At around the half way mark (70kms) on a short steep climb the break splits
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Mullen and Armstrong are in trouble
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As the powerhouse Shaw motors on, Mullen manages to get back on
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Armstrong calls it a day and climbs into the car.
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The bunch is starting to pull some time back and is now at 1' 58" down
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The lead group is now down to three as they head home with some help from a tailwind
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A few kilometers later, there is now only two in the leading break
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A chase group leaves the bunch but they are still a long way back at 1' 34" and the bunch at a further 15 seconds
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As the leaders start the mountain climb in Glenmalure, Shaw starts to weaken and loose contact with Lavery
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The Bunch is back together again and still largely intact as they start the climb but they have dropped back to 2 minutes and 32 seconds on the two leaders
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Philip Lavery goes over the KOM on his own
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Damien Shaw goes over the top in 2nd place at 30 seconds down
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Next to the top is Ryan Sherlock and Lavery's team mate Kieran Friend they are 1' 38" off the leader
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The bunch is well scattered by the top of the climb the first riders are at 1' 52" down
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Greg Swinand crosses the top at 2' 38" down on Lavery
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After the fast descent into Laragh - Lavery still leads on his own but is now being chased by Sherlock and Friend with the gap now at 1' 6" just outside Annamoe
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The route back to the finish is not a straight run like it used to be in the old days. The race now switches from the main roads to small narrow all the time
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Sherlock is gaining on Lavery and has closed the gap to 1 minute
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The next group back is at 2' 02"
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More chasers are at 2' 26" back
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After another fast descent down through the Devil's Glen, the race is back on the N11 main road back to the finish and Sherlock has Lavery in sight. and the gap is less than 15 seconds
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2km to go - Lavery is only 40 meters ahead
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Results - Shay Elliott Memorial - 140km
1 Philip Lavery (Node 4), 3hrs.35mins.59secs;
2 Kieran Friend (Node 4) @4secs;
3 Ryan Sherlock *(Cycleways CC), same time;
4 Frazer Duncan (EuroCycles), @49;
5 Greg Swinand (Usher IRC), st;
6 Colm Cassidy (UCD); @1.15;
7 Fiachra O'Muire (DID/Dunboyne CC); st;
8 Thomas Martin (EuroCycles), @1.28;
9 John O'Shea (IVERK Carrick Wheelers),@1.38
10 Andrew Meehan (DID Dunboyne CC), st;
11 James (Sampson (Node 4), 1.44;
12 David Peelo (Murphy Surveyors Kilcullen CC), st.
Unplaced A2
1. Simon Ryan (Visit Nenagh)
2. Marc Potts (Omagh CC)
3. Keith Walls (DID Dunboyne)
4. Peter Rimmer (Lakeside Mullingar)
5. Chris Reilly (Bohermeen CC)
6. Odhran Connors (Dundrum Town Centre Orwell Wheelers)
7. John Kelly (Dublin Wheelers CC)
8. Geoff Sheehan (South Dublin CC)
1st Sprint Prime: Robin Kelly (Waterford RC)
Shay Elliott KOM: Philip Lavery
1st Bray Wheelers rider: Derek Cunningham
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