Welsh-based and Manx-born driver David Higgins (Ford Focus) managed to keep a strong Irish challenge at bay on this evening's first leg of the Total Manx International Rally.

Irish drivers occupy three of the top four places at the end of the first leg of the International Rally of Wales, the opening round of the Kwik Fit Pirelli British Rally Championship.

The battle for supremacy in the Cedars Hotel Wexford Rally went all the way to the final stage and at the finish, the Stephen Murphy/Mickey Joe Morrissey (Subaru WRC) combination emerged with a ten second advantage over the Ford Focus of Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle.

The top drivers in the Scottish Rally were dogged with punctures as Jonny Milner, in his Toyota Corolla WRC took a dramatic last stage victory over the Subaru of Tapio Laukkanen.