Latest news with #MiltownMalbay
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Odhrán Doogan retains yellow jersey as Tim Shoreman wins Rás Tailteann third stage
Odhrán Doogan successfully defended his yellow jersey on a tense, tough third stage of the Rás Tailteann on Friday, retaining his three-second advantage over closest rival Matteo Cigala. The Cycling Ulster rider came under repeated attack and had a nervous time when a powerful 15-man break went clear just over 20km into the stage to Miltown Malbay. The move spelt danger, containing riders such as the 2022 Rás winner Daire Feeley (Burren CC), last year's runner-up Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline) and George Kimber (Cycling Club Isle of Man), who was for a long time the race leader on the road when the group maintained a gap of around one minute. However Doogan and others finally returned to the front after about 100km of hard chasing, making the junction to the last remaining breakaway rider Dean Harvey (Team Ireland) approximately 40km from the finish. READ MORE Stage one winner Tim Shoreman (UK: Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) was fastest in the final sprint, beating Cigala (Carlow: Dan Morrissey Pissei), Sebastian Brenes (Mexico: Canel's Java) and Matthew Teggart (Banbridge CC Specsavers), the first Irish rider home. Doogan finished the stage in 10th. 'I was definitely nervous,' Doogan said after finishing the stage in 10th, referring to the moment he learned who was out front. 'But I knew the guys up the road had a big, hard day ahead of them. I knew I just couldn't let them get a big gap. So me and my team were able to control it.' Indeed, after the junction was made Doogan was strong enough to attack with approximately 11km to go, but this was reeled in, as was a solo move by George Peden (Team PB Performance), who was briefly race leader on the road. McDunphy is next best of the Irish in fifth overall, and although he crashed inside the final kilometre, he was given the same time as the bunch as per UCI rules. 'Coming into the line I fancied my chances for the sprint,' said McDunphy. 'To be honest, maybe not to beat Shoreman but I reckon I could have gone top five there, but a bit of a gearing issue caused me to hit the deck.' He also fell close to the finish on the opening day and while he has been able to continue, his sleep has been affected by the extensive skin grazes he has on his back. However, he pledged to keep trying. Saturday's penultimate stage from Ennis offers an opportunity for aggressive riders, with the category one Wolftrap climb summiting just 14km from the finish line in Mountrath. So too Sunday's concluder from Kildare town to Bective, with McDunphy, Feeley and others all pledging to continue their attacks. Doogan and the Cycling Ulster team will keep fighting. He said on Wednesday that he didn't expect to contend for the general classification, but still finds himself still in a yellow jersey which he hadn't anticipated. 'I changed my ambitions. I'm going to try to keep it for as long as I can,' he said.
BreakingNews.ie
13-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Young paddleboarder blown out to sea rescued in Clare
A search and rescue operation was mounted off the west Clare coast this afternoon after a young female paddle-boarder got into difficulty. Emergency services were alerted at around 4:30pm when it was reported that a young female paddle-boarder was unable to return to shore at White Strand, Miltown Malbay because of strong winds which were dragging her out to sea. Advertisement Watch officers at the Irish Coast Guard's marine rescue coordination centre on Valentia Island in Kerry promptly mounted a multi-agency search and rescue operation. The Doolin unit of the Coast Guard was alerted while the Shannon-based search and rescue helicopter was also dispatched to the scene. Rescue 115 had been training on the Aran Islands when the crew was alerted and tasked. The helicopter reached the scene at White Strand in less than 10 minutes. It is understood that the young girl's father had tried to swim out to help her but was unable to reach her. He is believed to have gotten 'a good distance out' but according to one emergency services worker, 'she kept getting pulled out by the wind.' It's believe she was caught by an offshore breeze. Two members of the public then entered the water and helped bring the father and daughter ashore. Advertisement Rescue 115 arrived at the scene at around the same time and landed nearby. The helicopter's paramedic assessed the girl and who was later handed into the care of the HSE's National Ambulance Service. Just as Doolin Coast Guard team was about to launch its rescue boat, they were notified that the paddle-boarder had been located and were stood down. Clare County Fire and Rescue Service swift water rescue technicians (SRTs) were mobilised from Ennis station. It is understood that crews attached to the nearest station at Ennistymon were attending another incident at the time and were unable to respond to the White Strand. Clare Civil Defence also mobilised volunteers to the incident to assist in the operation but were also stood down when it was confirmed the casualty had been located.
