Motorsport: Maguire leads at Monaghan Rally

Niall Maguire continues to dictate the pace on the Hillgrove Hotel Monaghan Rally, the third round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

He set fastest times on the opening three stages and duly arrived at the Monaghan service halt with a 53 second lead.

Michael Barrable remains in second as he continues to acclimatise to his Subaru WRC.

Patrick Elliott (Subaru) is 32 seconds further adrift.

Elliott is joined in third place by the hard charging Group N Mitsubishi of Andrew Stewart.

Sean Gallagher and Kieran Shaw share fifth place with Aaron McHale, second in the Group N category, in seventh place, the Rathcoole driver opined that the brake pads of his Mitsubishi were too soft.

Elsewhere, Dessie Keenan leads the rear wheel drive category in a top ten that is completed by Enda Keenan.

1 Niall Maguire 25M 53S;

2 Michael Barrable 26M 46S;

=3. P Elliott & A. Stewart 27M 18S;

=5. K. Shaw & S. Gallagher 27M 41S;

7. A McHale 27M 53S;

8 S McArdle 28M 15S;

9 D Keenan 28M 18S;

10 E. Keenan 28M 31S.