Kieran MacMahon of the O'Mara's team in Limerick had his biggest triumph yesterday when he sprinted home ahead of Philip Cassidy in the Noel Hammond memorial race at Ballyboughal, the second of 10 events to count in the Callcard Classic League.

On the last of six laps of 12 miles MacMahon and Cassidy went on from breakaway companions Brian Kenneally, David Hourigan and Bill Moore and although their greatest advantage was 23 seconds it was cut to just nine seconds at the end. MacMahon led around the last corner but on the 200 yards incline to the finish Cassidy was unable to get past and MacMahon (24) was half a length ahead at the line. Moore beat Hourigan and Kenneally for third place with the next group, led in by Mick O'Donnell, two minutes and 10 seconds in arrears.

The decisive break occurred on the first lap as a group of 13 went 26 seconds clear. On the next time around the lead was almost a minute and at halfway the gap was 1:18 on five chasers with the main pack at 1:45.

Although Ciaran Power, Karl Donnelly and Andy Roche went in pursuit the leaders pressed on but on the fifth lap they split as MacMahon and his club-mate Hourigan, Cassidy, Kenneally and Moore forged ahead.

Soon after going out on the last lap MacMahon raced ahead but Kenneally brought the other three up to him. Then MacMahon tried again and only Cassidy could go with him and they gained a narrow, though decisive lead.

With Kenneally leading the chase the leaders' advantage was reduced from 20 seconds to 10 in the last few miles but they could not close the gap and MacMahon was just too good for Cassidy in the final surge to the line.

There is a triple tie at the top of the classic league with the Carlow winner Tommy Evans, MacMahon and Kenneally all on 15 points and Hourigan on 14.

Mark Scanlon was out on his own as expected in the Kelly-Roche Junior Classic. The Sligo rider went ahead after two of the four laps and at the finish had almost five minutes to spare.