After an extended break of over two months, the Dunlop National Rally Championship resumed with Sunday’s circuit of Munster Stages Rally. The Limerick based rally was won by Niall Maguire, the Monaghan Subaru driver taking his third successive victory of recent weeks after championship rival Patrick Elliott put his similar car off the road on the final stage.
Mayo honours were upheld by Sean McHugh who, with his Sligo co-driver Niall Burns, finished an excellent 27th overall as well taking second in class 14. Since identifying a rear suspension problem with his BMW M3 Compact earlier this year, the Bekan man has been recording ever better results in a class which features some of the most rapid competitors in the country.
Other Mayo crews in action in Limerick included Castlebar’s Gerry Casey and Peter O’Toole from Claremorris, but alternator problems with their Ford Escort meant they exceeded their maximum lateness and were excluded from the results. Killalla’s Otto Gropler and Castlebar co-driver Chrystal Culkeen also failed to finish after putting their Ford KA off the road on the opening stage.
