A call centre company is set to create 900 new jobs in the North in a £20m (€22.6m) investment.

CIARAN POWER (Pezula) would like to take his place among the legends of Irish cycling next week by winning the FBD Insurance Rás for the third time.

THE Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group team will show the full extent of their powers when they line up for the Credit Union Rás Mumhan in Kerry this weekend, with the top two from last year, John Dempsey and Conor Murphy, in the line-up.

CHRIS NEWTON (Recycling.co.uk) faces the most crucial and difficult stage of the FBD Insurance Ras tomorrow when the survivors head for the Wicklow Mountains, but the talented English cyclist is already poised to lift the George Plant Trophy for a second time.

CHRIS NEWTON (Recycling.co.uk) maintained leadership of the FBD Insurance RAS with Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire Trinity Capital) still the closest challenger after yesterday’s stage.

CHRIS NEWTON, the 2003 winner, took custody of the race leader’s yellow jersey at the end of yesterday’s second stage of the FBD Insurance RAS.

THE withdrawal of Mark Scanlon from the FBD Insurance Rás due to illness came as a huge disappointment to debutant Irish rider Bryan Keane.

JOHN DEMPSEY (Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers) pounced six miles from the finish to claim the overall title as the Killorglin Credit Union Rás Mumhan drew to an exciting close yesterday after four days and 270 gruelling miles around the roads and mountains of Kerry.

DAVID McCANN and Paul Griffin, team mates with the Giant Asia professional team, are the men likely to dictate Credit Union Rás Mumhan in Kerry over the weekend, but they won’t have it their own way when they join forces on the Earl of Desmond team.

DAVID McCANN will begin his build-up to a defence of his FBD Insurance RÁS title in Kerry over the Easter weekend, when he lines up as favourite to win the Rás Mumhan, the perfect prelude to Irish cycling’s showpiece.

Irish international Eugene Moriarty returns from illness to compete in the 22nd Annual Gene Moriarty Cup Cycle Race in Listowel on Sunday, (1pm).

VICTORY on the FBD Milk Rás came earlier than expected for Stefan Cohnen.

WHEN Philip Cassidy sprang one of cycling’s shocks of the century by coming back after 16 years to win the FBD Milk Rás for a second time in 1999, his son Mark was just a spectator with a passing interest.

KEVIN DAWSON will be defending his Credit Union Ras Mumhan title in Kerry over the Easter Weekend when the race will attract a record number of overseas riders.

THERE was a huge shock for Irish cycling last night with news that the two highest-ranking members of the High Performance Committee had resigned their posts.