Sandyford, 03/05/2011

Dave McLoughlin

League leader Sandra Fitzgerald of Lucan stretched her lead even further at the midway point of the Wheelworx Orwell Ladies Crit League, with an absolutely dominant performance in last night’s third round in Sandyford, while Patricia Buckley of Orwell and Kayleigh Gibbons of Lucan both picked up wins in the support races.

In Race 1 Gibbons jumped away from breakaway companion Naoise Sheridan (Orwell) to give Lucan their first win in this year’s League, with Rebecca Heaney (SERC) pipping Caoimhe Ivory of Bray for third place, and Áine Keogh (Orwell) following in for fifth.

Race 2 followed much the same pattern as last week, with Eileen O’Sullivan of Sorrento setting out to make the very most of her headstart. The middle group were coached on the night by former Orwell star Kate Rudd (Wolftrap CC), and worked well enough together that it looked like they might stay away from a misfiring Scratch group, who were working under the guidance of Mick Hanley. Particularly impressive early on were young riders Aoife Sheridan (Orwell) and Heaney, riding her second race of the night, but behind them a powerful if inexperienced quartet were beginning to click. Wendy Barry of Epic, along with new girls Ania Król, Patricia Buckley (both Orwell) and Muirna Walsh (Lakeside) eventually began to work together and the time gaps started to tumble, and when the catch was made with 6 laps to go nobody was able to hang on to the now motoring foursome.

 From a little over a lap to go Buckley attacked with Walsh fastest to respond, and in the mad dash to the line the lead group ended up lapping almost the entire field before the finish, with only O’Sullivan managing to hold them off to secure a well earned 5^th place. Buckley comfortably took the win, followed in by Walsh, and several lengths back Barry snatched 3^rd place from Król in a tight sprint with lapped riders streaming in around them.

Race 3 was an altogether more tactical affair, with the A2 group working well together to eke the most out of their headstart, while back in the Scratch group there was very little co-operation, with the other contenders hoping to push the til now dominant Lucan women into doing all of the chasing to protect their League lead.

A group of four quickly established themselves at the head of the race, including Caroline Conway (Usher), Charlotte McDonald, Rachael Kaye-Mellor (both Orwell) and Niamh Stephens (UCD), and as the brinkmanship in the bunch behind continued it looked like they might be in with a chance of staying away. It wasn’t to last though, as first Róisin Kennedy of Lucan gave in and started the chase with 8 laps to go, and a couple of laps later Sandra Fitzgerald (Lucan) upped the pace in a withering effort that shelled half of the bunch and simultaneously slashed the lead group’s advantage.

 It looked as if the Lucan women had mis-calculated as the remaining riders were lining up to attack them, but Kennedy still had the legs to keep the pace high enough to discourage any attacks. After a number of brave but ultimately failed efforts to break away by Anne Dalton and Ciara Kinch (both Orwell) the bunch eventually gave in and started to prepare for the coming 10 rider sprint. On current form you would probably bet on Fitzgerald taking a gallop like that, but she wasn’t prepared to leave it to the sprint, and when she launched her by now trademark attack from 500 metres out there was no response from the bunch leaving her to take the win comfortably in the end.

Behind her Dalton looked to have second place sewn up, but she made the critical error of easing up before the finish, and Kennedy seized her chance to dive by and steal a one-two for Lucan, and in so doing tighten their stranglehold on the League. Ciara Kinch and Orla Hendron of Orwell followed in to give the host Club 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th, with Siobhan Jacob taking 6^th.

 Results:

Race 1:

• 1, Kayleigh Gibbons    (Lucan);
• 2, Naoise Sheridan       (Orwell);
• 3, Rebecca Heaney         (SERC);
• 4, Caoimhe Ivory          (Bray);
• 5, Áine Keogh              (Orwell).

 Race 2:

• 1, Patricia Buckley         (Orwell);
• 2, Muirna Walsh       (Lakeside);
• 3, Wendy Barry         (Epic);
• 4, Ania Król              (Orwell);
• 5, Eileen O’Sullivan  (Sorrento);
• 6, Carmel Buckley    (Lakeside);
• 7, Rebecca Heaney     (SERC);
• 8, Naoise Sheridan    (Orwell).

 Race 3:

• 1, Sandra Fitzgerald      (Lucan);
• 2, Róisín Kennedy         (Lucan);
• 3, Anne Dalton              (Orwell);
• 4, Ciara Kinch               (Orwell);
• 5, Orla Hendron            (Orwell);
• 6, Siobhan Jacob           (Unattached);
• 7, Caroline Conway      (Usher);
• 8, Charlotte McDonald (Orwell).

Once again, a big thanks to everyone who helped out and supported and we look forward to seeing you for more great racing next week!

Photos courtesy of Brendan Culleton here.