Matthew Fox takes stage two as Conor McGoldrick maintains Rás Tailteann lead

Matthew Fox (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) took the honours in today's second stage of Rás Tailteann as overnight race leader Conor McGoldrick maintained his advantage at the top of the General Classification.

Patrick O'Loughlin of the National Team was best of the Irish with a brilliant second place in his debut Rás, the Carrick on Suir teenager going very close to the biggest win of his career after the longest race he's ever done.

Third across the line was the seasoned Italian-born, Irish-based rider Matteo Cigala (Carlow Dan Morrissey-MIG.ie Pactimo).

That trio came to the line in Ennis as part of a dramatically reduced peloton that made its way down the country on a lumpy 154-kilometre course that featured six categorised climbs.

McGoldrick really imposed himself here, taking maximum points on five of the six, ensuring he also leads the King of the Mountains Classification as well as the overall.

His team - the Richardsons Trek DAS squad - from the UK were excellent again, helping to keep their man in yellow towards the front, and keeping him out of any potential danger on a day that saw the peloton decimated.

With an easier day - on paper, at least - coming tomorrow, those with ambitions to try and unseat the race leader really took it to him today with wave after wave of attack.

Conn McDunphy of Cycling Leinster was once again to the fore as he went about trying to claw back the 17 seconds he needs to get back into the GC hunt, while defending champion Daire Feeley of the Cork All Human Velo Revolution squad was another who shone.

The latter managed to finish eighth on the stage, meaning he stays just inside the top 10 overall at 20 seconds, while McDunphy is right in the hunt too in fifth at 17 seconds.

Best of the Irish