Derek Sheils bags hat-trick as Richie Ryan wins Dunlop Masters Superbike title at Mondello Park

Pole man Derek Sheils finished the Irish motorcycling season with a flourish at Mondello Park, where Richie Ryan was crowned the Dunlop Masters Superbike champion for a record fourth successive year.
By Kyle White
Published 10th Oct 2021, 18:21 BST
Updated 10th Oct 2021, 18:22 BST
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Sheils had been right in contention for the title but the Republic of Ireland rider’s chances of fighting for the championship were ultimately ended when he missed the penultimate round of the series last month.

However, Sheils made a victorious return at the Co Kildare circuit, where he clinched a treble on the Roadhouse Macau BMW.

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He opened his account in Saturday’s first race, sealing his fifth Dunlop Masters Superbike victory of the season by 6.1s from Kilkenny man Ryan, who narrowly held off Thomas O’Grady by 0.098s to take the runner-up spot.

Derek Sheils won all three Dunlop Masters Superbike races at the final round of the championship at Mondello Park in Co Kildare. Picture: Baylon McCaughey.Derek Sheils won all three Dunlop Masters Superbike races at the final round of the championship at Mondello Park in Co Kildare. Picture: Baylon McCaughey.
Derek Sheils won all three Dunlop Masters Superbike races at the final round of the championship at Mondello Park in Co Kildare. Picture: Baylon McCaughey.

Emmet O’Grady (Honda) was almost six seconds further back in fourth, with Skerries man Michael Sweeney next on his MJR BMW ahead of Superbike Cup rider Daniel Matheson in sixth spot.

Sheils picked up where he left off on Sunday, wrapping up a double after keeping Thomas O’Grady (Yamaha) at bay in race two. In a much closer race, O’Grady was only three tenths behind Sheils at the finish, with Sweeney completing the rostrum places in third, 1.4s further adrift. Emmet O’Grady, Ryan and Derek Wilson (Suzuki) were the top six.

Ryan’s fifth place on his trusty Yamaha R1 was enough to put the championship outcome beyond doubt with one race to spare as the Kilkenny man retained his title for a fourth year on the spin.

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In the final race of the weekend, Sheils completed his hat-trick by a comfortable margin of 3.4s over Sweeney, with Thomas O’Grady in third. Emmet O’Grady finished fourth followed by Alan Kenny and Shane Connolly.

Kilkenny's Richie Ryan was crowned Dunlop Masters Superbike champion for a fourth successive year. Picture: Derek Wilson.Kilkenny's Richie Ryan was crowned Dunlop Masters Superbike champion for a fourth successive year. Picture: Derek Wilson.
Kilkenny's Richie Ryan was crowned Dunlop Masters Superbike champion for a fourth successive year. Picture: Derek Wilson.

Michael Owens was a double winner in the Supersport class, with Jamie Collins taking a win in the third race. Offaly’s Kevin Keyes was crowned champion after a dominant season in the class at the previous round but missed the finale after sustaining an injury in a crash at Donington Park, where he was competing in the British championship last weekend.

Road racing specialist Sweeney was also celebrating a hat-trick in the Supertwins class, winning all three races over the weekend to secure the title.

The Mondello Park meeting was the final Irish motorcycling event of the year, with the traditional season-ending Sunflower Trophy meeting at Bishopscourt in Co Down cancelled for a second consecutive year.