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Giro agony as Ireland's Sam Bennett is pipped on the line for a THIRD time

Dumoulin retains the maglia rosa as Fernando Gaviria wins stage 12.

Italy Giro Cycling Fernando Gaviria celebrates with Bennett, out of picture, behind him in third. AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

SAM BENNETT CAME heartbreakingly close โ€“ again โ€“ to ending Irelandโ€™s 30-year wait for a stage win at the Giro dโ€™Italia.

The Carrick-on-Suir man was pipped on the line in a sprint finish to the 12th stage, coming in third behind Fernando Gaviria and Jakub Mareczko.

inCycle / YouTube

The win completes a hat-trick of stage for Colombiaโ€™s Gaviria, who strengthens his grip on the points classification, but for Bennett itโ€™s another superb performance and near miss following two third-place finishes last week.

Tom Dumoulin retains the race leaderโ€™s maglia rosa.

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    Mute Virgil Sollozzo
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    May 25th 2012, 3:12 PM

    Canโ€™t see either team making any impact in the championship this year!!

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    Mute Ewan MacKenna
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    May 25th 2012, 5:12 PM

    Actually donโ€™t think so Frank, so little between Kildare and Dublin, that thereโ€™s an inevitability Kildare will beat them eventually and thereโ€™s that desperation within Kildare team to win a provincial title thar isnโ€™t there in Dublin. Thatโ€™s a lot favouring the Lilywhites in a tight game

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    Mute Ewan MacKenna
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    May 25th 2012, 3:17 PM

    Most likely not but championship about more than the big prize, itโ€™s about the smaller but no less relevant prizes for the likes of Longford and Wicklow along the way.

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    Mute Ewan MacKenna
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    May 25th 2012, 3:30 PM

    Big difference to be playing against Kildare, Tyrone and Galway than Kilkenny, London and Waterford and while that will balance out with both being in Division 3, thatโ€™s a year down the line. Also, the players were completely behind the manager, that is what kept him his job and since all that unpleasantness, they have been locked away, Joe Sheridan is back, Kevin Reilly is a serious operator as is Seamus Kenny, and while Meathโ€™s midfield is weak, they are still a talented bunch with something serious to prove. Time will tell.

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    Mute Aidan Horan
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    May 25th 2012, 4:01 PM

    That division has Limerick, Fermanagh & Clare in it aswell. Limerick were all ireland quarter finalists last year & have twice come very close to winning the Munster championship recently so I wouldnt discount the level of opposition Wicklow were up against just like that. As for the players being fully behind the manager, I wouldnt be so sure of that either, Iโ€™m sure that was what was said to the media but the reality was most likely very different.

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    Mute paul o brien
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    May 25th 2012, 10:42 PM

    Oi! Donโ€™t be putting Waterford in with Kk & London. We are on the way-up.

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    Mute Aidan Horan
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    May 25th 2012, 3:23 PM

    I think this is going to be closer than meath by four, Wicklow are a decent championship team, meath have injuries to key players, have just been relegated to Division 3 & are not fully behind the manager. He barely kept his job recently due. I would say either team could win it by 1-2 points

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    Mute Brian O' Donoghue
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    May 25th 2012, 3:31 PM

    Theyโ€™ll both be sick when Carlow beat the winner in the next round :)

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    Mute Ewan MacKenna
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    May 25th 2012, 4:09 PM

    Very different Limerick now to the one that rattled Kerry and you canโ€™t compare Clare and Fermanagh with Clare and Tyrone. Not discounting Wicklow, just big jump in opposition. Longford managed it, granted, and maybe Wicklow can too. Just can see Meath having a little too much class up front and can see them netting at least twice. But time will tell and itโ€™s an exciting game. As for Carlow, Brian, I admire your optimism!

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    Mute Shane Ferguson
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    May 25th 2012, 7:44 PM

    Andrew McLoughlin? Is he Anthony and Michaelโ€™s lesser known, non exist any brother?

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    Mute John McG
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    May 25th 2012, 7:42 PM

    Meath wonโ€™t win a thing as long as thereโ€™s anybody who was connected with the 2010 Leinster final team still involved.

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    Mute Frank Faldo
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    May 25th 2012, 4:46 PM

    I hope they have a nice game but we all know the Dubs will rule again in Leinster.

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