Ballymoney C.C.’s Shay Donley is double Ulster Champion 2015

Shay Donley won the Ulster Road Race and Time Trial championships at Omagh, bringing two gold medals back to Ballymoney to add to the ever growing tally of international, national and provincial awards.

With young riders from not only Ballymoney but Portrush, Coleraine, Garvagh, Cushendall,Loughguille, Ballycastle and the surrounding areas, the three age groups were well represented. In the Under12 section there was Rowan Montgomery who missed out on two medals with a fourth placing in both events, Clark and Jack Hart both 10 years old, racing against far older riders and holding their own, Irish Society pupil Jake Taggart, James Black and Scott Donley and developing talent Liam McAuley. In the 14’s the BCC outfit are bossing this categorey with double medal winner Shay Donley and team mates who include silver medal winner Kevin McCambridge, Kyle Fleming, Jordan Campbell, Cameron and Callum Wallace. In the Under 16’s Robbie Doherty and Finn Sands Robinson who were both top 10 finishers in this mega tough categorey along with other Ballycastle lad Breandan Flannagan.

With clubs being represented from all over the Ulster province the Ballymoney team are fast becoming the ones to watch and with the pinnacle of youth cycling the Irish National Youth Championships this weekend in Westport Co Mayo, the local lads will be again in the hunt for the top placings

Special mention goes to William Wallace, Malachy Laverty, Douglas Hill, Philip Logan, Robert Fleming and Steven McAllister as well as all the mums and family for making the weekend a massive success.

LAVERTY AND LINTON WIN ROAD AND TTs

BCC’s Stuart Laverty won the McAllister 30 mile road race and the Dunloy scratch race on Wednesday and Thursday evening, and the fastest BCC rider on the road at present, Mervyn Linton, won the Ballymena 10TT and team mate Ryan Patton was third.

These races attracted over 30 starters and used a format that suited the best competitors. Dunloy are to be commended for holding a Scratch race, this is when all the riders start together and no one gets any advantage. Well done Dunloy, this the way to develop good quality riders.

The McAllister Trophy was held on a 30 mile loop, starting on the Finvoy Road. Taking the honours from team mate Jordan McCaw in second was Stuart Laverty. Noel Bradley from Bann Valley was in third and Causeway CC’s Ryan Jamison was in fourth and in 5th place Ryan Fento made it three BCC Biesty’s Centra racers in the top 5.

The Thursday night race at Knockahollet was a fiesty affair with three riders breaking away including the winner Stuart Laverty from Ballymena’s Mathew Brennan, third went to Phoenix CC’s Des Flannagan with Laverty’s team mates Steven McAllister fourth and Pete McKenna ninth. Another great Inter club week for BCC with 9 riders in the top 10 in two races, this emphasises the strength in depth of the Ballymoney outfit.

RYAN WALLACE UPGRADED TO A3

Talented local lad Ryan Wallace has only started racing this season and already has been upgraded from A4 to A3 in a matter of a couple of races. This entails getting 10pts from open races and Ryan has done that from an excellent display at the recent Tour of Omagh and then on Sunday him and team mate Aaron Dickie were at the Norh Down GP in Bangor to further develop their ability to mix it up wit the rest of the country.

This upgrade will see Ryan eligible to be in the BCC teams going next year to the Ras Donegal and the Newry 3 Day where no doubt the Ballymoney lad will again shine and be in the top placings.

COMING EVENTS

This Wenesday evening is the Grimpeurs Trophy on the Millbrae climb in the Long Mountains. Sign on is from 6.30 and starts at 7:15pm.

This weekend is the National Youth Championships in Westport. A 2UP TT at Armagh on Thursday evening