Sean Lynch Memorial 2026, Skyrne, Co Meath

Saturday morning in Drogheda saw legs and minds refreshed after the Rás. Lining up for a 90km circuit were Padraig, Liam, Sean, and Evan — the defending champion of the Sean Lynch Memorial.

After a welcome spell of sunshine, conditions returned to normal, with wet roads and dirty bikes. From the gun, Liam and Evan were particularly active, jumping into moves, but with a stacked start list, it was difficult to know which ones would stick. The accordion effect in the peloton continued as groups formed and were brought back.

Midway through the second lap, Sean got clear in a move with Feeley, O’Neill, and several other C1 riders. They held a gap for around half a lap, but with poor cooperation, it was never likely to go the distance. Attacks continued to fly over the top, and soon a major split formed in the peloton, with Orwell represented by Liam, Evan, and Padraig up the road.

However, with the group too large to function smoothly, the bunch once again came back together, with alarm bells ringing behind. The next phase was chaotic: attack, counterattack, then more of the same. Eventually, a group of around 15 riders established itself off the front, with all four Orwell riders represented — an ideal situation on paper.

But again, the size of the move proved a problem. The constant attacking whittled it down to a select group of seven, featuring most of the big names: Maguire, O’Neill, Feeley, Smith, Watson, and Sean and Liam from Orwell. The team numbers were starting to show, with Orwell riders featuring in nearly every move.

There was a brief lull, and the group began to work together, with many thinking this could be the decisive break. Then, emerging from the fog behind, the reigning champion Evan appeared, putting in a heroic solo bridge effort. Seeing this, the Orwell riders eased up — a moment that likely ended the break’s chances of staying clear as the attacks resumed.

Groups continued to form and dissolve, with Orwell consistently on the front foot — at one point even placing three riders into a group of seven. Still, there was always a chase from behind, and eventually, the bunch regrouped.

Coming into the finish, Evan launched a huge attack on the drag, going clear with Luke Smith in a finely timed move. They hovered just seconds ahead of the peloton, forcing the sprinters’ teams into action. Dan Morrissey were compelled to use their lead-out early, which in turn meant McGarry had to open his sprint sooner than planned.

Liam, perfectly positioned on his wheel, seized the opportunity — kicking past him to take a convincing victory, even if the celebration perhaps lacked a touch of aura.

Another win for Orwell and the lads look forward to Nationals in a few weeks.

Thanks to Sean O Kane for the report.