Ballyduff’s O’Carroll on podium at the Skerries 1000

His third place in his opening race on Sunday morning equalled a career best and follows a third place in the same category in Kells, County Meath last month. Sunday’s race was won by Eoin Ó Siochru with Michael Gahan second.

O’Carroll held third for all of the race and while the top two rode away into the distance the local Kawasaki rider was coming under increased pressure from fourth-placed man Michael Gillen.

“On the last lap I could hear him [Gillen] on my back wheel. I gave it my all on that lap and managed to pull a few seconds out of him to hold the place,” said O’Carroll.

He finished sixth in the Senior Support race and tenth in the SuperTwins race.

Ardfert’s Stephen Walsh finished tenth in the Classic 350 race on his Honda.

Local Skerries rider Micko Sweeney was named man of the meeting after winning three of the four races he contested. Sweeney’s back-room team included Tralee-based race mechanic Der Rahilly and SuperTwin racer Darragh Crean.

Crean, O’Carroll and Walsh are all entered in this weekend’s Walderstown Road Races near Athlone.