Former All Star in go-kart challenge for charity

FORMER All-Ireland winning hurler and All Star Michael Cleary will set out today to cycle a go-kart the length of Co Tipperary to raise funds to ease the suffering of sick children.

The 44-year-old former Tipp star forward is to undertake a circuitous 80km route from Clonmel to his hometown of Nenagh in aid of Crumlin Children’s Hospital Research Foundation.

Joining him on the mammoth two-day go-kart challenge will be his friend Robert Quinlan, 31, of Holycross.

“I have been training for this cycle for the past six weeks. I started in the go-kart doing 30 miles a week and built it up to 60 miles,” said Cleary.

With all the training, the father-of-one says he has lost a stone in weight and revealed he was “in good shape” for the long cycle.

The former hurler, who won All-Irelands with Tipperary in 1989 and 1991, decided to embark on the cycle in the days leading up to this Sunday’s Munster hurling final in the hope of raising as much money as possible for his chosen cause.

“My target was to raise around €20,000 but I think that might have been a bit ambitious. I think we should be able to raise €10,000,” he said.

Cleary said that he was inspired to undertake the challenge after reading of the feat of Jose Gerardo, a 51-year-old Brazilian, who cycled 17,000 kilometres in a go-kart from Paris to Johannesburg for the World Cup in 2010 in order to raise money to fight blindness.

The former hurler and his companion will be sent on their way from Clonmel by Tipperary hurler Eoin Kelly this morning at 10am, travelling via Cahir, Cashel and Thurles to arrive at 4pm where they will be joined on their pedal into the town by Tipperary hurling captain Lar Corbett.

On Saturday, the journey will recommence in Roscrea at 10.30am when Munster and Irish rugby player Denis Leamy will send the riders on their way on the final leg of their journey down the old N7, taking in the villages of Moneygall and Toomevara.

They will be joined on the final part of their journey into Nenagh by former Tipperary camogie star Deirdre Hughes and by Munster and Ireland rugby player Donnacha Ryan, finishing at around 2pm.

Picture: Michael Cleary ready for his 80km cycle. Picture: Bridget Delaney