Curley wins Bobby Power Memorial with attacking ride in Carrick-on-Suir

*Liam Curley has won the main event at the Bobby Power promotion in Carrick-on-Suir today (File photo by Ryan Byrne of Inpho)*

Liam Curley of Spellman Dublin Port has claimed victory in the Bobby Power Memorial in Carrick-on-Suir, putting to good use his form from recent international duty with Ireland, including Tour de l'Avenir.

Curley, who has enjoyed a brilliant run of late including winning the Newcastle West Stage Race, was best today ahead of Luke Smith (Moynalty Cycling Club).

Last year's national criterium champion, Andy Maguire, was 3rd, making it a 1-3 for Spellman Dublin Port in the main event. The Tommy Sheehan Memorial was won by leading A3 in the main event, Evan Cullen. The Comeragh CC rider finished 7th in the combined race.

The main event was characterised by plenty of aggression from
the start, with eventual winner Curley among a group of that got clear of the
scratch bunch. That group soon caught the A3 limit group.

Curley then attacked on the drag up through the finishing area
at the end of the opening lap and managed to get clear with Smith, with four
laps of the 20km course remaining.

About halfway around the second lap the two leaders were joined
by two more; Curley’s team mate Maguire and UCD’s Jason Kenny.

Those four then combined well for most of the remainder of the
race to pull out a decisive gap on the chasing bunch.

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However, that cooperation up front fell away on the final lap
when the Spellman Dublin Port duo of Maguire and Curley used their numbers in
the breakaway.

The team mates took turns at attacking the group, with Curley
eventually getting clear on his own with about 15km to go.

He committed and rode flat out for the finish line, winning the race by about one minute from the chasing trio. Smith then came through for 2^nd from Maguire and Kenny, with Killarney Cycling Club’s Conor Kissane best of the rest in 5^th place.

Promoting club Panduit Carrick Wheelers decided to merge the A1-A2 Bobby Power race with the A3 Tommy Sheehan Memorial after entries for the main event were low. The two races were merged and run off in a handicapped format, with the best of the scratch riders coming through to fight for the victory.

The A4 race was won by Brionn Coffey (Bray Wheelers) from Ian Holland (Dungarvan Cycling Club) and Michael O'Dwyer (Slievenamon Cycling Club), with Angela Hoare (Ossory Wheelers) taking the women’s category.

More to come.