Connor comes good to gain podium spot
AT the end of a very busy week for local race cyclists, a huge amount of success is being celebrated in the North East region.
It all began with round four of the Drogheda Wheelers-promoted Mark Mullen Summer League on Monday evening, where victory went to Austin Dennis of Swords CC, with Terence Diehl from the host club taking third ahead of clubmate Ciaran Connor in fifth. Three more Drogheda Wheelers were well up in the standings, with Jack O’Donnell eighth, Brendan McEntee ninth and Neil Flanagan rounding off the top 10.
In the underage section, Daragh Peters and Bryan Keelan from the Wheelers claimed the first two spots, followed by Pearce Gorman from Stamullen RC in third.
On Thursday the action moved north for the Cuchulainn League, Alan Bingham from Newry Wheelers took the spoils, with Liam Dolan from the promoting club second, Stamullen powerhouse Gary Gorman taking the last spot on the podium and Alan Grey (Cuchulainn CC) sprinting to fifth.
As the weekend approached, the success continued, firstly in Robinstown on Saturday evening when Ciaran Connor kept up his recent strong form to finish fourth in the U-14 race, while fellow Wheelers man Barry Hughes took the second A2 prize.
Then on Sunday in the Mullingar GP, Ciaran Connor was in the prizes again as he was narrowly beaten into second in the U-14 race. Eoin Ferriter (Drogheda Wheelers) sprinted to sixth in the A3 race, while Stamullen veteran Craig Sweetman finished one better in the main A1 race, which was 136km in length.
While the bulk of local cyclists claimed success in the one-day races, two young members from Drogheda Wheelers completed the 6-day Junior Tour of Ireland in Co Clare at the weekend.
The race, which lasted from Tuesday to Sunday, brought Ben McCourt and James McMorrow across the whole county, with three of the five road stages lasting more than 100km.
The two boys, who are 16 and 17, lined up against 60 other Irish competitors as well as 70 foreign riders in what is referred to as the biggest junior stage race the world.
McCourt was part of Team Leinster, while McMorrow joined Greenmount Cycling Academy in Clare for the week.
The lads faced a 6.4km time trial, followed by four road stages, before rolling in side by side on the final criterium in Ennis, welcomed home by a great crowd of supporters. in Great show
ARDEE native Mark McAuley was part of the Ireland show jumping team who were placed second after the Longines FEI Nations Cup competition at Falsterbo in Sweden on Sunday.
Riding Utcan De Belheme, McAuley jumped clear in the opening round and picked up four faults in his second run as Ireland won through to a four-way jump-off, where they were just edged out by the Netherlands.
Lotto prizes NUMBERS drawn in last week’s Duleek AFC/SBG FC lotto were 16, 19, 21, 29 and the six €20 prizes went to T Halton, N Flynn, C Kennedy, Pat/Rachel, M Lindsey and A Lowthe.
The draws take place every Thursday at 8.30pm in the Duleek AFC clubhouse, tickets are available from committee members and this week’s jackpot remains at €8,000.
Jackpot joy NUMBERS drawn in last week’s Seneschalstown GAA Club lotto for a jackpot of €2,100 were 2, 7, 9, 19 and there was one jackpot winner - Colm Lyons.