dave McLoughlin

 Sallygap, Co. Wicklow, 5th August 2010

The novelty of a Sallygap finish clearly caught people's interest as we had the largest turnout in some time. 78 brave souls took on the 18.5 kilometre mountaintop C.P., and while all of the groups worked well early on the final drag to the gap was more than enough to shatter the field. Patrick O'Brien won in convincing style, his second win in two weeks earning him promotion to Semi-scratch.

The short distance and long handicaps meant the the racing was always going to be fast and furious. Best co-ordinated of the groups in the early stages was Semi-limit, who swept up Limit at just over half way, and while a large Semi-scratch group worked well the gap just wasn't closing for them.

As the race left the forest and headed out onto the mountainside it was fourteen year old Darragh Long who took the initiative in the lead group, setting a blistering pace which decimated the field, while behind a panicking Diarmuid Collins drove the pursuit in the Semi-scratch group. Two much diminished groups arrived at the foot of the final climb with just over a minute separating them, while the heavy hitters in Scratch were still a long way back and looking like being beaten by the handicap. 

First to make a move on the final ascent was O'Brien, who rapidly opened a sizeable gap and reached the finish with time enough to zip up his jersey and pose for the cameras as he crossed the line. Behind him were Eoin Fitzpatrick of UCD an Darragh Long, with the latter fading to third towards the end, perhaps paying a price for his earlier efforts. Meanwhile, further back the Semi-scratch leaders were tearing through the remainder of the lead group, and a superb last gasp chase from UCD's Rob Manning saw him miss out on the placings by a mere four seconds. 

Further back again the Scratch group never made serious inroads into the groups ahead, but they never stopped trying, and a scorching effort from Pat Conlon on the climb gave him the fastest time of the night of 31'50" as a consolation prize of sorts.

Top placings below, the updated league table including all placings from the night can be found here.

1.  Patrick O'Brien (Orwell)               36'55"  
2. Eoin Fitzpatrick (UCD)                   @14"      
3. Darragh Long (Orwell)                   @20"       
4. Gary Fleming (Orwell)                    @31"   1st Limit
5. Tulga Oyunchimeg (Tiernans)     @41"     
6. Ray Jordan (St. Tiernans)             @47"   
7. Robert Manning (UCD)                  @51"   1st Semi-scratch
8. Paul Kissane (St. Tiernans)      @1'00"    
9. Michael Hanley (Orwell)             @1'03"   
10. John Sower (Orwell)                   @1'04"   

 Fastest: Pat Conlon (Orwell)                @1'45"  1st Scratch