With racing in Roundwood and Newbridge at the weekend, Orwell were as active as ever, with placings for Jules De Meester, Ken O'Neill, Stephen Rowan, Richard Cattle and Scott Gilchrist, as well as prizes for Bryan Geary and Sandra Telford. We've a race report from Bryan Geary below from a race where breaks came and went throughout, for your reading pleasure!

It was the A4s who started the ball rolling at the Roundwood GP on Saturday - Jules De Meester starred on his first podium after a terrific 3rd in the bunch sprint, and Ken O'Neill took 8th. Jules Cantwell and James Crisp put in some serious digs throughout the race, so once again a great team effort all round.

De Meester collects his 3rd place prize

The A3s were less fortunate, but Michelle Geoghegan won the women's prize for Sint Martinus, while Bryan Geary came away with an unplaced A3 prize. He takes us through the race...

  "A few of us were down at the A2/A3 Christy McManus on Saturday. Stephen Barry, Brian McNally, Odhrán Connors, Oisín Boland, Pat O'Brien, Aidan Collins and Jamie Busher. Very fast circuit with the finish moved to the back of the course after the climb of the day.

  "We had 6 laps and Orwell were active from the start. Lots of moves were going up the road and not getting any traction. The biggest time gap was a minute but that was closed down on the hill each lap. I think everyone knew the hill would be decisive even though it was only a little kicker followed by false flat so a lot of batteries were saved for the later laps, mine included.

  "Pat O'Brien was the first to make a move to get across to the early break and with them in sight he almost went joined them with 5 or 6 others who sat on his wheeel with teammates up the road. When that move failed the bunch reacted with 4 laps to go and closed the gaps down and we were gruppo compacto going out with 3 laps to got.

  "Aidan Collins was crazily active for the first half of the race, and Stephen Barry was riding brilliantly all day long - close to the pace and following moves and was one of the last to latch onto a dangerous 5 man move that crept clear of the bunch with two and a half laps and still three times up the climb remaining.

  "That was the break of the day as there was a hiatus behind as big teams, Carrick Wheelers and Orwell Wheelers had a man in the break. As two of the more populated clubs in the vastly thinned down peloton, every move was marked going out on the last lap. A break of 6 which included myself and two Carrick riders almost joined with the front 5 but with 3 of us not working with the other 3, the move faltered and was swallowed up by the peloton.

  "However, another dangerous looking move of 5 riders escaped on the fast downhill main road on the last lap chasing the front 6 and with no Orwell representative, Jamie Busher and Pat O'Brien drove the peloton down to the bottom of the last climb where I jumped across to the move and made contact over the top of the climb. We now had a rider in the front group and one sitting on in the chasing group with 4 kilometres to go.

  "The leading 6 were splintering under heavy pressure and Stephen Barry just lost the wheel with 2.5kms to go. After a valiant effort he was swept up by our chasing 5 where I was getting a peach of a ride following wheels, recovering although completely on the limit. We were tantalisingly close to making it to the front 5 but with 2 of us not helping the chase they held on and we sprinted for 6th place where I was pipped and finished 8th.

  "I ended up with an envelope for 2nd Unplaced A3 and that will be shared between Barry, Busher and O'Brien ! Greta to see Pat O'Brien returning and with good legs, a man to watch later in the year. Looking forward to seeing what I can do in the next few weeks on circuits that might suit me more. I know Stephen will be disappointed but it proves he's a hard man for a hard course. Great team effort and we were unlucky not to have got more out of it."

The following day in Newbridge, Stephen Rowan performed excellently to score 3rd in his first open race, while another debútante Richard Cattle was 10th. Scott Gilchrist was in just ahead of him for 9th. Sandra Telford won the women's prize after a superb 2nd in Corkagh Park during the week. Ken O'Neill was as aggressive as ever, reportedly going away solo four times in four laps. Also a special thanks to David Halpin for giving up his Sunday to drive the club car and support the A4s.

Rowan being awarded the bronze envelope

Cattle collects both his and Gilchrist's prizes

There was also track action in the Duane Delaney Memorial, and we'll bring you news from that soon!

Christy McManus Memorial, Roundwood (13/6/15)

1 Joe Christian (Gorey CC)
2 Bobby Coleman (Mego Racing)
3 Ronan McDonnell (Dublin Wheelers)
4 Declan Kinch (Slipstream)
5 Mark Bergin (Carrick Wheelers)
6 Louis Carnac (Sorrento CC)

Unplaced A3s
1 Paul Bolger (Slaney CC)
2 Bryan Geary (Orwell Wheelers)
3 Jamie Blanchfield (Carrick Wheelers)

Women's Prize
Michelle Geoghegan (Napoleon Games)

Roundwood Grand Prix (A4)
1 Nigel Allen (Wexford Wheelers)
2 Bob Hall (Clondalkin CC)
3 Jules De Meester (Orwell Wheelers)
4 Paul English (Bohermeen CC)
5 Paul Doherty (McNally Swords CC)
6 Tim Downings (Dublin University CC)
8 Ken O'Neill (Orwell Wheelers)

Paddy Flanagan Memorial, Newbridge (14/6/15)

A4 Race
1 Declan McCarthy (Southside)
2 Scott Kinsella (Les Jeunes)
3 Stephen Rowan (Orwell Wheelers)
4 Simon Sheridan (Clontarf CC)
5 Shane McKeown (Acorn)
6 Anthony O’Gorman (Les Jeunes)
7 Ken Costello (Upperchurch Drombane)
8 Jeremy Farrell (Unattached)
9 Scott Gilchrist (Orwell Wheelers)
10 Richard Cattle (Orwell Wheelers)

Women's Prize
Sandra Telford (Orwell Wheelers)