Usher IRC rider Neill Delahaye showed his strength on Sunday when he raced to a fine solo victory in the Noel Hammond Memorial in Ballyboughal, North County Dublin. He went clear of a breakaway group on the final lap of the race, finishing 52 seconds clear of MyHome.ie Cycleways rider Stephen O’Sullivan, Bill Moore (Stamullen M. Donnelly) and Paddy Moriarty (Diamond T. CC).

O'Sullivan takes second

Daire O’Sullivan (Ena Loakman Remax) took fifth, 58 second down, while Adrian Hederman (Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group) and Tim O’Regan (MyHome.ie/Cycleways) had also been present in the break going onto the final lap and finished 1 minute and 52 seconds down. Delahahe’s team-mate Greg Swinand punctured while clear in a break and took eighth, 2 minutes and 34 seconds back.

Daire O'Sullivan took fifth

Adrian Hedderman and Tim O'Regan finish

Greg Swinand takes eighth

Myles Kirby - first senior 2

Colm Bracken beats Gary McNulty in bunch sprint

Miles Kirby of the promoting Orwell – Dundrum Town Centre bounced back from a crash to win the senior 2 award, with team-mate Gary McNulty taking second and Jason O’Callaghan (McNally Swords) netting third. Julie O’Hagan (All Systems Dublin Wheelers) beat Louise Moriarty (Moving Ladies) for the women’s prize, while Stephen Halpin (McNally Swords CC) finished ahead of Diarmuid Cronin (South Dublin CC) and Liam Dolan (Cuchulainn CC) to win the Kieran Hammond Trophy combined race.

Terry Ferris (Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group) took the veteran’s prize ahead of Basil Freeman (Eire Og), while Allister Fiddes (Orchard Wheelers CC) and Gary Rigley (Bray Wheelers) were first two juniors.

Delahaye was happy with his win and showed he was the strongest in the race with some aggressive riding. “I felt pretty strong today. Last Sunday my legs felt sore and heavy before, during and after the race, but this week I felt kind of fresh,” he said after the prize presentation. “I gave it a couple of digs, maybe did a bit too much early in the race but I had the energy and gave it a go.”

“Very early on myself, Stephen O’Sullivan, John O’Shea and Eoin Whelan were away. We were clear for a lap and then I went off by myself after that. I was kind of hoping to bring someone with me but as it turned out I was away for a lap by myself. But as I was getting caught, Greg [Swinand] came across and that was actually the split.”

Although he is in good form, Delahaye will miss the FBD Insurance Rás. “Unfortunately I can’t do the Rás this year due to family commitments,” he said. “Next year I will be. I probably should be making the most of my form but this is just the way it has gone. I will also miss the nationals as well as I am due to be on holidays. It is just one of those things, I am little bit frustrated but next year I will plan things better.”

He returned to cycling last year after a long layoff. “I did one season when I was under 16 and then I didn’t do anything for ten years,” he said. “Last year I just got back into it again. A couple of my friends are into mountainbiking, but not really competitively. That got me back into it and that was it.

“I had been doing a lot of gym work and that kind of thing, but not much cardio exercise until last year. I am very happy how things worked out, I am very surprised that I have been going so well this year, very happy with some of the results I have got. Now I have a bit of confidence as well, so I will hopefully keep it ticking over until the end of the season.”

Delahaye showed strong form in the Shay Elliott but lost out tactically. “I think I have a bit to learn in terms of when to go,” he admitted. “I don’t always have the head, that way, sometimes I give a dig at the wrong time and then when there are important breaks I have missed a couple of splits. But I was happy today because I had said to myself that I would go on the hill on the last lap, and that is where I went. It worked out just fine.”

Second-placed Stephen O’Sullivan is coming into good form in time for the FBD Insurance Rás. “On the first lap I got into a move with three others – Neill Delahaye, John Dempsey and Eoin Whelan,” he said. “We were riding hard but a big group of about 20 came up to us then. They weren’t doing much, there were just a few tapping through. Nobody was really committed. It came back together and then we just jumped on the main road with about three to go. It was myself, Neill Delahaye, Greg Swinand and a few others.”

