Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers will be promoting the second of their two annual cycling races this weekend, as they promote The Tommy Sheehan Memorial Cycling Race in Carrickbeg this Sunday, April 15th 2012.
This race has been run annually since 1999, in honour of the cycling club’s former chairman Tommy Sheehan, who was also a founding member of the club back in 1954. Sadly, almost 15 years have now quickly passed since Tommy’s untimely death on August 6th 1997 when he was aged just 61 years. Tommy’s great love for the sport and his Carrick Wheelers Club, contributed hugely to establishing Carrick-on-Suir as the home of Irish cycling and his saying “I don’t care who wins the race as long as they’re wearing a Carrick Wheelers Jersey” is still quoted at the Cycling Club’s events.
This year’s event will again be based in Carrickbeg, the homeland of Sheehan, with the race itself being held on the testing Kearney’s Road circuit, starting and finishing at St. Molleran’s GAA Field, whose clubhouse will be used as race headquarters with ‘Sign-On’ open from 11am. There will be a total of six races promoted on the day with 3 senior events for the various categories and 3 under-age events for the different age groupings. The first of the under-age races will begin at 12noon, with the senior events starting at 1pm.
Picking a winner of the main event can be quite a task as each of the last 11 winners were first time winners, with local rider Brian Kenneally being the only two time winner, winning the inaugural event back in 1999 and again the following year in 2000. Corkman and former Carrick Wheelers rider Timmy Barry would dearly love to add his name to this prestigious trophy and has to be counted among the favourites, as do his team-mates Sean Lacey, last year’s winner, and Paudi O’Brien, former professional with the An Post Sean Kelly Team. Hopes for the local club reside with former race winner John O’Shea; Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers new recruit Martin Mizgaski; and last year’s runner-up, the evergreen Martin O’Loughlin, also a previous victor.
In the other senior events, local publican Lenny Foley is hotly tipped to come up trumps, with up and coming talent Sean Hahessy, also expected to feature in the business end of things.
Local talent will also be on show in the under-age races with Irish International Michael O’Loughlin a clear favourite to win the U16 event, with Aaron Kearney of Portlaw aiming to be in the prizes in the U14 race.
So, why not come out to the Molleran’s Field this Sunday to check out the action, with four of the six races finishing between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, it promises to be a entertaining afternoon on the Coolnamuck Road!
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