Ballymoney rider William Dunlop got back to his normal winning ways at the Athea Road Races in Co-Limerick on Sunday, after the 23 year old took the 125cc race win on Paddy Flynns 125 Honda. However Dunlop was left with mixed feelings after he was left to ponder what might have been.
William, beat brother Michael Dunlop in the 125 race, but had hoped to make it a double win in the 250cc Race only for the gremlins again to attack Dunlop and his 250 Honda.
Consistent top seven results on the Chris Dowds Yamaha's in the Supersport 600 and Superbike races, left the quietly spoken Dunlop happy with the way he rode, and is looking forward to next weekends Skerries Road Races in North County Dublin.
 
William Dunlop:  "I quite enjoy the Athea races, as there is no mucking about there as far as the organising goes, but the weather played a bit of havoc on race day due to wet, damp and then a dry circuit.    It was good to get the 125 race win, the wee bike was flying, but I seem to have no luck with the 250 at the moment.   She picked up a front wheel puncture, and it was getting worse and worse lap by lap, so there was no point in continuing so I had to retire from the race.
I got a 7th place in the Supersport 600 race, as the track was kind of tricky in places due to the wet.   Michael Pearson got the better of me in the Grand Final where I finished in 6th place, and then I had a fifth in the Open Senior race behind Ryan Farquhar at the end of the day, which was about the only race we had in the dry.    All in all I am happy with how the race went, so hopefully, my luck will change on the 250 at Skerries this weekend".
 
 
Picture:   William Dunlop on the CD Racing 600 Yamaha at Athea
 
Picture by Alan Armstrong