Ten Club riders affiliated with the national body in 2002. They were as follows: Club Captain, Andrew O’Carroll, Secretary, Timothy Ahern, Junior Treasurer, Dermot O’Dwyer, Development Officer, Ollie Gray, PRO, David Lane, Alan Lane, Eoghan de Bhulbh, Brendan Kilbride, and Mountainbiking Rep, Oisín Boydel. Equipment Officer, Paul Fitzsimons, was responsible for designing the new look modern UCD gear.
Maoilíosa Ó Dubhthaigh, Club Senior Treasurer since 1997, took over the Presidency after the resignation of his brother and the Club’s founding member Cormac, due to work commitments abroad, and was instrumental in securing two Sports Scholarship Awards in 2001/02. Andrew O’Carroll gained a road scholarship while Ollie Gray received their scholarships for road racing and mountainbiking respectively.
Andrew O’Carroll had a strong road pedigree. He was a member of the National Under-23 squad member and was the then reigning Christy McManus Memorial Champion, and represented Leinster in the Gorey 3-day International also in 2000.
Ollie Gray came highly recommended by newly installed Club Vice-President Brendan Kilbride, who was a member of the national mountainbiking commission. He had numerous successes as a junior and underage rider and carried it into the senior ranks when capturing the 2000 Mountain Bike Irish Time Trial Championships.
Timothy Ahern became the first recipient of a Club Scholarship in 2002. It was a well deserved recognition for Ahern, whose bronze medal in the Leinster Senior Time-Trial Championships and top 10 placing in the Under-23 National Road Race Championships were the highlights of his first season racing with UCDCC.
Brendan Kilbride and Mtb Captain, Oisín Boydell, co-organized a very successful mountainbiking intervarsity championship in Ballinastoe Wood, Roundwood in March of the year. Sports Scholarship student Ollie Gray narrowly outsprinted University of Limerick’s John Dempsey in a time of 62 minutes and 15 seconds to capture the Individual title. Dempsey clocked the same time for the 4 laps, which was a full 10 minutes and 5 seconds ahead of bronze medal winner and former UCD Captain, Dermot O’ Dwyer. UCD’s domination of the top places didn’t stop there as 4 more UCD riders recorded top 10 placings - Eoghan McCathaigh (4th), Art McManus (6th), Oisín Boydell (8th), and Shane Regan (9th).in what was an awesome display by the UCD team. Not surprisingly, UCD comfortably won the team title from closest rivals UL by 48 points to 31.
On the road scene, the Club showed it’s faith in it’s riders by heavily investing in three of them to compete under the banner of UCD for the first time in the Rás Tailteann 8-day international stage race. The two Lane brothers - Alan and David, along with Timothy Athern rode magnificently. The college riders were well supported on the road by a team manager, Eddie Lane, a team support vehicle and a masseuse also. This is a top class international race with professional ranking points available and therefore it attracts a top class field. UCDCC were the only Club team to complete the Rás with it’s full component. For the record, Brian Taafe and Pat Kenealy guested with UCDCC.
As a warm up to the Rás, David rode the Rás Mumhan stage race, while Alan and Tim both competed strongly in the Gorey 3-day.
Timothy Ahern Club Scholarship proved a real success and he emerged the clear winner of the Club’s ‘Rider of the Year’ award. Club Captain, Andrew O’Carroll, won the Club League title while. Ollie Gray won the Club Mountainbiking honour to add to his Sports Scholarship and Intervarsity title.
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