Devine wins Lakeland Rally in Fermanagh

Strabane's, Sean Devine (Subaru WRC) has won the Fisher Engineering Lakeland Rally in Fermanagh, the seventh round of the Hankook Tyres Northern Ireland Rally Championship

He finished 43 seconds ahead of Alastair Fisher (Mitsubishi) with Jonny Greer, also in a Mitsubishi, a further eleven seconds behind in third.

Series leader, Derek McGarrity (Toyota Corolla WRC) finished fifth.

Devine and Fisher were the early pacesetters with the former holding a five second lead after the opening pair of stages.

Championship leader, Derek McGarrity struggled with a misted windscreen while title rival, Kenny McKinstry (Subaru WRC) had to contend with clutch and ECU problems.

Midway through the event, Devine had extended his lead over Fisher to thirty seconds, Greer occupied third - some nine seconds further behind.

Devine went on to take victory while Fisher had a few anxious moments en-route to second.

McGarrity retains his lead of the N.I series.

McKinstry punched in the quickest time on the final stage, but it proved to be too little, too late - he finished ninth.

Matthew Cathcart crashed his Subaru on the second stage.

1. S. Devine/T. McDaid (Subaru WRC) 43m. 23s.

2. A. Fisher/B. McNulty (Mitsubishi) 44m. 06s.

3. J. Greer/K. Riddick (Mitsubishi) 44m. 17s.

4. E. McNulty/P. Sheridan (Mitsubishi) 44m. 47s.

5. D. McGarrity/J. McKee (Toyota Corolla WRC) 45m. 11s.

6. F. Kelly/L. Brennan (Ford Escort) 45m. 25s.