Cycling Ireland A1 rankings

*Top 3: Matthew Devins leads Daire Feeley and Conn McDunphy at last weekend's Des Hanlon Classic in Co Carlow (Photo: Bryan Keane-Inpho)*

The domestic road racing season may be just one month old but already some great battles are taking shape. Many of those are a continuation of what we have seen in recent years but some of the rivalries are newer. Riders who have returned from racing abroad, and others coming of age, are facing off against the established big names.

And one of those familiar faces, Daire Feeley of All human-VeloRevolution, is again top of the Cycling Ireland A1 rankings having emerged best over the last few seasons. This time around, though, the Rás Tailteann champion is arguably facing tougher opposition.

Matthew Devins, who rode for Trinity Racing last season but is now competing in the colours of Dan Morrissey-Primor by Pissei, is having a great year so far. He is just one point behind Feeley in the rankings - Feeley on top with 78 points and Devins in 2nd position on 77.

Then comes Conn McDunphy, who is back with his Irish club, Lucan CRC, after racing in Europe in recent years, including a stint with EvoPro Racing in 2022. McDunphy has 64 points in the rankings, followed by Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport) in 4th on 57 points.

*Lindsay Watson has three wins under his belt from the first month of hostilities on the domestic scene (Photo: Toby Watson)*

Mitchell Mc Laughlin (All human-VeloRevolution) is next, in 5th place on 52 points, followed by Masters 40 rider Paul Kennedy (Burren CC) - 6th on 45 points. Then comes four more to complete the top 10. A resurgent Conor Hennebry (Dan Morrissey-Primor by Pissei) is 7th on 34 points, Gareth O Neill (Team PB Performance) is 8th on 33 points with Mark Shannon (Burren Cycling Club) 9th on 29 and Luke Smith (Moynalty Cycling Club) 10th on 24 points.

Related News

Results in full, all categories, Irish National TT Champs 2026

Mullen and Rafferty win senior and U23 Irish TT Champs crowns

While Devins, McDunphy and Watson are clearly in sparkling form, Feeley remains the man to beat given his consistency in recent years, even though he recently told stickybottle the standard on the domestic scene was higher than ever. He has taken win after win since returning from Europe to race at home after the end of the 2019 campaign, including winning Rás Tailteann last season.

He has also emerged top-ranked A1 and won the Cycling Ireland National Road Series since his return to Ireland; proof, if needed, that he can keep a huge effort going season-long. So far this year he has won the Seamus Kennedy Memorial, the Life Credit Union Newbridge GP and the Donal Crowley Memorial; the latter the opening round of the National Road Series 2023.

Sligo's Devins (20) already has five victories this year; all three stages and the overall at Rás Mhaigheo and the Des Hanlon Memorial in Co Carlow last weekend. That is an impressive record, especially after returning from the severe concussion that wiped out the second half of his 2022 season.

*Mitchell McLaughlin has shown his best form ever in the opening weeks of the new season (Photo: Toby Watson)*

McDunphy - the former Irish elite TT champion - has chalked up one win in recent weeks, the Bobby Power Memorial. But he has been on the podium no fewer than six times this year. The longer, harder races will suit him best, meaning Rás Mumhan may yield significant results for him this weekend.

While Watson is 4th in the rankings he has three wins to date in 2023; the John Haldane Memorial, PJ Logan Cup and Killinchy Cycling Club GP, and goes back to Kerry Group Rás Mumhan this weekend as defending champion. In 5th place, McLaughlin is yet to score a victory, though one is surely coming given he has displayed his best form ever in the opening month of the season.

Veteran Kennedy, who has a habit of taking results from one end of the season to the other, has one win since the start of the campaign; the Mick Lally Memorial in early March. There are 157 riders listed in the latest A1 rankings published by Cycling Ireland. A total of 50 men are already off the mark with points on the board.