Conor Murphy of O'Leary Stone-Kanturk CC has taken the final stage of the Charleville Two Day, with stage 1 winner Sean Yelverton taking outright victory. (Photo courtesy Team Aquablue. Homepage photo of Murphy riding for Munster earlier in the season by John Coleman of DC Images)
By Brian Canty
Sean Yelverton has taken the first stage race victory of his career after successfully defending the yellow jersey he claimed on Saturday’s opening stage of the Charleville Two-Day.
The Mego Racing Team man, riding in the colours of the Munster Academy this weekend, started the day level on time with his teammate Darragh O’Mahony.
But after beating him by two seconds in the time-trial this morning, Yelverton was the undisputed team leader this afternoon.
The third stage was a very difficult 90 kilometre leg featuring a number of stinging climbs but three riders escaped almost straight away; Bryan Long (St Finbarr’s), Kieran Crean (Blarney Stone CC) and a Mego Racing Team man.
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Sensing the danger of having the well-placed Crean in there, Simon Tuomey of Cork Giant, but representing the Munster Academy this weekend, jumped across with Carlow and Nenagh riders to make it six up front.
That group worked very well but once Tuomey felt he was a threat to teammate Yelverton’s yellow jersey he stopped co-operating.
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Yelverton managed to bridge around the 50 kilometre mark and that freed up Tuomey to chase the stage and he attacked after 65 kilometres as they went up the climb of Ballyhoura.
Tuomey had a gap of around 25 seconds on the chasers but on his own out front it was always going to be difficult.
He would be caught by four riders inside a kilometre to go, one of whom was Conor Murphy (O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk) who attacked and claimed the stage win.
The bunch came in seconds later and safely positioned towards the front of affairs was Yelverton, ensuring he held the yellow jersey, one of very few riders to have done so in Charleville in recent years.
We'll bring you full results as soon as we get them.
