They were led in by recently crowned Munster champion Paidi O’Brien (Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports) ahead of Aidan Crowley (VeloRevolution).

Ali Macaulay of Phoenix CC is having a great season and got onto the podium again in Meath yesterday (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)

It was a perfect day for racing on the 20km circuit used for the National Championships in 2009, won by Nicolas Roche that year.

A number of small moves clipped off the front in the early exchanges over the six-lap race but never pulled out more than a handful of seconds.

The UCD CC contingent was always active, with eventual winner McKenna and Eoin Morton particularly aggressive. Paidi O’Brien and the Aquablue trio of Joe Fenlon, Olan Barrett and Robin Kelly were also putting the pressure on.

Anthony Walsh (UCD CC) and Conor Murphy (Caldwell Cycles) were the first to get some daylight on those behind. But with so many more missing that move it was reeled in before the main breakaway of the day went clear.

John Kenny (Navan RC) and Alastair Macaulay rolled off the front just as the riders crested the only real drag of note on the circuit. And on the twisty roads that followed, they pulled away backed by a tailwind before being joined by a sizeable number of riders from behind.

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In there were UCD CC duo Joe Breheny and McKenna, the aforementioned Robin Kelly, Ronan Killeen (Lucan CC), Brian Canty (Liquidworx-Fitscience), Chris Jeuken (VisitNenagh), Liam Dolan (Cuchulainn CC), Keith Fox (Shannonside CC), John Mason (DID Dunboyne) and others.

That group worked well but rarely had more than a minute on those behind. At the halfway point it was down to 44 seconds but went to 1’10” a lap later.

Behind, a crash took the sting out of the chase somewhat when dogs ran onto the road and took down over 10 riders. But there were no serious injuries reported afterwards.

With two laps to go, the break’s cohesion started to dip as a few riders tested the waters with a flurry of attacks; Robin Kelly, McKenna and Macaulay all enjoying brief spells off the front.

With a lap to go the gap was still holding at a minute but inside eight kilometres McKenna took a flier and took Macaulay and Dolan with him as the others stalled temporarily.

Kelly went next before the drag, and it was there that the bunch came into view from behind.

Up ahead, the leading trio pressed on to contest the finish, with Kelly doing likewise with mere seconds to spare after what was a very gusty ride by him.