Sean Doyle dominated the Mid-Antrim club’s Shane Cup trial on Saturday but the Irish Championship leader is still fellow Dubliner Michael Burton, writes DERMOT JAMES.
Arguably the most difficult trial of the season, Doyle dropped a whopping 95 marks on the Slemish mountain course followed by Burton 115 and Ulster’s Andrew Perry in third place 147.
After nine rounds and with just two remaining, Burton looks set to retain the title. He has now scored 159 points, Doyle has 157 and Perry 152.
In cool conditions Doyle got off to a blistering start losing 27 marks for the opening lap compared to 30 for Burton.
As the day wore on Doyle got progressively better in that he completed lap two for a loss of 25 marks which gave him a growing total of 52 followed by Burton 60 and Perry 65.
Lap three was even better for Doyle but the fourth and final lap was his best. He had 17 dabs and that contributed to his overwhelming 20 marks victory margin over Burton.
For Doyle this was his second win in the current series but Burton has the better strike rate of four wins.
Like Doyle local lad William Dickey was always ahead in the B grade where he beat the leader Stuart McClurg by 20 marks, 51 to 71.
Results
Grade A S Doyle 95 marks lost; M Burton 115; A Perry 147; C Doyle 156; J Lunney 170.
Grade B W Dickey 51; S McClurg 71; B Braithwaite 85; C Brown 89; R McCrory 109; J Carroll 124; S Hanlon 130; D Ewen 149.
Grade C P Hanlon 32; S McCallion 51; G Mackey 66; A McCrory 70; J Heenan 85; K Turner 92; S Callaghan 96A Turner 100.
Grade D R Jennings 15; G Robinson 17; D Gault 26; J O’Toole 37; J Taylor 41; B Waring 45; R Porter 48; J Waring 52.
Youth Division (Class A) J Hanlon 49; C Brown 77; A Lennox 105; E Evans 107; T O’Toole 134.
(Class B) J Hanlon 26; A Dunlop 36; F Morrison 39; M Millar 71; G Taylor 73; T O’Toole 94; S Tweedie 118.
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