O’Brien brothers clinch victory in Carrick-on-Suir

MOUNTFIELD brothers Patrick and Stephen O’Brien sealed a comprehensive victory in Carrick-on-Suir on Sunday to win the Willie Loughman Forestry Rally.

Behind the wheel of his new Skoda Fabia R5 car, Patrick stormed to a start to finish success over runner-up, his AP/Art Rally Team mate, Jordan Hone, with Keith Power in third.

“I’m a happy boy!,” he beamed. “The new car never missed a beat all day, it’s fantastic. It was a wee bit different from the Fiesta but it’s definitely a good car.”

O’Brien, who won the Omagh Motor Club Bushwhacker Rally behind the wheel of an R5 Ford Fiesta last September, was in imperious form on Sunday, leading by almost seven seconds after stage one and nearly 20 by the end of the first loop.

After service, he managed his lead expertly and even managed to extend it to end the six stages 29 seconds in front of Hone, who had over a minute and a half in hand on Power.

“I was very happy because I took a big leap on the first loop so I was a bit nervous getting it to the end but I’m very happy,” O’Brien added. “I was around 20 seconds ahead at halfway, but our pace was still pretty good on the second loop.”

Since his Bushwhacker victory, O’Brien has been included in the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy where he has been receiving expert tuition to improve his driving, nutrition, fitness and his mental approach to the sport and he believes it’s already starting to bear fruit.

“The Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy is fantastic, what you learn there, even simple stuff that you’d forget is good to get refreshed,” he explained.

“But staying cool and calm today was credit to what they are telling us and what we’re learning. It’s great to be able to pout it into practice and I can’t say anything other than positive things about it.”

Other local drivers in action on Sunday included Drumquin’s Ashley Dickson, who had Des Sherlock on the notes in his Ford Fiesta R5, which he drove to eighth overall and first in class five, while Omagh’s Brian Little was second in class 12 in his Ford Escort G3 and 25th overall.

Meanwhile, Greencastle’s Mark Donnelly had to retire from second place after a soft roll while taking evasive action to avoid hitting a stricken J1000 car. Omagh’s Niall McCullagh and Dromore’s Conor McCourt also failed to finish the event.

Circuit of Ireland

THIS coming weekend will see the return of the Circuit of Ireland Rally with plenty of local interest throughout a quality entry list.

Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes have been the duo to beat so far this year but will face stiff opposition from fellow title contenders Ballinamallard’s Alastair Fisher and his Omagh co-driver Gordon Noble, Callum Devine, and Meirion Evans, while Dromore’s Cathan McCourt, who recently became a dad for the first time, will be out to gatecrash the top three.

Drumquin’s Jason Dickson, Strabane’s Ryan Caldwell, and Joseph Kelly will continue their front-wheel-drive battle in Ford and Peugeot Rally4 variants.

Caldwell has been the category’s surprise sensation this year, picking up a win in Galway and a runner-up finish to Eamonn Kelly in West Cork.

Dickson and Kelly will be hoping to regain some ground this time around.

Other Tyrone drivers also competing are Victoria Bridge’s Jason Mitchell, Strabane’s Sean Devine, Dunamangh’s Paul Britton, Ardboe’s Kevin Quinn, and Dungannon’s Mark Stewart.

*Photo: Gavin Woods