Scully hails Dan Morrissey as "one of the best patrons of Irish sport"

Carlow cyclist Con Scully along with his teammates Matteo Cigala, Ciaran Maguire, Mark McGarry and Bruno Rosa, under the sponsorship of Dan Morrissey, were worthy winners of the overall Irish Team Award as the iconic Rás Tailteann came to an end last weekend. It was the first win for the Carlow team at the Rás since 2005.

The Dan Morrissey brand, currently under the company’s figurehead, Kevin Morrissey, has been associated with sport in Carlow for generations and is the longest running sponsor in Irish Cycling with decades of continuous support.

Such longstanding investment is a testament to the company’s commitment to Carlow sport and makes the Rás Tailteann victory a richly deserved prize.

Cigala was the second-fastest Irish rider, while Scully was close behind in fourth, with the pair both finishing in the overall top 15, while Maguire also played his part in the team’s success as he finished inside the overall top 60. The team prize is decided using each team’s top three times every day. Those times are added together and it continues like that across each stage of the five-day race.

Scully ended the race just 4:04 behind overall winner Conn McDunphy and remained in contention for the U23 title right up to the final stage, eventually finishing fourth there as well, 1:38 behind winner Williem O’Connor.

This was the Carlow man’s fourth Rás to complete, and having first entered at the age of 18, he remains eligible for next year’s U23 category.

Scully spoke to The Nationalist in the aftermath of his team’s success and mentioned how special it was to have two stages of the race at home here in Carlow, saying, “It was great to have it in Carlow, obviously with the Council’s support, they said that they were going to try and go for it and they did.

“As a Carlow rider and to be representing Carlow, it was great to have it in the town. They're my first memories of bike racing - watching the Rás in town, finishing on Barry Street and stuff like that when I was younger. So yeah, it was great.” 

Scully also paid tribute to the team’s renowned sponsor, saying, “Dan Morrissey, to be fair to them, with Kevin and then Kevin Senior, they are one of the best patrons of Irish sport ever in the country.

“Obviously to have them as a title sponsor of the team, it's not a small contribution at all, they've really supported the team. And if you were to go back and look at the riders that have ridden for them, it's kind of a who's who of Irish racing.

“So, it's been a fairly good history for the team and for me to be able to go onto it as a Carlow rider is massive. We haven't had a Carlow rider on the team for a long, long time. So, to be able to be in there and have the relationship with Kevin Morrissey and have them supporting us, having the investment, it really makes it a bit more special.

“It's not a small investment at all, because we're running a van, a team car, a camper van, we're running however many staff. And then supporting all of us (riders) as well, you know, you've hotels, you have travel, you have everything like that.” 

The team now turns their attentions to the National Championships at the end of June, but before that there will be a trip to Italy in two weeks’ time for Scully when he will be tandem bike racing at the European Championships.