Oldcastle driver Stephen McCann took a start to finish victory on the Banna Mini Stages Rally organised by Kerry Motor Club.

McCann has endured a frustrating season in his class 20 Mitsubishi Lancer but the car ran faultlessly on the fast roads of north Kerry on the 6 stage event. Heading into the final stage of the rally, McCann and co-driver Damien Fleming had a 13 second cushion over last year's winners, Daniel Cronin and Shane Buckley and despite Cronin's best efforts in the closing miles, McCann held on to his lead to emerge at the stage end as the winner by 5 and a half seconds.

The slippery conditions naturally favoured the four wheel drive machines of McCann and Cronin and when leading two wheel drive pilot Ed O'Callaghan crashed out on the second stage, Trevor Mulligan assumed the role to bring his orange Mark 2 Ford Escort back to Banna in third place and first two wheel drive crew with navigator Sean Hayde. Jack Newman and Andrew Browne finished fourth on what proved to be a very worthwhile high speed test session for Killarney Historic Rally while Fergus O'Meara and Brian Doherty were the first all Kerry crew home taking fifth overall.