“On the last lap, there was a bit of jumping around and four of us got together just before the bottom of the climb. I was on the back and someone let the wheel go, letting Neill go clear. When you don’t close it straight away it is very hard; he just rode away and no-one else would really commit to a proper chase. I just said that I would tap through and try to get second.”

O’Sullivan is hoping that his MyHome.ie Cycleways team will ride well in the FBD Insurance Rás, despite the absence of a key rider. “Eugene (Moriarty) is out due to injury, he is a great loss to the team. But still we are looking at Mehall Fitzgerald for a possible stage win and Brian Kenneally for the overall. The rest of us will aim for opportunistic breaks and obviously the team prize will be a big thing for us. We are not going to ride the race just for the team prize, if that comes along it is a bonus. We will see how it pans out.

“The race will be different this year, there is a smaller field. You won’t have the less-prepared riders letting the wheels go, which is always a problem if you are in the wrong place. There are some good teams coming over, I was looking at the lineup. That guy Danny Pate is riding – he was former world under 23 champion, and then you have a few other good names, including the Recycling team, Tanner, Lovatt and Randle. It should be a good Rás.”

Greg Swinand was impressed by his team-mate’s ride. “It was a good race. I put in a big week this week so I was happy to feel good. The conditions were very tough, Neill here was riding like a champ so all I had to do was to sit on. We got into a nice break and really stated clipping through but I punctured about half way. I managed to get first out of the field anyway.

“Neill was away by himself early on, and I was screaming at him to stop wasting energy. I got across to him on the third lap. Five or six of us got away and started riding through. It went kind of early, it was Neill’s attack which set it up…he was going very well.”

Swinand will ride the Rás but the Usher IRC team will unfortunately be without Stephen Gallagher, who was due to guest for the squad in the race. “Stephen can’t do the Rás as there is a rule that if you are a UCI-registered continental team rider, you can’t do the race with a regular club team [and have it count for the county team award]. Eoin Whelan will take his place in the race. He is a big strong guy, he should do well. The country team is one of the targets for us.”

Meanwhile in Dungarvan, Ciarán Power showed strong form in advance of the FBD Insurance Rás when he won the Kelly Pharmacy GP. The Navigators professional, who is returning after an operation earlier this season, soloed in ahead of Michael Hennessy (Fermoy) and Micheal Fitzgerald (Ballymore Cobh).




Noel Hammond Memorial, Ballyboughal:

1, Neill Delahaye (Usher Irish Road Club) 72 miles in 2 hours 57 mins 52 secs
2, Stephen O’Sullivan (Myhome.ie/Cycleways) at 52 secs
3, Bill Moore (Stamullen M Donnelly)
4, Paddy Moriarty (Diamond T. CC) both same time
5, Daire O’Sullivan (Ena Loakman Remax) at 58 secs
6, Adrian Hederman (Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group) at 1 min 52 secs
7, Tim O’Regan (Myhome.ie/Cycleways) same time
8, Greg Swinand (Usher Irish Road Club) at 2 mins 34 secs

Unplaced senior 2:

1, Myles Kirby (Orwell Dundrum Town Centre)
2, Gary McNulty (Orwell Dundrum Town Centre)
3, Jason O’Callaghan (McNally Swords)


Kieran Hammond Trophy (Combined race):

1, Stephen Halpin (McNally Swords CC)
2, Diarmuid Cronin (South Dublin CC)
3, Liam Dolan (Cuchulainn CC)
4, Denis McCrory (Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group)
5, Conor McAllisdair (Ballymena CC)
6, Michael Daly (McNally Swords CC)

Ladies:

1, Julie O’Hagan (All Systems DWCC)
2, Louise Moriarty (Moving Ladies CC)

Vets (Unplaced):

1, Terry Ferris (Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group)
2, Basil Freeman (Eire Og)

Juniors (Unplaced):

1, Allister Fiddes (Orchard Wheelers CC)
2, Gary Rigley (Bray Wheelers)


Kelly Pharmacy G.P.

