Motors: Greer secures back-to-back wins in Killarney

BACK TO BACK: Carryduff's Jonny Greer and his Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick (Ford Sierra Cosworth 4x4) pictured on the night stage at Rockfield on their way to victory in the Killarney Towers Hotel Historic Rally. Picture: Martin Walsh.

Having regained the lead by a fraction of a second on the penultimate stage, Carryduff driver Jonny Greer and his Scottish co-driver Kirsty Riddick used the all-wheel traction of their Sierra Cosworth 4x4 with telling effect to secure a slender victory in the Killarney Towers Hotel Historic Rally. They powered through the night stage at Rockfield to finish just 3.7s ahead of the BMW M3 of Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and co-driver Rory Kennedy. The Fermanagh/Cork crew of Michael McDaid/Declan Casey (Escort RS1800) were a minute and 48.2s further behind in third.

Overnight rain, frost and low temperatures paved the way for the opening stage near Killorglin where Greer was a second ahead of Kelly, even then, it bore the hallmark of being a straight contest between the pair as Welshman Melvyn Evans (Escort RS1800) was 19.3s further adrift. For local ace Alan Ring, the Dromin stage ended his quest for an elusive home win as his Subaru Legacy spluttered through the slippery stage and while he was classified ninth on the leaderboard (28.6s off top spot) he withdrew after the stage finish with fuel starvation issues. Kelly was best through the Caragh Lake stage, deemed by the vast majority of drivers as the event’s finest sage. It certainly was for Kelly who moved into 15.7s lead over Greer with Waterford’s Ray Breen (Subaru Legacy) some 18s further behind in third.