1^st (2) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Impreza WRC) 2.23.06.4

2^nd (7) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 2.24.34.9

3^rd (1) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 2.25.55.7

4^th (3) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 2.25.57.1

5^th (9) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 2.27.37.7

6^th (11) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 2.32.41.4

7^th (17) Shaun Gallagher/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 2.33.05.1

8^th (12) Dickie Curran/Anthony Donnelly (Lancer N) 2.34.48.4

9^th (18) Raymond Johnston/Richard Bell (Lancer N) 2.36.00.1

10^th (15) Glyn Jones/Paul Goodman (Impreza) 2.37.21.8

11^th (16) Aaron MacHale/Damien Connolly (Lancer N) 2.38.27.0

12^th (27) Michael Curran/Dessie Wilson (Lancer N) 2.39.15.1

13^th (31) Cathal Rogers/John McElhinney (Escort G3) 2.39.33.2

14^th (103) Keith McIvor/David Burns (Lancer N) 2.39.39.5

15^th (37) Sean Devine/Shaun Lafferty (Impreza N) 2.39.49.0

Following Andrew Nesbitt’s power steering problems coming into the Ardstraw service the Tarmac Champion has turned down the wick, Derek McGarrity under no big pressure and able to cruise to his first Tarmac Championship rally victory. A Circuit of Ireland victory is always special, this one for the Glengormley man especially so. Co-driven by last-minute stand in Chris Patterson, in his new Pirelli backed Subaru Impreza WRC, Derek has played it from the front from the word go and withstood all the pressure. Defending Tarmac Champion and last year’s Circuit winner Andrew Nesbitt certainly gave Derek a tough time, piling on the pressure at every opportunity, and shrugging off several setbacks of his own. The race for 3^rd was no less frenetic. It looked like Eamonn Boland was going to take the last podium place, but he spun his Subaru 2 stages from the end, got it stuck between 2 banks, and Austin MacHale needed no second bidding to charge through into 3^rd place.

In Group N again it was a fresh name on the record books, Tipperary’s Roy White co driven by Greg Shinnors, driving a great rally in their FESP backed Lancer, and despite vibrating front brake discs today, withstood great pressure from Shaun Gallagher today. Young Letterkenny man Shaun was on his first gpN trip so his performance was pretty special as well.

Looking away from the top drivers at the front for just a moment, the Post Historic section was won by Martin Freestone in his Mk1 Escort while Frank Cunningham was 2^nd in the points in his Mini Cooper and headed the Historic section.

In the Easter Stages, Eugene Donnelly was the leader here at service from Glenn Allen, Richard Hogg 3^rd, Denis Biggerstaff 4^th. Donnelly was having some brake problems while Biggerstaff also had mechanical problems. James Gillen & Victor Carruthers crashed out of the Easter Stages on stage 19 causing it to be stopped. Happily Victor has just phoned us, on his way out of hospital with James and they would both like to thank the Doctors and Ambulance crew for their great assistance.

Derek McGarrity said when he came into final service "Happy enough, very happy, all worth while now. They reckon the 2^nd win is easier than the first, hope they are right!". Andrew Nesbitt said "Its good for Irish motorsport that Derek has won much as I would have liked to have won it again. I’m genuinely disappointed, but it was a great pace". Austin MacHale said "It was a good rally. I didn’t think when the car was on fire yesterday that I would get 3^rd place. I hate to think how far back we would have been in the Corolla."

Finally for now many thanks to everyone who helped with the RallyNews service and well done to the UAC for promoting such a massive event. Our thanks to Neil Malcolm the new CoC. Thanks also to Ciara, Davy & Isabael Hamilton, Joseph & Padraig. Andrew Mellitt and Noel Clark.