Senior 1 & 2:

1, Ciaran Power (Navigators Insurance)
2, Michael Hennessey (Fermoy)
3, Michael Fitzgerald (Ballymore Cobh)
4, Brian Keane (All System Dublin Wheelers
5, Robin Kelly (Comeragh CC)
6, Bob Murray (Limerick CC)
7, Simon Kelly (Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group)
8, Tom Shanahan (Limerick CC)

Unplaced senior 2:

1, Adrian Crowley (Fermoy CC)
2, Fergus Keogh (My Home.ie/Cycleways)


Senior 3, Junior & Veterans:

1, John Duggan (Banteer)
2, Eddie Maher (Carrig R.C.)
3, Pat Ahearn (St. Finbarrs)
4, Russell Tracey (St. Finbarrs)
5, Leslie O'Donnell (Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers)
6, Ray Dwyer (Dungarvan)
7, Maurice O'Brien (Comeragh)
8, Vinny Maher (Carrig R.C.)

Woman: Jenny Fay (Orwell Wheelers)

Under 12:

1, Robert McCarthy (Fermoy)
2, Jason Roche (K.C.U.)
3, Daren O'Sullivan (K.C.U.)
4, Jack Healy (K.C.U.)
5, Aidan Campbell (Drogheda)
6, Simon Fox (Fermoy)


Under 14:

1, Ben Dowling (Bray Wheelers)
2, Cian Corcoran (Killorglin Credit Union)
3, Shane Sullivan (Killorglin Credit Union)
4, Louis Wilkins (Killorglin Credit Union)
5, Eamonn Maher Carrick Wheelers)
6, Paul Duffy (Fermoy)



Under 16:

1, Sam Bennett (Kanturk Credit Union)
2, Conor Campbell (Drogheda)
3, Bernard Geoghan (Kanturk Credit Union)
4, Axel O'Connor (Laois)
5, Eoin Leahy (Kanturk Credit Union)
6, Darren Connolly (Laois)


John Moore Memorial RR Carryduff:

1, Thomas Martin (Clann Eireann) 100 kilometres in 2 hours 29 mins 18 secs
2, Danny Hylands (East Antrim)
3, Andrew Hoey (Ballymena)
4, Stephen Patton (Phoenix)
5, Kieran Downey (Apollo)
6, Richard Watters (Harps CC)
7, Mark Brown (Phoenix CC)
8, Ronnie Smyth (Dromara CC)
9, Darren Weir (Dromara CC)
10, Stephen Baines (Dromara CC) all same time


Ulster Youth Road Race Championships Hamiltonsbawn

Under 12:

1, Ciara Mulholland (Clann Eireann)
2, Cormac Clarke (Newry Wheelers)
3, Laura Casey (Clann Eireann)
4, Lauren Elliott (Orchard Wheelers)
5, Claire Oakley (XMTB)
6, Ben McKelvey (Dromara CC)
7, Judith King (Apollo)
8, Jack Gallagher (Foyle CC)
9, Daniel Runcieman (Banbridge CC)
10, Blayne Watton (Bann Wheelers)

Under 14:

1, Jack Wilson (East Antrim-Audi)
2, Michael Runciman (Banbridge CC)
3, Niall McAree (Emyvale)
4, Nathan Mahaffey (Orchard Wheelers)
5, Andrew Turner (Orchard Wheeelers)
6, Rachel Mitchell (North Down)

Under 16:

1, Sean Downey (Banbridge CC)
2, Simon Williams (Orchard)
3, Peter Wilson (Maryland
4, Leo McAllister (Ballymena RC)
5, Jonny Beers (XMTB)