Harding wins Willie Loughman Memorial Rally

The Willie Loughman Memorial Forest Rally, the second round of the Petro Systems National Forest Championship was won by Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru WRC).

They finished the six-stage Carrick-on-Suir based event with a 41.2 second winning margin over Pat O'Connell/Mark Wiley (Mitsubishi).

Mark Sheahan/Johnny McGrath (Mitsubishi) finished in third place.

Top seeds, Ray Breen/Martin Brady (Ford Focus WRC) set the pace on the first stage, Clondonnell in the shadows of the Comeragh Mountains.

They led Harding/Purcell by 3.9 seconds, however, their rally ended a stage later.

On Gurteen, the longest stage of the event (20km), they slid off and although they re-joined the rally, they were sidelined some two kilometres later with a damaged radiator.

Harding took control and halfway through the rally, he was almost 45 seconds ahead of O'Connell.

The rally leader survived gearbox problems on the penultimate and final test to take victory.

O'Connell took the runner-up spot with Mark Sheahan (Mitsubishi) coming through to take third following the demise of James Murphy (Escort WRC) with an engine malady.

Brian Lawlor (Ford Escort), who was fifth, was the top two-wheel drive performer.

Meanwhile, the Junior category was won by Craig Breen (Citroen), who was also seventh in the main rally.

The Kilkenny teenager, who competed in Rallye Sunseeker in Bournemouth yesterday and won his class in that event, was an emphatic winner of the Junior category, the second round of the National Junior Rally Championship.

He finished almost two minutes ahead of second placed, John Byrnes (Citroen C2R2). Vincent McAree (Peugeot) was third.

1. T. Harding/A. Purcell (Subaru WRC) 42m. 35.8s.

2. P. O'Connell/M. Wiley (Mitsubishi) 43m. 17.0s.

3. M. Sheahan/J. McGrath (Mitsubishi) 44m. 37.9s.

4. S. McGrath/K. Joyce (Mitsubishi) 45m. 14.1s.

5. J. McGlaughlin/R. Fitzpatrick (Mitsubishi) 45m. 22.5s.

6. B. Lawlor/P. Kavanagh (Ford Escort) 45m. 38.4s.

7. C. Breen/G. Roberts (Citroen C2R2) 45m. 59.7s.

8. S. Power/J. Rafter (Ford Escort) 45m. 59.7s.

9. J. Reid/E. Shiels (Toyota Corolla WRC) 46m. 06.8s.

10. P. Keenan/B. McNulty (Mitsubishi) 46m. 15.3s.

JUNIORS:

1. C. Breen/G. Roberts (Citroen C2R2) 45m. 59.7s.

2. F. Byrnes/K. Shiels (Citroen C2R2) 47m. 48.5s.

3. V. McAree/PJ McAree (Peugeot 106) 49m. 02.2s.