Motorsport: Bree leads Cork rally

Ray Breen, in a Subaru Impreza, was the fastest driver through the first stage of the Cork Single Rally on the outskirts of Cloyne.

Today’s event is the first rally in County Cork this year due to the cancellation of the three major events due to the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Breen, from Kilkenny, posted a time of seven minutes and 39 seconds to take a three second lead over the Escort Cosworth of Tipperary ace, Richie Curran

(Escort Cosworth). Curran remarked that the stage was very slippery and felt he can make up some time on the second run.

Third place, nine seconds further adrift is the Escort WRC of Tommy Graham followed by the Metro 6R4 of Frank O’Mahony, who covered the stage on a time of seven minutes 53 seconds.

The tail sliding Mark 2 Escort of Jimmy Lambert holds an impressive fifth place ahead of the Toyota Celica of Liam McCarthy, who occupies sixth position on a

time of eight minutes and seven seconds.

Several drivers have already made their exit including Donal O’Brien (Escort) and Godfrey Kirby, who crashed his Subaru. The stage-interrupted rule was enforced for the remaining crews before the stage was cleared.

Times after S.S. 1. Breen 7M. 39S; Curran 7M. 42S; Graham 7M. 51s;

O’Mahony 7M. 53S; Lambert 8M. 01s & McCarthy 8M. 07S.

In the final round of the Ford Ka Challenge in Mondello Park, champion John Carroll is the leader after the first two timed runs, he has over a second

to spare over Barry Barrable and Trevor Harding, who are second and third respectively.