Limerick Cycling Club

Limerick CC have strong showing in Charleville 2 Day

Limerick CC riders were right in on the action in the Charleville 2 Day stage race with 2 riders finishing in the top 15 overall and riders finishing in the top 10 on each stage.

In stage 1, with 140 riders starting, Tom Shanahan finished 5th after a long day in the break on a extremely challenging and technical circuit on awful roads. The stage was marred with crashes and Brian Hart was unlucky to hit the deck and he lost valuable time as a result. Riding in the peloton on stage 1 was an extreme sport in itself.
In the TT, Stephen Clancy (riding for the Irish Development team) and Tom Shanahan set excellent times.
The decisive of moments of the race occurred on stage 3. Going over the two tough climbs Stephen Clancy and Mike Lynch broke away in a group of 15 strong climbers to gain valuable time and move up in the overall standings, finishing 11th and 13th on the day and 8th and 14th in the overall competition. Joe Dunworth also rode strong on the day, helping Tom Shanhan out for the last 15miles.

Final GC results can be viewed HERE

Thanks to Pat Spaight and Arthur who provided the team with valuable services throughout the race.

Limerick CC riders overall placing
8 Stephen Clancy
14 Mike Lynch
17 Tom Shanahan
33 Joe Donworth
61 Aidan Gallery
66 Brian Harte
75 Joe Walsh
92 Senan O’Dwyer
106 William Cooke

Limerick CC now on Facebook

Limerick CC’s facebook page can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Limerick-Cycling-Club/148776895134506?ref=ts

Sky Ride Etape Hibernia

Limerick CC’s new signing John McMeel in action in the Sky Ride Etape Hibernia

Mark O’Callaghan 2nd in the Community Games Cycling Final

Another one of our up and coming underage riders, Mark O’Callaghan, finished 2nd in the Community Games Cycling Final in Athlone. Mark crossed the line one place behind the in form Michael O’Loughlin from the Carrik Wheelers club. Well done Mark.

Specsavers/Dungarvan GP

Limerick CC riders on a hot a sunny day racing in Dungarvan. The race ended up as a bunch sprint with Stephen Clancy finishing 8th. Damien Roche from West Clare CC finished 4th. Well done to both. Aslo well done to Brian Hart (no E) who recently was upgraded from A4 and enjoyed his first A3/A2 race.

Brian Harte Wins in Fermoy, Stephen Clancy 2nd overall in Ballinrobe

Well done to Brian Harte who won the A4 race in Fermoy yesterday, Brian kept his cool to take the race in a bunch sprint. In the other Fermoy Races Michael Lynch finished 9th overll and Tom Shanahan was 2nd A2 rider.

In the Ballinrobe 2-day stage race, Stephen Clancy had his best result of the year finishing 2nd overall. Well done to Stephen, the future looks very bright for him.

Shane and Henry win again

 

Limerick on the double at the weekend.
The Limerick U14 riders Henry Cook and Shane O’Hara both pulled off impressive wins at the weekend.

Henry and Stephen were in Kanturk for the Munster Championships and were up against a strong local Kanturk team.
While the initial start was quite slow until the lads turned up the climb for Newmarket, Henry attacked and went clear with Michael O’Loughlin, Eddie Dunbar and Dylan O’Brien.
As they reached Kanturk town Michael and Eddie went to Jump first but both had gone far too early and as they tired on the drag to the line Henry came around both riders to take his third win of the season and win the Munster Championship Road Race. In the U12 race Laura Cook continues to impress finishing 5th on this tough course.

Meanwhile up in Roscommon Shane had his hardest race of the season in the Donomon GP. The U14’s had 2 laps of a 10 mile circuit with one steep climb. Shane had to contend with constant attacking from the Northern riders as they tried to help their rider Craig Crawford to victory. Shane stuck to his task and with Darragh Long leading out on the long drag to the finish Shane sprinted clear at the steepest point on the run in to win his sixth race of the season and also win the National Youth League for 2010.
The Lads next event is the Mayo Youth Tour, August weekend where all three are on some version of a Munster Team.

Latest on Underage Racing

The Limerick lads have been very busy for the past few weeks racing up and down the country.

Henry Cook made the long drive to Wexford which was well worth his while; taking his second race win at the Frank O’Rourke Memorial race In Camross.

Steven Shanahan upheld club honors at the Cycling Pursuits 3 Day taking a super second on day one and third on day two of this tough event.

The John Drum race in Currow was all about the 4 Limerick riders with Shane O’Hara going clear on the second lap to a solo victory with his team playing a major role in the peloton ensuring no one got to chase him down. Henry claimed 3rd in the sprint with Steven and new Limerick rider Mark O’Callaghan coming in with the bunch after working hard to prevent any escapees getting clear.

The Limerick TT Championships was a very tight affair with Cork rider Dylon O’ Callaghan winning by 1 second with Shane in second followed by Henry, Steven and Mark all separated by seconds.

The lads’ first win in a TT continues to elude them. The Munster TT championship was won by Michael O’Loughlin in a stunning time of 6:11, Henry Cook was best of the Limerick riders this time in second place while Shane was 5th, Steven 6th and Mark an excellent 7th in his first Championship. Some serious TT training will have to be done before the all Irelands if the lads are to pick up the top medals in this discipline. Another Limerick rider In the U12 TT Laura Cook finished a super 3rd ahead of several more experienced riders.

Shane made the trip to Navan last Sunday for the Tommy Brady Memorial race in Robinstown in preparation for the final round of the youth league on July the 25th. His trip was well worth his while taking an excellent win sprinting past first Michael O’Loughlin and then taking Darragh Long before the line.

The next event for the lads is July 25th and has Henry, Steven and Mark heading to Kanturk for the Munster Road Race Championship, meanwhile Shane will be heading to Roscommon for the National Youth League where he goes in to the final round with a slender lead of just 1 point from Craig Crawford.

Senan O’Dwyer 4th in Cobh

Limerick CC rider Senan O’Dwyer finished 4th in the A4 race in Cobh. Well done Senan.

David Hourigan RIP

David Hourigan 1971-2010. RIP

Requiem Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Ennis Road, on Saturday, June 19th, at 11am. Burial afterwards in Ballycannon Cemetery, Meelick.

An abiding memory of Dave that I have was on a training ride one January day in 1992. There were about twenty-five riders in the group. We were on the N7 Dublin road heading towards Nenagh. After passing Birdhill there is a long drag (At Buckley’s Nursery). I was beside Dave at the front, the pace was high, very high! I could barely make conversation with him. Trying to breathe was more of a priority.
Then he very casually put his hand in his pocket and took out an apple and started eating it. Only David Hourigan could do that at 20mph – going uphill! I doubt if the apple was for energy, he was probably flossing his teeth.
There are many stories like that, encapsulating the prowess of the man.
It was a pleasure to have known a cyclist of such talent.
I extend my sympathy to his family. May he rest in peace.

Pat Spaight Chairman L.C.C.