Paul Kennedy of Newcastlewest CC/Cahills Cheese landed the spoils of victory on the second stage over 126kms of the Kerry Group Ras Mumhan which started in Listowel and finished in Athea Co. Limerick yesterday. Kennedy has been out competition for the last month because of a hamstring injury. He certainly showed no ill effects of this disadvantage,went when he went clear of the main pack in a group of five on the approach to Glin.
Along with Kennedy who made the effort to distance themselves from the main group were Conn McDunphy Of the Ireland Development Squad Under 23, Squad, Dillon Byrne of VCUK Velochampiion, Dermot Trulock of Stagg Cycles Lucan, Eoin Morton of Fitz Cycles UCD Overnight leader Tom Mazzone of the Isle of Man team was in the least concerned. But when the lead went to over two minutes, the alarm bells started ringing. By then the lead quintet which included Kennedy who had moved ahead of the main bunch after 30 kilometers of racing was now in control mode of the stage.
Kennedy by virtue of his stage win has moved into the overall lead ahead of Eoin Morton of Fitz Cycles/UCD by a mere two seconds for today’s (Sunday) stage which starts in Watervile and includes the climb at Coom on Easpaig will obviously play a key role in the final destination of overall victory.. Morton now heads the classification in the mountains competition.
Stage two –Listowel/Athea, 144kms.
1-P. Kennedy (Newcastlewest Cahills Cheese), 2hrs.59mins.32secs;
2-E. Morton (Fitz Cycles/UCD) same time;
3-D. Byrne (VCUK Velochampion) st;
4-D. Turlock (Stagg Cycles Lucan), @ 3secs;;
5-C. McDunphy (Team Irel;and Under 23)@;4secs;
6-T. Mazzone (Isle of Man), @22secs.
OVERALL after stage two
1-Kennedy, 5hrs10ins52secs;
2-Morton @2secs;
3-Byrne @4secs;
4-Trulock @5secs;
5-McDunphy @8secs;
6-Mazzone @21 secs.
Overall-Kennedy-Under 23 Trulock-Mountains Morton-Points Mazzone-A2 M. Tracey (Killarney Cycles CC.).