Hugh Mulhearne proved that he’s in exceptional form in Banteer today to win the 100km Mick Cahill Memorial in fine style.
Many thanks to Gary McIlroy for the photo.
Hugh Mulhearne of Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers followed up his great win in Broadford, Co. Limerick with an ever better one in the famous Mick Cahill Memorial in Banteer on Sunday.160 of the best cyclists in Munster assembled in the Cork village to compete in one of most keenly contested races of the early season. With a pan flat circuit of nine miles, this race is always a high speed affair suited to the sprinters and fought out at a flat out pace from the start. The huge field was divided into the usual 1st and 2nd category riders in the main race of seven laps, with a support race for the 3rd cats, veterans and juniors over five laps.While the main race was in progress, the Carrick Wheelers team had ten riders in the support race which was first to finish after their six laps. Five riders broke clear in the first mile and unusually for this circuit stayed clear all the way to the finish. In an exciting last lap, the experience of now veteran Brian Quinn of Limerick CC told when he escaped outside the village for a solo victory. Our own Paul Flynn outsprinted comeback kid Eddie Keogh, now with Clonmel CC.After this exciting finish, all eyes turned to the main event which was now reaching a conclusion as they were on their penultimate lap. At this stage there was a large group of seventeen riders well clear of the rest and the racing was turning into a battle of team tactics, with Comeragh CC of Waterford in a strong position and trying to set up a victory for their ace sprinter Robin Kelly. Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers had former winner John O’Brien and man in form Hugh Mulhearn as their main hopes, while Fermoy CC had another former winner Michael Hennessy and dark horse Stephen Barrett who was impressive in the races to date this season.The Wheelers riders started to attack in turn at the end of the seventh lap, but the Comeragh boys countered every move. Then at the start of the last lap Mulhearn launched a powerful attack and Barrett was the only one who could go with him. Barrett was showing impressive speed and after the race he revealed that he had raced on the track in England last year and that he loved the flat circuit of Banteer. He was certainly showing it in his breakaway with Mulhearn, as together they did turn for turn at the front and gradually pulled 30 seconds clear of the Comeragh led chasers.Two miles to go and at the front Barrett launched a surprise sprint and opened a ten length gap on Mulhearn. For 200 yards the gap stayed the same, but Mulhearn dug deep and inched his way back up into the young Fermoy rider’s slipstream and closed the gap. Into the last mile and Barrett tried to force Mulhearn to the front but to no avail, the experienced Wheelers man staying glued to his back wheel and in prime position for the final sprint for the line. Into the last bend Barrett led out and sprinted into the final straight, but again Mulhearn closed the gap and this time tried to sprint past. The two were shoulder to shoulder for the last 100 yards, but on the line Mulhearn just edged ahead and threw both arms in the air in a well deserved victory salute. In the sprint for third, Hennessy got the better of Kelly in another close sprint, but racing is all about winning, and yet again Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers came up with the goods for the fourth year in a row, with Hugh Mulhearn joining Rory Wyley, John O’Brien and Sam Bennett on the list of winners of the prestigious event. Two races this year – two wins, a great way to start the season for Hugh Mulhearn and the prospect of more to come in the weeks ahead.
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