Balbriggan Cycling Club held their annual cycling weekend on courses just outside Balbriggan. A new 7 mile circuit was chosen for the Annual Harry Reynolds memorial and race HQ was based at the famous Man O’War Public House near Balbriggan. With extra support from Kartoncraft and the Man o’War, the prize fund was substantial with the prizes for the first 8 over the line. Plus 1st & 2nd in each category.
A small handicap was given to
the 3rd cat riders and right from the start, the eventual winner
Neill Delahaye (IMBRC) forged clear to win by 2 minutes.
On Sunday, race HQ moved down to a new venue at the Ring Commons Sports Centre based in an area in North County Dublin known and shown on the map as ‘Bog of the Ring’. Fingal County Council had recently resurfaced the road across the bog and with the Sports Centre offering their facilities, this was an ideal race headquarters for the start and finish.
Their were 3 races on the programme with the race for senior 1st & 2nd Category riders in memory of Ben Mc Kenna, a former top cyclist, Administrator and Garda Sergeant attracted a good entry. This event was held over 4 laps of a testing 18 mile circuit and after 72 miles and some tough racing, David Peelo (Usher IRC) a former winner emerged victorious in a very tight finish, just holding off Brian Taaffe (All Systems Dublin Wheelers) and Colm Bracken (Kilcullen).
The supporting events on the programme had equally exciting finishes, with Maurice O’Brien (Kanturk, Co Cork ) taking the honours in the combined Juniors & Veterans race.
The Wherity family put up a superb new cup for the Senior 3 & Womens race in memory of Jim (Jazzer) Wherity, who was a popular member of Balbriggan Cycling Club. Again, this event over 2 laps provided the huge crowd at the finish with another thrilling finish with Declan Byrne (Orwell Wheelers, Dundrum CC) just getting the better of Colm Rochford of Staggs Lucan CC.
You would think when you look at the pictures of the finish, that there was no one watching the finsh. There was a great ‘Ampi Theatre’ type view for the finish and the huge crowd opted to watch the finish from after the finish line. Probably a first for Irish Cycling.
David Peelo (Usher IRC) winning the Ben McKenna Memorial Toady
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The day’s events were well supported by the main sponsor, Balbriggan Credit Union . Belfort Consultants Ltd sponsored the King of the Hills and the Mc Kenna and Wherity families made donations to the prize fund. Balbriggan Cycling club would like to thank their sponsors, Order of Malta, Civil Defence, Garda Siochana, Fingal Co Council, Martin Finnegan Motorcycle supporters club (Who provided the Motor Cycle Marshalls), Ring Commons Sports Centre, the many marshals/stewards around the circuit, the ladies who provided the refreshments, Frank Gibson (Photo Finish) and anyone who helped in anyway to make the weekends racing a huge success.
See more pictures with this link [ Visit Picture Gallery Here ]
Click Here to hear what David Peelo had to say after the race
TODAY'S CYCLING RESULTSBEN McKENNA MEMORIAL CYCLE RACE - 72 MILES (Sunday)
1 David Peelo, Usher Irish Road Club
2 Brian Taaffe, All Systems Dublin Wheelers CC
3 Colm Bracken, Kilcullen CC
4 Ken Norgrove, All Systems Dublin Whlrs.
5 Sean Bracken, Usher Irish Road Club
6 Mark Kelly, Isle of Man CC
7 Eoin Whelan, Laois CC
8 Mehall Fitzgerald, Cycleways.com
9 Shane Baker, Usher Irish Road Club
10 Paul Reid, Finglas Ravens CC
11 Ciaran Farrell, All Systems Dublin Whlrs.
12 Fergal Kelly, Bray Whlrs.
13 Derek Burke, Realt Tuam CC
14 Brian Ahern, Orwell Dundrum SC
15 Jason Stack, Blessington CC
16 Mark Kiernan, Naas Rubex CC
17 Derek Finegan, Navan Avonmore RC
18 John Mason, Cycleways.com
19 Mark McLeavey, Les Jeunes
20 Derek Cunningham, Bray Whlrs CC.
Senior 'B' Unplaced
1 Karl Dolan, Cuchulainn CC
2 John Dillon, Finglas Ravens CC
3 Fegal Cahill, O'Leary Stone, Banteer CC
4 Stephen Byrne, Navan Avonmore RC
5 Karl Elliott, Usher IRC
SENIOR C RACE
For Jazzer Wherity Memorial Cup (2 x 18 mile laps)
1 Declan Byrne, Orwell CC
2 Colm Rochford, Staggs Lucan CC
3 Alan Gray, Cuchulainn CC
4 Gavin Haberlin, UCD
5 Mark Hughes, St. Tiernan's CC
6 Mark Downes, Staggs Lucan CC
7 Stephen Carroll, Cuchulainn CC
8 Aubrey Storey, U/A
9 Brendan O'Brien, St. Tiernan's CC
10 Dave McLoughlin, Orwell Dundrum SC
1st Unplaced 'C' Declan Ward, Longford CC
2nd Unplaced 'C' Terry Sheehy, Harps CC
LADIES RACE
1 Julie 0'Hagan, All Systems Dublin Whlrs
2 Roisin Kennedy, Usher Irish Road Club
JUNIOR and VETERANS RACE - 2 x 18 MILE LAPS
1 Maurice O'Brien, Kanturk Credit Union CC
2 Sean Rock, McNally Swords CC
3 Ciaran Cassidy, VC La Pomme
4 Patrick Clarke, Castlebar CC
5 Terry Ferris, Murphy-Gunn CC
6 Ger Madden, Obelisk CC
7 Isaac Speirs, Navan Avonmore RC
8 Jim McCulla, Donamon Dynamos
9 Diarmuid Cronin, Usher IRC
10 Pat Halpin, McNally Swords CC
1st Unp. Vet Ronnie Brannigan, Orwell Dundrum SC
2nd Unp. Vet Eddie Lynch, Orwell Dundrum SC
1st Unplaced Junior: Urban Monks, Bray Whlrs
2nd Unplaced Junior: Stephen Halpin, McNally Swords CC
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HARRY REYNOLDS MEMORIAL RESULTS
1 Neil Delahaye, IMBRC 28 Miles in 2hr 11 mins
2 Dave McLoughlin, Orwell Dundrum SC same time
3 Maurice O’Brien, Kanturk CU CC @ 2 mins
4 Paul Healion, Usher Irish Road Club same time
5 Fergal Kelly, Bray Whlrs 2 mins 4 sec
6 Mark Kiernan, Naas Rubex same time
7 Cormac O’Shea, Ena Loughman Remax same time
8 Colm Crawley, Stamullen M Donnelly same time
1st Unp. ‘B’ Thomas Lavery, Usher IRC
2nd Unp. ‘B’ Niall Jenkins, Bray Whlrs.
1st Unp. ‘J’ Ciaran Cassidy, VC La Pomme
2nd Unp. ‘J’ Patrick Clarke, Castlebar CC
1st Unp. ‘C’ Gary Bracken, U/A
2nd Unp. ‘C’ Gearoid Parkinson, Laois CC
1st Unp. Vet, James McCulla, Donamon Dynamos
2nd Unp. Vet, Mick Nulty, Stamullen M Donnelly