Ogier holds off Neuville to be crowned king of Monte Carlo

The outcome of a thrilling Rallye Monte Carlo, the opening round of the World Rally Championship, went all the way to the end of the final stage as Citroen returnee Sebastien Ogier fended off a terrific challenge from Belgian driver Thierry Neuville (Hyundai i20 WRC) to win by 2.2 seconds.

Estonian Ott Tanak (Toyota Yaris WRC) completed the podium places - two minutes and 13 seconds behind. For Irish driver Kris Meeke the final stage brought five additional points as he won the Power Stage.

Throughout Saturday’s leg Ogier and Neuville served up an enthralling battle and the day ended with Ogier holding a 4.3 second lead. Tanak, who punctured on Friday’s leg, punched in all four fastest stage times to move from seventh to fifth. Meeke went from eighth to sixth as he set three second fastest stage times.

Yesterday, Ogier’s Citroen had an issue with the throttle that was pushing the car on when he applied the brakes but he continued to lead though Neuville cut the deficit to a four-tenths of a second with one stage remaining. By then, Tanak had secured third with Sebastien Loeb, who had just one day of tarmac testing with Hyundai, eight seconds further behind.

Meeke continued to be upbeat and went on to claim the Power Stage and secure the five additional championship points that, along with his sixth place finish, leaves him fourth in the series.

Loeb was fourth to claim points for Hyundai, who saw Andreas Mikkelsen crash out on stage nine on Saturday. Welsh ace Elfyn Evans (Ford Fiesta WRC) also crashed out. M-Sport Ford World Rally Team’s Gus Greensmith won WRC 2 Pro category and the RC2 class and was seventh in the overall standings.

The all Irish crew of Wexford’s Eamonn Boland and his Waterford co-driver Mickey Joe Morrissey (Fiesta R5) finished 25th in general classification.

For the second successive year the Ballincollig/Mogeely combination of James Fitzgerald/Ken Carmody (Subaru) proved best in the Skibbereen 100 Isles Navigation Trial that was based in Ballinacarriga in West Cork. On the 80-mile event that counted as rounds of the National and Munster Navigation Trial Championship they moved ahead after the second section that included a double visit through a farm underpass near Lyre.

Several crews including initial leaders Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy (Subaru) found it difficult to negotiate An even more intricate complex of farm lanes near Garranecore outside Clonakilty caught out many crews. Monaghan’s Derek Mackarel and his Togher navigator Muireann Hayes fared best and moved ahead only for Fitzgerald/Carmody to have a purple patch that saw them edge in front of their rivals.

Both crews managed to stay on schedule and the top two places were unchanged. The all Cork crew of Owen Murphy/Daire Hayes (Subaru) had to skip some time points to get back on track and went on to take third. Leap’s Diarmuid French and his Rosscarbery navigator Brian O’Mahony (Subaru) were the top Novice crew and finished a creditable fourth overall.