When the rally kicked off on Saturday Morning, not all the experts would have thought that the new first time winner would be PJ McGrath. The probable feeling among those that know would have tipped Gareth McHale as the likely successor to Eamon Boland's crown. His WRC experiences and more powerful car were a rally winning combination. Even though his car had been changed to right hand drive, that should have not affected any Irish man, we drive on that side anyway, so we thought. PJ made his intention to do well from the off, posting a time four seconds ahead of his younger rival.

James Stafford showed his intent as well in the Darrian, this challenge was to go on stage 3 with clutch problems. As the day unfolded, the names of Damien Tourish, David James, Neil Williams, Wesley Patterson, Owen Murphy, Mark Kennedy and Brendan Comiskey made their way on to the top ten runners, to stay there over the weekend. Up to the end of the first day, positions didn't change a lot with the odd swap of places middle way down the top 10. Overnight the top ten was, McGrath, McHale, James, Tourish, Patterson, Murphy, Williams, Kennedy , Comiskey and Washinton James.

On to day two, was this the day we would see Gareth McHale make his move, yes was the answer, taking 10 seconds from McGrath on the morning's first test. What would unfold on the next test caught everyone out. McGrath came into service saying he knew his lead had been cut on the first stage, but had not seen McHale on the second. David James was to solve that in the next few minutes, telling us that McHale's car was sitting tail first down a ditch. This gave McGrath the cushion that he needed for the last sis tests, and to be fair, his lead was never in danger right up to the finish ramp.

To say that this took the good out of the rally would be incorrect, the battles in the middle top ten area will be remembered. Neil Williams managed to drop out for a while due to a bent steering arm, but his charge one repaired was nothing short of breathtaking. Damien Tourish, Wesley Patterson and Owen Murphy drove the rally of their lives, Tourish now in the top three, the leading EVO and Patterson the leading two wheel drive car. Local man, Mark Kennedy in the Nova and Washington James' Darrian were dicing it out in seventh and eigth spot right down to the conclusion of the event.

By rally end, PJ was a very deserving winner of the event and came through the ramp to a tumultuous welcome in front of a huge crowd at rally HQ. David James went one better than last year's third place finish while Damien Tourish held on for third. Will David James go one step better than last year and take his first win of his home event, watch this space.

 Text:- John Dier

Top 10 after SS16 (Final)

PJ McGrath         Billy Collins                Subaru Impreza                 1:50:25  
David James        Jim Crowe                  Ford Focus WRC               1:53:38
Damien Tourish     Domhnall McAlaney   Mitsubishi Evo9                 1:54:09
Owen Murphy        Rodney Hicks           Mitsubishi Evo 9                1:55:26 
Wesley Patterson   Martin McGarrity      Ford Escort MkII RS           1:55:44 
Neil Williams      Eurig Davies                Ford Escort                       1:56:32 
Washington G James Geoff Forster        Darrian T90 GTR                1:57:39
Mark Kennedy       Ian O'Leary               Vauxhall Nova Gsi              1:58:21
Brendan Cumiskey   Conor Foley           Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9      1:58:27
Tommy Doyle        Colin Fitzgerald         Renault Clio R3                  1:58:4