Peadar Hurson dominates as Kerry duo put in fine effort

Former National Rally champion, Warrenpoint’s Peadar Hurson (Subaru WRC), and his Monaghan co-driver Damien Connolly took a start to finish victory in the POC NI Distribution Tyrone Rally.

They finished 56.9 seconds ahead of the Escort of Frank Kelly/David Vance. One of the drives of the rally was that of Killarney’s Rob Duggan/Ger Conway — on their debut in a Peugeot 208 R2 they finished fourth overall.

Hurson quickly stamped his authority on the rally and opened up a lead of 14.4 seconds, but the loss of the digital read was a concern. Kelly was his closest pursuer with fellow Escort ace Camillus Bradley 4.3 seconds behind. In the R2 category, Duggan’s first competitive run in his Peugeot was very encouraging and he was 6.9 seconds faster than his main rival Jon Armstrong, who has Killarney’s Noel O’Sullivan on the notes.

On the remaining two stages of the loop, Hurson extended his lead to 38.5 seconds as Kelly managed to retain second despite a strong challenge from Bradley, who was 3.5 seconds in arrears of the Tyrone man. Meanwhile, Armstrong edged a tenth of a second ahead of Duggan in the R2 category.

Although problems with the digital read out continued, Hurson was very much in control and eased off on the final stage to take victory. Kelly used all his guile to fend off Bradley, who had closed the deficit to 1.7 seconds prior to the final stage. Duggan powered his way back into the lead of the R2 category — 2.9 seconds ahead of Armstrong on S.S. 4. The battle ended a stage later when Armstrong slipped off the road.

Meanwhile, in Dungarvan, Cavan’s Gary Kiernan (Ford Escort) won the Great Stuff Caterers Imokilly Rally, finishing 6.6 seconds ahead of the Toyota Starlet of Carlow’s George Condell with Ballylickey’s Denis Cronin (Subaru WRC) in third.

Cronin was first on the road and he posted a time of 8 minutes 39.4 seconds. Last year’s winner Wesley Patterson (Escort) punched in a time of 8 minutes and 23.1 and that was credited to seven others that were caught in a stage blockage when Ed Murphy (Escort) crashed.

Although Cronin was quickest on S.S. 2, Gary Kiernan led Condell by 4.6 seconds, Kiernan had luck on his side on the opening stage when his Escort cut out twice but he was one of the drivers caught with the Murphy stoppage.

Engine troubles forced Patterson out on S.S. 3 as Kiernan set the pace, Condell responded on S.S. 4 and the pair were level at the top. Cronin was 22.5 seconds adrift in third. Condell edged ahead on the penultimate stage and led by a mere 1.4 seconds.

However, on the final stage Kiernan set a cracking time to claim a 6.6 second win. Condell and Cronin completed the top three. Ed O’Callaghan (Escort) overcame a gear linkage issue to claim fourth with Group N winner David Guest (Mitsubishi) and Youghal’s Jason Ryan (Starlet) completing the top six.

In the 24 Hours of Spa, Cork racer Matt Griffin and his AF Corse team mates Duncan Cameron, Davide Rigon and Portuguese ace Francisco Guedes finished second in the Pro-Am Cup category and fifth overall. For Griffin and Cameron the result was enough to clinch the category in the Blancpain Endurance series.

Brian McCormack (Honda CBR10000R) won the West Cork Motorcycle Hillclimb at Dunderrow from local hero John “Plumb O’Donovan (Yamaha R6). Bandon’s Dave Moloney (Yamaha R6) was third.