Mark Nugent is coming into good form, with a win and second place in Blarney (Photo: Liam Ruth)
By Brian Canty
in Blarney
Mark Nugent went one better than his runner-up position in the Osborne Butchers sponsored Blarney criterium last night when he won the Donal Crowley Memorial race in Blarney this afternoon, Sunday.
The Waterford Racing Club man, second to Paidi O'Brien (Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes) last night, was part of the main break today that went away on the first of eight laps and he was quickest to the line at the finish before a huge turnout in the Cork town.
Nugent has already tasted success this year in the St Patrick's Day race in Carrick-on-Suir and on a circuit not too dissimilar from that today - two climbs, but nothing too serious - he again proved his worth.
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It was a cracking days racing and unlike the night before the rain stayed away and made way for a large sign-on; hardly surprising given the tradition and reputation of one of the most storied cycling clubs in the country.
And the local lads certainly were keen to put on a show, with four Blarney riders in the break of over 10 riders that went away after half a lap.
In the break were: Nugent (Waterford RC), Brendan McLoughlin, Aidan Gallery, Bryan O'Connell, Barry Twohig (Blarney) Dylan Foley and Maurice Lawlor (St Finbarrs), John Horgan (Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes), John Mannix (Killarney CC), as well as Eoin Whyte (Youghal CC) two Dungarvan riders and John Mannix (Killarney CC).
With the race a handicapped affair, the A2's and A3's were off together, and the reduced A1 group a couple of minutes behind.
Unsurprisingly, the A2 and A3 group were keen to race hard and not allow the likes of Eddie Barry, Mick Fitzgerald, Paidi O'Brien and Robin Kelly catch them.
So when Brendan McLoughlin from Blarney kicked and took several more with him from that A2-A3 group, that break of some 10-12 quickly built a lead that went from one minute to two minutes and at one stage they almost had four minutes on the peloton.
The A1 bunch caught the remainder of the A2/A3 group but with a hefty time gap at that stage to the leaders, any efforts off the front were quickly reeled in.
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It was a frustrating race for those A1's, several of whom had ridden the An Post Rás last week. But credit must be given to the breakaway out front who spared no effort in distancing themselves from those behind.
With two laps remaining a chase group of 10 formed but it was too late to make any meaningful go at reeling in the break out front.
Brendan McLoughlin tore off the front of the break in the hope of a solo win on the last lap but he was later reeled in, making way for a sprint finish, with Nugent edging John Horgan by half a wheel with Gallery just behind in third.
In the Kay Stratton Memorial, which preceded the Donal Crowley Memorial, Tim Hayes from Ballymore won with a brilliant sprint to see off Barry Horgan from Tralee and David Heffernan from Youghal.
Donal Crowley Memorial
1) Mark Nugent (Waterford Racing Club)
2) John Horgan (Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes CC)
3) Aidan Gallery (Blarney CC)
4) Barry Twohig (Blarney CC)
5) Maurice Lawlor (St Finbarrs CC)
6) John Mannix (Killarney CC)
7) Eoin Whyte (Youghal CC)
8 Dylan Foley (St Finbarrs)
Kay Stratton Memorial
1) Tim Hayes (Ballymore CC)
2) Barry Horgan (Tralee BC)
3) David Heffernan (Youghal CC)
4) Michael Lucey (Tipperary Wheelers)
5) Kieran Crean (Blarney CC)
6) J Collins (Youghal CC)
7) Brendan O'Leary (Blarney CC)
8 Greg Hill (Youghal CC)
U16
1) Henry Cooke (Limerick CC)
2) Kevin Hayes (Ballymore CC)
3 Corey Hayes (Fermoy CC)
4) Dylan O'Brien (Kanturk CC)
5) Joshua Francis (Kanturk CC)
6) Simon Twomey (Wills Wheels Cork County CC)
U14
1) Dillon Corkery (Kanturk CC)
2) Aaron Kearney Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers)
3) Ronan Twomey (Wills Wheels Cork County CC)
4) Rory Dunne (Kanturk CC)
U12
1) Cian O'Keeffe (Comeragh CC)
2) Jason Cooke (Limerick CC)
3) Jack Murphy (Kanturk CC)
4) Mark Mullins (SWW)
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