Tipperary’s Radford pips Carrick’s Lucey at Ken O’Keeffe Memorial

Daithi Creedon (Southside Wheely Wheelers) takes the A4 race (Photo: Karen M Dunne)

Dermot Radford took a fine win in the Ken O'Keeffe Memorial race when he just edged out Michael Lucey (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers) on the slightly uphill drag to the finish line in Whitechurch, Cork, today.

The Tipperary Wheelers rider had a half wheel on Lucey as he crossed the line, with Bryan Long (Cork County CC) in third.

Radford had been part of the days' breakaway that surged clear of the peloton on the first of seven laps. They quickly stretched their advantage to over two minutes - and that's how it remained for the day.

A chase group did go in pursuit of the ten or so men up front with a couple of laps to go, but it proved too little, too late.

Seven laps of 14 kilometres in blistering temperatures was what the riders had to contend with today and with a strong headwind approaching the drag up to the finish, it was always going to be a war of attrition.

The opening lap was lively and a group containing Long, Radford, Lucey, Ray Cullen, Aidan Gallery, Brian O'Connell, Mark Power and Denis McCarthy broke clear, with Blarney's Barry Twohig later joining.

There were a number of others in the decisive break but they were subsequently dropped on the second and third laps.

With so many teams represented up front, it was little surprise to see the bunch stall behind as those up front surged ahead.

With a strong Blarney contingent in the escape (O'Connell, Twohig and Gallery) they were obviously being looked to to pull the win out of the bag. But Radford has been in good form this year and he is a time trial specialist too, so he clearly put that horsepower to use coming in towards the line, slightly distancing the rest of the breakaway with Lucey and Bryan Long (Cork County CC) for company.

But it was Radford who got his nose in front when it mattered at the finish.

Ken O'Keeffe Memorial, Whitechurch

A2/A3 Race

1 D Radford (Tipperary Wheelers)
2 M Lucey (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers)
3 B Long (Cork County CC)
4 M Power (Dungarvan CC)
5 B Twohig (Blarney CC)
6 A Gallery (Blarney CC)
7 R Cullen (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers)
8 D McCarthy (Slipstream CC)