McKenna survives late scare to take second win of 2012 in Coalisland

McKenna left, just about holds off McCartney to take the win (Photo: Darren Crawford)

Stephen McKenna (Omagh Wheelers) very nearly blew a great ride at the PJ Logan Cup in Coalisland yesterday when he launched his victory celebration a little too early and was almost pipped on the line by runner up Declan McCartney (Roe Valley CC).

Both were part of a breakaway from the A3 limit group that easily outwitted the A1 and A2 riders to share the spoils in a sprint finish after 55 miles of hard riding.

The A3 riders were given a five-minute handicap on the A1/A2 chasing bunch and while most would have expected the groups to merge in the latter half of the eight-lap race, a small group of the A3s had different ideas.

On the second lap, what would prove to be the winning move gave the A3 group the slip. They got organised and rode well together. And while the A1/A2 group caught the large bunch of A3 riders, the breakaway actually pulled away from the rest of the race in the closing laps.

In the end the escapees still had a gap of three minutes to spare in the main event of the three races laid on by Island Wheelers.

At the finish it was Stephen McKenna, the winner of his club’s home promotion in Omagh last weekend, who was too quick for the others and took the gallop for the win. However, he was given a much closer contest than he would have liked by McCartney in second place.

Next best of the breakaway men was the in-form junior Daniel Stewart (East Antrim Audi).

The B race – which was for A4s only – ended in a bunch sprint after five laps. Tommy Rafferty of Slane Cycles motored up the uphill finish to take the win from Barry McKenna (westtyronevelo.com), with Stephen Walsh (Clann Eireann) in third.

In the masters and women’s race, Noel Boyce (North Down) showed his finishing gallop again by taking victory from a group sprint, with Freida Brown (Banbridge CC) winning the women’s event.

(See photos below the results)

PJ Logan Cup Results 2012

A Race - The PJ Logan Cup

1st Stephen McKenna (Omagh Wheelers)
2nd Declan McCartney (Roe Valley CC)
3rd Daniel Stewart (East Antrim Audi)
4th Devon McIlwaine (Duffin Transport)
5th Cathal Doyle (Carn Wheelers)
6th Gary Jeffers (East Antrim Audi)

1st Unplaced Cat 3 – Mark Downey (Banbridge CC)
1st Unplaced Cat 2 – Cathal Smith (Phoenix CC)
1st Unplaced Island Wheeler – Alan McKeown

B Race

1st Tommy Rafferty (Slane Cycles),
2nd Barry McKenna (Westtyronevelo.com)
3rd Stephen Walsh (Carn Wheelers)
4th Alistair Walker (West Down)
5th Paul Toner (Phoenix CC)
6th Adrian Madden (Duffin Transport)

1st Unplaced Island Wheeler – Gareth Donnelly

Women’s Race

1st Freida Brown (Banbridge CC)
2nd Evan Bartlett (Lakeland CC)
3rd Cheryl Cardwell (Island Wheelers)