Breen wins Mayo Rally

The opening round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, the Castlebar-based TF Royal Hotel & Theatre Mayo Rally, resulted in a fine victory for former Dunlop champion Ray Breen and his co-driver, Damien Morrissey.

Their Ford Focus WRC finished 42 seconds ahead of the Ford Focus WRC of Aaron MacHale/Derek Brannigan with Noel Redmond/Ger Healy (Subaru WRC) a further one minute and six seconds behind in third.

The Group N category was won by Michael Curran/Fabian McShane (Mitsubishi).

The principal retirement was that of last season’s Dunlop National Rally Championship runner-up, Patrick Elliott and his co-driver, Paul Goodman. They retired on the first junction of the opening stage with gearbox problems.

Breen was quickest on seven of the eight stages with MacHale setting the pace on remaining stage.

Both cars were trouble-free all day while third-placed Noel Redmond in a Subaru had a similar experience.

Two spins cost Glen Allen fourth place after S.S. 6 but he set a strong pace to regain the place by the end of the rally.

Rodney Wilton (Escort) was the top rear-wheel-drive exponent. He finished just one second ahead of Camillus Bradley.

1. R. Breen/D. Morrissey (Ford Focus WRC) 58m. 50s.

2. A. MacHale/D. Brannigan (Ford Focus WRC) 59m. 32s.

3. N. Redmond/G. Healy (Subaru WRC) 1h. 00m. 38s.

4. G. Allen/D. Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h. 01m. 05s.

5. Sean Devine/M. Brady (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 06s.

6. N. Maguire/P. McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 09s.

7. K. Barrett/B. Goodman (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 17s.

7. S. Gallagher/E. Sherry (Subaru WRC) 1h. 02m. 00s.

9. M. Curran/F. McShane (Mitsubishi) 1h. 02m. 31s.

10. S. Leonard/J. McCafferty(Mitsubishi) 1h. 02m. 41s.