Irish weekend preview

By Tommy Campbell

Balbriggan cycling club are holding two events this weekend. This Saturday afternoon, the Harry Reynolds sponsored by MeadWestVaco goes to post and the defending champion Niall Delahaye has signaled his intentions that he is up for another win. On Sunday, the McKenna family are supporting the Ben McKenna Memorial and here David Peelo will be defending the title.

Interestingly, Delayhaye is now a member of the Usher Irish Road Club, whereas Peelo twelve months ago delivered the goods of that, but now David has moved on to greener pastures with the Murphy Surveyors/Kilcullen CC. For the two days of racing, a prize fund of over 2,000 Euro is in the kitty.

Down south, also on Sunday, the Fermoy CC are holding the Silver Pail Trophy, formerly the DJ Forde Trophy. A former winner of the trophy in the late '60s, Philip O'Brien, will be commissaire for the races in Balbriggan. Competition is expected to be very keen in the Co. Cork town when the event rolls out in close proximity to the home of Michael Flatley of 'Riverdance' fame.

Denis Lynch is the defending champion and his form in the last two weeks would make him one of the fancied candidates. The promoters, Fermoy CC, are confident that Michael Hennessy will keep the silverware in Fermoy.