British rider Tim Shoreman clocked up his fourth career stage win in the Rás Tailteann on Thursday, frustrating the local rider Willem O’Connor who landed his best result in the race to take second.Both were part of a six-man breakaway which went clear from a larger 12-man group inside the final 10km of the hilly stage from Rathmore in Kerry.O’Connor is from Crookstown, just 45km from Banteer, which was honouring the careers of Eddie Dunbar, Mick Cahill, Paidi O’Brien and 2023 race winner Dillon Corkery by hosting the stage finish.“I really, really wanted to win today. Maybe I launched a bit early but ultimately I don’t think it would have made that much of a difference,” the Cork: O’Leary Stone Kanturk rider O’Connor said. “Tim [Shoreman] has a sprint that I just don’t have.“I can play it over and over but I’ll never know if it would have worked out differently.”The 20-year-old does have the consolation of taking over the best young rider jersey, and leaping to third overall.The British rider Adam Lewis also makes it into the final selection, as did his Irish team-mate on the USA: APS Pro Cycling team, Conn McDunphy. The latter helped drive the group towards the line and finished third in the sprint, with Lewis taking over the race lead from stage 1 winner Rowen Baker (Isle of Man).Baker was outmanoeuvred by a day of constant attacking, with 2022 race winner Daire Feeley (Clare: Burren CC) one of the most aggressive. He went clear with 10 others early on, before the second category climb of Caha Pass.Also there were fellow Irishmen Liam Crowley (Team Ireland), Ronan McLaghlin (Foyle CC), Matthew Walls (USA: APS Pro Cycling), Evan Keane (Dublin: Pinergy Orwell) and Ruairí Byrne (Dublin: UCD Cycling Club).The main bunch on the road to Banteer during stage two of the Rás Tailteann. Photograph: Lorraine O'Sullivan Feeley then made it into the later 12-man breakaway, but missed the crucial split inside the final 10km. He finished in a chase group 47 seconds back and vowed to try again.“I’d say I was clear about 160km. I had great legs, I just got caught out coming into the finish there,” he said. “It’s not that I wasn’t strong enough to be there, I was just waiting for the next wheel to go and it just never went. And then the gap went away.“I am very happy with it, but still it could have been more.. There was a big energy expenditure for a small bit of return, and not the return I wanted. Three more days left!”The race continues on Friday with a mostly flat 155.6km stage from Mitchelstown to Enniscorthy. Lewis is 34 seconds ahead of Shoreman, with O’Connor at 42 seconds and Danylo Riwnyj (UK: Foran CT) plus McDunphy a further two seconds back.The latter finished second overall in 2024, and played an important part in creating the final selection on Thursday.“With about 7km to go there was a bit of a kicker [climb],” he said. “I went from the back, because we didn’t want to bring everyone to the line. It worked out well.“Shoreman followed me. He is the fastest sprinter here so there was only ever going to be one winner. But we did what we could. I came third, Adam [Lewis] went into yellow. It’s not a bad day.”McDunphy has the ability to win the race but said it is vital for him to avoid crashes, something which has affected him in previous editions.“There is a lot of road between now and Dunboyne and I know every single stretch of it. So we will see how we go,” he said.Rás TailteannStage 2, Rathmore to Banteer:1 Tim Shoreman (UK: Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) 192.7km in 4 hrs 9 mins 12 secs2 W O’Connor (Cork: O’Leary Stone Kanturk) at 1”3 C McDunphy (USA: APS Pro Cycling)4 A Lewis (USA: APS Pro Cycling) both same time5 J Dike (Spain: Natural Greatness Rali Ale) at 4”Primes:KOM category 3 at Morley’s Bridge: Odhran Doogan (Tyrone: Caldwell Powerhouse Racing)KOM category 2 at Caha Pass: Liam Crowley (Ireland: Team Ireland)KOM category 3 at Glengarrif: CrowleyKOM category 2 at Cougane Gap: CrowleyKOM category 3 at Cuan Mhuire: George Peden (UK: Team PB Performance)KOM category 3 at Lyre: Adam LewisCounty rider: Willem O’ConnorNational/International team: UK: Wheelbase Cabtech CastelliIrish County/Provincial team: Cork: O’Leary Stone KanturkGeneral Classification after 2 stages:1 Adam Lewis (USA: APS Pro Cycling) 7 hrs 49 mins 37 secs2 Tim Shoreman (UK: Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) at 34”3 Willem O’Connor (Cork: O’Leary Stone Kanturk) at 42”4 Danylo Riwnyj (UK: Foran CT) at 44”5 Conn McDunphy (USA: APS Pro Cycling) same timePoints classification: Tim Shoreman (UK: Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) 26 pointsMountains classification: Liam Crowley (Team Ireland) 34 pointsUnder 23 rider: Willem O’Connor (Cork: O’Leary Stone Kanturk)County Rider: O’Connor