Maguire, Elliott bid to break deadlock

MOTOR SPORT:NIALL MAGUIRE (Monaghan) and Patrick Elliott (Cavan) are joint leaders of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, which, after the two opening rounds, is developing into a two-horse race.

After winning the Mayo stages, reigning champion Aaron MacHale has pulled out of the Nationals to concentrate on the Global Tarmac Championship. This, basically, leaves the Ulster pair with little effective competition as with 36 points each they lead Glenn Allen (26), Noel Redmond (24), MacHale (20), Séamus Leonard (16), and Michael Barrable (14).

Elliott will be under fierce pressure from an in-form record triple champion Maguire in Sunday's Monaghan Stages. Last year's Monaghan winner, Dessie Keenan, is seeded number one ahead of Elliott, Maguire, Kevin Barrett (Subaru), Allen, 2006 winner Adrian McElvaney (Subaru), Barrable, Leonard and Redmond.

The first 11 cars are all to WRC specification. Group N contenders Willie Fannin (Subaru Impreza) and Danny McBride (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) are seeded 12 and 14 respectively.

The Ballyryan and Ballyallaben hills of Clare will reverberate to the sound of racing engines in the weekend's two rounds of the Magnus Technology Sprint and Hillclimb Championship.

After winning the two opening events in Wexford, Paul O'Connell on 20 points leads the series from Simon McKinley (17), Peter Dwyer (16), Brendan Keane (14), Rory Stevens (9) and Brendan Harpur (7).

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday:Ballyryan Hillclimb, Co Clare, 11.30am; Garda Siochana MC, Sporting Trial, Garrhunden, Co Carlow, 12.30pm; Carrick-on-Suir MC, Autocross and Midget Car Racing, Ballyvalla, Ferrybank, Waterford, 2.0pm.

Sunday:Co Monaghan MC, Stages Rally, starts Monaghan, 10.0am; Tipperary LC and MCC, 4x4 Trial, Dualla, Cashel, Co Tipperary, 11.0am; Galway MC, Ballyallaban Hillclimb, Co Clare, 11.30am; Laois Rallysport Club, Autotest, Clonminam Industrial Estate, Portlaoise, 11.30am; Carrick-on-Suir MC, Autocross and Midget Car Racing, Ballyvalla, Ferrybank, Waterford, 12.0pm; Garda Siochana MC, Sporting Trial, Garryhunden, Co Carlow, 12.30pm.