Dempsey and Healion return to bolster big guns for Rás

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.

Dempsey and Paul Healion arrived back from Belgium on Wednesday night, where Healion finished third and seventh in two races.

Andy Roche, who once won the FBD Insurance Rás in the Kerry colours, is back from the Commonwealth Games, where he finished 11th in the time trial and 17th in the road race.

They have figured in most of the domestic races up to now - Murphy winning in Bray at the start of the season and John O’Shea in Carrick-on-Suir on St Patrick’s Day - with Simon Kelly seldom out of the top three.

Now they assemble on the line at full strength for the first time.

“I would be quietly confident we can win this one,” manager Declan Byrne admitted.

“But there are also some unknown entities. The young German team is interesting, while the Dutch team have the winner of this year’s Tour of Siam (Thomas Rabou) and if he can win a 2.2 category race he must know his way around.

“If we have an advantage then it may be the Irish roads. I think the stage around Valentia Island tomorrow with three climbs could shake up the general classification sheet and those in the leading group will go into the time trial on Easter Sunday morning with very definite chances of overall victory.”

Martin O’Loughlin, who managed the Irish team at the Athens Olympics, subsequently returned to competitive cycling and highlighted his wellbeing with a big win in Clonmel last week.

He has won the difficult stages in Rás Mumhan and was in contention going into the final stage last year. He will revel in the conditions around Valentia Island, as will his team-mates Rory Wyley and Timmy Barry.

Ray Clarke will rejoin his old mates on the Dan Morrissey Carrick team and while he will be looking further ahead to the FBD Insurance Rás in May, he would love to win a stage.

“I have been second here in the past and I have been second three times on stages in the Rás, but I have always wanted to win a stage and I would like to think this will be my year,” the Clonmel man said.

The MyHome.ie/Cycleways.com team have three former winners in their line-up, Brian Kenneally, Eugene Moriarty and Stephen O’Sullivan, while their veteran leader and two-time FBD Insurance Rás winner Philip Cassidy has won numerous stages, so they will all know the route.

Today’s stage gets under way in Killorglin at 2pm and will visit Killarney, Farranfore, Castleisland and Tralee, going up the Farmers Bridge Climb.