After a technical hitch at the start, the final stage seen the first break happening just after 10 miles of racing when 11 riders broke clear which included Stage 2 winner Brian Kenneally (Engraveit.ie) along with his team-mates Stephen O'Sullivan and Ciaran Cassidy. Also included in the break was Conor Murphy (Usher Irish RC), Barry Monaghan (Newry Wheelers), Simon Williams (Juiced Orchard Wheelers), Joe Fenlon, Mark Power (both of Dan Morrissey), Sean Downey (Banbridge CC) and 2006 tour winner Ray Clarke (Worldwide Cycles).
As the race reached the first of the Sports NI King of the Hill prime, this was taken by William (Juiced Orchard) with Kenneally and O'Sullivan in second and place with Downey (Banbridge CC) in fourth place.
It was not long after this that a second group formed and after the race settled, the chasing group set out to bridge the gap to the break. The chase group consisted of Eugene Moriarty (Engraveit.ie/Cycleways), Andrew Roche (Isle of Man), Sam Bennett (Dan Morrissey),Sean Lacey (EuroCycles), Miceal Concannon (Killorglin Credit Union), Aaron Buggle (Newbridge CC) and Philip Lavery (Winning Solutions), Hugh Mulhearne (Dan Morrissey and the Lakeland CC pair of Dane and Ray Dunlop. However the latter three lost contact and went back to the bunch after the second and third Sport NI KOH primes, both of which were taken by Kenneally with Williams and O'Sullivan in the next two places
As Martyn Irvine has missed the break and chasing group, he forced himself of the front of the main peleton and bridge the gap to the chasers. The most the lead that the leading group has over the chasers was nearly three minutes but after the race proceeded through Gortin the gap came down to around 1 minute and 30 seconds and it remained like this for the remainder of the stage.
Still with two Sport NI KOH primes still to come,Kenneally was secured as the wearer of the Mountain jersey, while Williams consolidated his second place in this competition.
With less than three kilometres from the finish, Murphy (Usher Irish RC) and Clarke (Worldwide Cycles) slipped off the front with Murphy then trying for a solo win, but the experienced Clarke, would not let go and it came down to a two up sprint, with Clarke winning the last stage, with Murphy second given the same tie as time. Three seconds later, Cassidy took third spot, with Williams in fourth and Monaghan just pipping the eventual race winner Downey for fifth.
Bridie Traynor presents the 2009 race winner Sean Downey with the Irish News sponsored Jim Traynor Memorial Trophy - Picture courtesy Marian Lamb - www.cyclingulster.com
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Downey, however had done enough to take the title as winner of the Omagh Sport Forum Tour of Ulster along with the McLaughlin Cup and the Jim Traynor Memorial Crystal Plate for the first Under 23 in the Tour.
The Tour was also was a counting event for the Belgian Project and Danny Blondeel was on hand to present the Project leaders jersey to Simon Williams (Juiced Orchard Wheelers) and it looks like no other rider can catch Williams this season and is one that will be guest racing in Belgium and for 2010, could be in racing the colours of Decock Capino, much the same as peter Hawkins is doing for in 2009.
Stage 4 Result - Omagh - Omagh (66.6 miles)
1 Clarke, Ray Worldwide Cycles 2h38'17"
2 Murphy, Conor Usher 2h38'17"
3 Cassidy, Ciaran Engraveit.ie/BDBC.net 2h38'20" @03"
4 Williams, Simon Juiced Orchard 2h38'20" @ s/t
5 Monaghan, Barry Newry Wheelers 2h38'20" @ s/t
6 Downey, Sean Banbridge CC 2h38'20" @ s/t
7 Fenlon, Joe Dan Morrissey 2h38'20" @ s/t
8 Martin, Thomas Clann Éireann CC 2h38'20" @ s/t
9 Kenneally, Brian Engraveit.ie/BDBC.net 2h38'20" @ s/t
10 Power, Mark Dan Morrissey 2h38'30" @13"
The top 4 overall were all under 23 riders - Picture courtesy Marian Lamb - www.cyclingulster.com
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General Classification
1 Downey, Sean Banbridge CC 8h21'15"
2 Martin, Thomas Clann Éireann CC 8h21'33" @18"
3 Cassidy, Ciaran Engraveit.ie/BDBC.net 8h21'43" @28"
4 Williams, Simon Juiced Orchard 8h21'48" @33"
5 Monaghan, Barry Newry Wheelers 8h21'54" @39"
6 Irvine, Martin Curran Racing 8h22'25" @01'10"
7 Roche, Andrew Isle of Man 8h22'30" @01'15"
8 Lavery, Philip Winning Solutions 8h23'00" @01'45"
9 Murphy, Conor Usher 8h23'24" @02'09"
10 Bennett, Sam Dan Morrissey 8h23'52" @02'37"
KOH Competition
1 Kenneally, B 36
2 Williams, S 25
3 O'Sullivan, S 21
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Press Release issued by Pat Clarke, Q Cycling News (NI) 07788433683 (ROI) +44 7788433683