O'Loughlin, Swinand, Doogan show no mercy to take TT titles

Michael O'Loughlin showed no mercy as he blitzed the field in the national junior time-trial championships in Cong, Co Mayo (Photo: Sean Rowe)

By Brian Canty

Michael O’Loughlin is the new national junior time-trial champion after seeing off a strong field by a huge margin in tonight’s 23-kilometre title race in Cong Co. Mayo.

It’s a superb win for the NRPT-Magnet.ie man who clocked the fastest time of the night with 31.05 and lived up to his favourites’ tag spectacularly.

He beat fellow Irish international Simon Tuomey (Cork Giant) by 1:16. Another Carrick man, Cathal Purcell (Carrick Wheelers CC, was third a further 31 seconds back.

The latter put in an exceptional ride for the bronze medal and he must now be viewed as less of a dark horse and more of a real contender for tomorrow’s road race.

It’s a particularly satisfactory result for O’Loughlin too as he was runner-up in both the time-trial and the road race last year.

To finally get the monkey off his back will relieve some of the pressure on him tomorrow, though he will be going all out for the win.

The junior women’s title was won by Ciara Doogan (Errigal CC) in a staggering time of 36.56.

That was almost four minutes quicker than runner-up Emily Birchall (NRPT-Magnet.ie) who clocked a time of 40.48 while Naoise Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers) rounded out the podium in a time of 41.15.

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The Masters' 40 event also went the way of conventional wisdom with Greg Swinand (Aquablue) surprising no one with a typically emphatic victory, making it three titles in-a-row for him in a time of 31.19.

He got the better of George Doyle (Moda Kingdom Endurance Sports) who clocked 33.14 with Chris Troy (Castlebar CC) crossing the line in 33.20 for third.

That’s a superb win again for Swinand who almost had two minutes to spare on the next man – but Doyle should be well pleased with that display too as it was always a race for silver.

The Masters' 50 was won by John Madden (Dig Deep Coaching) in 32.24 from Adrian Murphy (Midlteton CTC) in 33.17 with Gerry Maguire (Phoenix CC) clocking 34.29.

The Masters' 60 went to Sean Hargan, also of Phoenix CC, in 34.39. He beat Dominic Drumm of Bann Wheelers (36.57) with Kevin O’Leary (St Finbarr’s) recording a time of 37.25.