Bertie Fisher and Rory Kennedy in a Subaru Impreza finished the AA Circuit of Ireland yesterday as provisional winners, by 19 seconds from Austin McHale/Brian Murphy in a Toyota Celica GT4. McHale's time includes a 20-second penalty, which if dropped would make him the winner by just one second!

Fisher set out on Easter Monday morning from Tallaght on his home run north, with an advantage of one minute 29 seconds over McHale. Easter Sunday was McHale's day as he took six of the eight stages to overtake Andrew Nesbitt in a similar Celica GT4 and slot into second position with it all to do over the final nine stages.

Having suggested to Fisher that he was no longer under pressure with such a lead, the Ulsterman replied: "there is always pressure until the very end of the last stage, anything could go wrong." And McHale did pile on the pressure to narrow the gap to 19 seconds - Fisher on three hours 56 minutes 56 seconds, McHale on three hours 57 minutes 15 seconds.

These were the provisional results as posted before six o'clock yesterday, and McHale immediately stated his intention to protest the 20-second penalty he was given on Good Friday for `allegedly' leaving the holding area too early at the start of Stage Eight at Corkhill, near Ballymena.

The controversial `incident' actually gave McHale no advantage whatsoever. If McHale's protest is upheld, he will win the AA Circuit of Ireland by only one second, the narrowest victory margin ever in the history of the event. If McHale's protest is thrown out, Fisher's win will forever be disputed.

Provisional Results - 1, B Fisher/R Kennedy (Subaru Impreza) 3h. 56m. 56s.; 2, A McHale/ B Murphy (Toyota Celica GT4) 3:57.15 (includes 20 secs. penalty); 3, A Nesbitt/J O'Brien (Celica GT4) 4:01.58; 4, E Boland/D Morrissey (Ford Escort WRC) 4:03.30; 5, S Murphy/M J Morrissey (Escort WRC) 4:06.36; 6, H M Doherty/M Gibson (Impreza) 4:07.18; 7, J Leckey/G Millar (Impreza) 4:11.47; 8, D McGarrity/V Carrothers (Impreza) 4:28.07 (1st Group N); 9, E Williamson/G Wilson (Escort Mk 1) 4:35.23; 10, C Arthurs/V Fergus (Impreza) 4:36.21 (2nd Group N).

Historics: 1, D Wylie/N Ewing (Lotus Elan) 3:22.51; 2, G Stewart/P Murray (Porsche 911) 3:31.44; 3, M Ward/M Conroy (Opel Manta) 3:34.49; 4, P McDowell/R Kelly (Ford Cortina GT) 3:35.34; 5, N Creighton (Ford Lotus Cortina) 3:37.52; 6, J Lloyd/P Gullick (Escort RS1600) 3:40.56.