One set of results which fell through the cracks, but absolutely deserves to be highlighted and showcased are the recent Orwell performances at the Leinster Track Champs. Before heading off to the Worlds, Orla Hendron achieved double silver, but was outdone by Naoise Sheridan who won both silver and gold! Sean Murnane also featured, taking home double bronze!
Young Uisneach Sheridan was the first clubman to compete - in the U14 Boys category - acquitting himself well with 5th in the flying 250m time trial event. He was very unlucky not to finish on the podium in the Scratch race, crossing the line 4th overall.
Older sister Naoise Sheridan fared better, finishing the 500TT less than a second behind first-placed Deirbhle Ivory (Bray Wheelers), with a storming time of 43.53". The secured the silver medal for Orwell, the first of the day until Sheridan went one better in the Scratch race.
This time Ivory could only manage 3rd, while Navan's Gráinne Hanley took 2nd. Sheridan took outright victory and with it the only gold medal of the weekend for Orwell. The Junior rider has long been known as a star of the track, and we expect she'll continue to shine into 2015 and beyond.
Sheridan wins gold!
Orla Hendron was warming up ahead of her tilt at the World Masters Track Cycling Championships, and the omens were favourable. Two superb silver medals across the 500TT and Scratch races, only outdone by the younger Susie Mitchell (Sundrive TT). Hendron clocked up a time of 42.40" to Mitchell's 40.03" on the outdoor track. She would later record 41.426" in Manchester, ranking her an excellent 8th in the world for the 50-54 cat.
A laughing Hendron collects her 500TT Silver
Back to the menfolk then, where Sean Murnane carried the burden of being the only male Orwell medallist, notching up a fantastic double bronze in the U16 category. He pushed the competition hard in the time trial, finishing less than a second behind Sundrive's Cathal Mullen.
The podium in the U16 Scratch race was identical to the test, meaning Murnane added a second hard-fought bronze to the original, and marking him as one to watch for 2015. His older brother Conor Murnane made quite the impression in the club league this year, and Sean looks to be following in his wheelruts closely!
Murnane with one of his two bronze medals
Murnane the elder was counted alongside the senior men who failed to score any podium spots. Though Murnane took 5th in the 500TT for the Junior Men, Fionn Sheridan and David Swift could only manage 7th and 9th in the Seniors, with Swift just off the podium in the Scratch race. Though they may seem innocuous results, they come at the end of a long hard season containing many other victories for the lads.
On reflection, 2014 was yet another successful season for the dedicated Orwell contigent who compete and feature regularly at the track. The highlight of this must be Hendron's World Champion title, but the efforts and results closer to home should not be overlooked, and are only achieved through tireless effort, training, practice and dedication, both by the athletes themselves and the backroom staff of parents and coaches. Thanks to them, and well done to all!
If you're interested in getting more involved in the track scene at an official level, the Track Commission have organised a training course for potential Track Commissaires. The course will be held across the 6th and 7th December at Sundrive - full details at trackcycling.ie.
The Orwell competitors - Murnanes and Sheridans, along with Orla Hendron and David Swift
Leinster Track Championships, Sundrive Road (21/09/2014)
U14 Boys - 250TT
G Ryan Whelan (Adamstown CT) 21.66"
S Cian May (Lucan CRC) 23.12"
B Aaron Wade (Lakeside Wheelers) 24.27"
5 Uisneach Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers) 25.59"
U14 Boys - Scratch
G Ryan Whelan (Adamstown CT)
S Cian May (Lucan CRC)
B Liam Hanley (Navan RC)
4 Uisneach Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers)
Junior Women - 500TT
G Deirbhle Ivory (Bray Wheelers) 42.9"
S Naoise Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers) 43.53"
B Grainne Hanley (Navan RC) 47.46"
Junior Women - Scratch
G Naoise Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers)
S Grainne Hanley (Navan RC)
B Deirbhle Ivory (Bray Wheelers)
Senior Women - 500TT
G Susie Mitchell (Sundrive TT) 40.03"
S Orla Hendron (Orwell Wheelers) 42.40"
B Kayleigh Gibbons (Sundrive TT) 44.20"
Senior Women - Scratch
G Susie Mitchell (Sundrive TT)
S Orla Hendron (Orwell Wheelers)
B Roisin Kennedy (Adamstown CT)
Under 16 Boys - 500TT
G Adam Stenson (Lucan CRC) 40.46"
S Cathal Mullen (Sundrive TT) 43.69"
B Sean Murnane (Orwell Wheelers) 44.38"
Junior Men - Scratch
G Adam Stenson (Lucan CRC)
S Cathal Mullen (Sundrive TT)
B Sean Murnane (Orwell Wheelers)
Junior Men - 500TT
G Barry Talt (Murphy Surveys) 37.45"
S Harry Brooks (Bray Wheelers) 39.55"
B Edward Kearns (Bray Wheelers) 39.75"
5 Conor Murnane (Orwell Wheelers) 42.84"
Senior Men - 500TT
G Tony Mairs (Arcane Adamstown CT) 35.85"
S Ronan Sherman (Arcane Adamstown CT) 35.88"
B Jason Howick (Bray Wheelers) 37.79"
7 Fionn Sheridan (Orwell Wheelers) 39.45"
9 David Swift (Orwell Wheelers) 40.09"
Full results at trackcycling.ie.
