McAdoo Kawasaki's Eunan McGlinchey eager to make his mark as Sunflower Trophy meeting returns after three-year absence

McAdoo Racing’s Eunan McGlinchey will be gunning for Supersport success at the Hillsborough Club’s end-of-season finale after taking the fight to Ulster champion Alastair Seeley this year.

He is set to be joined at the event by Derek Sheils, who narrowly missed out on the Dunlop Masters Superbike title after a thrilling last-lap decider to Thomas O’Grady at Mondello Park in September.

McGlinchey began the year with the Gearlink Kawasaki team in the British Supersport Championship but they parted company in a mutual agreement after round one at Silverstone.

He is set to ride in the Supersport Sprint race at this weekend’s final round of the series at Brands Hatch in Kent.

The Aghadowey man joined the Ulster Superbike Championship with the McAdoo team to compete on the domestic scene and has won five races so far in the Supersport class.

The 24-year-old is third in the standings but could yet pip Christian Elkin to the runner-up spot behind Seeley despite only joining the championship from the fourth round in June.

The Sunflower meeting takes place from October 21-22 and hosts the final round of the Ulster Superbike Championship, when McGlinchey is also eager to continue making strides with the McAdoo Kawasaki ZX-10RR.

“I’m loving riding the big bike and it’s getting more enjoyable every time I go out on it, so if I did go back to England I wouldn’t say no to a move into Superstock 100,” McGlinchey said.

“I’m enjoying the McAdoo bike and it’s all a learning curve for me.

“We’re doing the Sunflower and I’m looking forward to having another good run and getting stuck in again.”

McGlinchey has dominated the Supertwin class since he joined the class this year, securing seven wins on the McAdoo Kawasaki.

The overall winner in the Supertwin races at Bishopscourt will receive the Junior Sunflower Trophy and McGlinchey will be aiming to sign off on a winning note.

Former Grand Prix winner Jeremy McWilliams is also on the entry list and will compete in the Supersport class for the Wilson Craig Honda team.

Regarded as the top short circuit meeting in Ireland, the Sunflower Trophy meeting traditionally attracts some of the leading names from the British Superbike Championship.

The feature race was won by Christian Iddon in his final outing for the TAS Racing BMW team in a memorable showdown in 2019, with previous winner Richard Cooper only 0.36s behind at the finish on the Buildbase Suzuki.

Joey Dunlop triumphed in the inaugural race in 1977 and the trophy has been won by many big names over the past four decades, including Sam McClements, James Whitham, Ron Haslam, Rob McElnea, Steve Hislop, Michael Rutter, Michael Laverty, Jonathan Rea, Danny Buchan and Glenn Irwin.

Qualifying takes place from approximately 9.15am on Friday, October 21. Thirteen races are scheduled on Saturday, October 22 with morning warm-up due to commence from 9.15am.

The JAS Finlay Sunflower Trophy race will be run over 12 laps.