Jim McKenna and Arthur Kierans were surprise victors in Saturday's System Signs Rally. The Toyota Starlet-mounted pair were pace-setters from the first stage of a demanding nine-stage event, which started in dry conditions and finished with two wet stages in the dark and offered the competitors a challenging day's rallying.

Event sponsor, Aisling Dooris, took up co-driving duties for the day alongside ex-PWRC World Champion Niall McShea at the wheel of the famous ex-Bertie Fisher and Stephen Finlay Ford Orion, and enjoyed herself immensely.

As in previous years, action was centred on the forest drive at Lough Navar, but this year saw the very welcome addition of the new Bothwell's stage at Roosky, which provided a degree of variety to the event.

Top seed Stewart Clarke was a non-starter, his Escort not being rebuilt in time and so it was Rodney White who led the field away for the first loop, which saw Navar and Bothwells each being attempted three times.

At the end of the leg, it was McKenna/Kierans who led by 13 seconds from Damien Toner/David Smith with Aidan and Damian Toner a further 13 seconds adrift. Harold Brown and Mark Scallon were having a good run in fifth and were the top local crew, while Ronan Cox and Michael McGowan led the two small-capacity classes.

As darkness approached, the final mileage of the rally was concentrated in the Forest Service complex with the first stage being reversed and attempted three times.

This loop saw the demise of Michael McGowan on SS7 with electrical maladies and Andrew Trotter succumbed one stage later, while lying third in class.

The final stage of the event claimed three local crews in the shape of Joe McMenamin/Kevin McQuaid, Ian McCutcheon/Chris Rafferty and Trevor Elliott/Jason Harron, who were lying second in class, before crashing heavily half a mile from the end.

Thus it was McKenna/Kierans who claimed the victors' spoils at the prize-giving in the Old Pals' Bar, with McElhinney/Charlesson claiming the runner-up spot and Brown/Scallon on the final step of the podium.

Class wins went to Ronan Cox/Marcus Mulloy, Darren McGrath/Willie Mavitty, Paul and James Gallagher, Aidan and Damien Toner, Rodney White/Vincent Fergus and Alan Cathcart/Paddy Flanagan.

McKenna/Kierans also won the Bothwell Trophy for the best performance on the shorter stage and Brown/Scallon were the recipients of the award for the top Fermanagh crew.

At the prize-giving, Declan Gannon, Clerk of the Course, expressed the Club's thanks to System Signs, the Bothwell family, the Forest Service and the Old Pals' Bar.

1. Jim McKenna/Arthur Kierans, Toyota, 36.36.

2. Gary McElhinney/Jonny Charlesson, Ford, 36.37.

3. Harold Brown/Mark Scollan, Vauxhall, 37.32.

4. Aidan Toner/Damian Toner, Ford, 37.34.

5. Alan Cathcart/Paddy Flanagan, Honda, 38.12.

6. Paul Gallagher/James Gallagher, Ford, 38.32.

7. Rodney White/Vincent Fergus, Talbot, 38.53.

8 Liam Doherty/Ryan Moore, Toyota, 39.02.

9. Frank Conville/Niall McKenna, Vauxhall, 39.27.

10. Howard Clarke/Marshall Clarke, Peugeot, 39.36.