O’riordan is untouched on return to Cork stages

Organiser: Skibbereen and District MC When: October 29 Where: Bantry, County Cork Championships: Irish National Rally Championship; Southern 4 Rally Championship Starters: 88 Stages: 8.

Untroubled throughout, Cork driver Daragh O’riordan (Ford Fiesta RS WRC) won the Bantry-based Fastnet Stages Rally, the final round of the Irish National Rally Championship.

O’riordan had been kept out of rallying for a year after a crash, but his return proved fruitful with fastest times on six of the eight stages. He finished 45.3 seconds ahead of the Mitsubishi Lancer E9 of Dunmanway’s Jason Mcsweeney. David Guest rounded out the top three in his similar Lancer E9.

Shane Maguire (Lancer E9) netted the Group N title within the Irish National Championship, while 10th place for the Ford Escort of Mikey Conlon secured the Mk2 Champions Trophy in the series.

Brian Brady (Honda Civic) won the Junior Championship beating Jonny Treanor and Michael Boyle.

With the overall championship decided in Sam Moffett’s direction two rounds ago, the co-driver’s trophy was still up for grabs. Karl Atkinson failed to finish on this event co-driving for Stephen Wright. The title went to James O’brien. Both have co-driven for Moffett.