O'Kane Wins Club Championships

2024-09-04

Sean O'Kane is the 2024 club road race champion while Cesar Lopes wins the club league for the second year running

Sean O'Kane receives his trophy from Dick O'Brien

Sean O'Kane triumphed last night at the club road race championships in Corkagh Park, taking another win in what has been a stellar debut season. In a hotly contested race, O'Kane saw off competition from veteran powerhouse Brian McNally (silver) and defending champion Diarmuid Collins (bronze). McNally and and Collins also scooped the Veterans medals, with Cahir O'Higgins taking bronze in that category.

Run as the final race in the Inter-Club League, the race is always a tactical affair. Although it involves riders from six clubs, each rider is only racing against members of their own club for medals. McNally made the early running, attacking from the gun out of the Semi-Scratch group in the company of Ken O'Neill. The pair worked well together to close the gap to Semi-Limit and then leave them behind. O'Neill's early efforts caught up with him, leaving McNally to forge ahead solo, clearly keen to win another trophy after his brace of time trial championships. He was only reeled in after Scratch caught the remaining Semi-Scratch group, adding new impetus to the chase. 

O'Kane rode a canny race, measuring his efforts until the final ten minutes when he began to feature in some probing attacks. He positioned himself well on the final lap, well ahead of the rest of the Orwell contingent and virtually assuring himself of victory by the time he'd rounded the final bend. Behind McNally surged for silver while Collins just edged out O'Higgins, who had been boxed in for the sprint.

Last night's race also saw the final positions for the club league decided, with Cesar Lopes winning the trophy for the best Orwell rider for the second year running. Another 2024 racing debutant Michael Hickey secured second place, capping off a fine season, while O'Kane secured third spot and another medal to add to his collection. Full list of all 2024 championship medallists below.

Cesar Lopes with his Club League and Best All Rounder trophies

10 Mile Time Trial Championship

Gold - Brian McNally Silver - Cesar Lopes Bronze - Dick O'Brien

10 Mile Time Trial Veterans

Gold - Brian McNally Silver - Dick O'Brien Bronze - Stephen O'Shea

25 Mile Time Trial Championship

Gold - Brian McNally Silver - Cesar Lopes Bronze - Shaun Kelly

25 Mile Time Trial Veterans 

Gold - Brian McNally Silver - Shaun Kelly Bronze - Ian Devlin

Hill Climb Time Trial Championship

Gold - Sean O'Kane Silver - Shaun Kelly Bronze - Diarmuid Collins

Hill Climb Time Trial Championship Veterans

Gold - Shaun KellySilver - Diarmuid Collins Bronze - Cahir O'Higgins

Road Race Championship

Gold - Sean O'KaneSilver - Brian McNally Bronze - Diarmuid Collins

Road Race Championship Veterans

Gold - Diarmuid CollinsSilver - Brian McNally Bronze - Cahir O'Higgins

Club League

Gold - Cesar Lopes Silver - Michael Hickey Bronze - Sean O'Kane

Best All-Rounder (BAR)

Gold - Cesar Lopes Silver - Sean O'Kane Bronze - Dick O'Brien