Andrew Nesbitt got top-line rally action off to a winning start when he took victory from Kenny McKinstry at the Punchestown Rally Masters, at Punchestown Racecourse, in his Subaru Impreza WRC.

The organising Carrick on Suir Motor Club along with Ronan Morgan had assembled a fantastic entry list with an impressive list of names, and WRC machinery.

The number 1 spot was left vacant as a mark of respect to Bertie, Mark and Emma Fisher, tragically killed in a helicopter accident. Nesbitt started at number 2 followed by Austin McHale at 3, re-united with his "old faithful" Toyota Celica GT4, his Corolla still to be re-fettled. At 4 was Billy Coleman, this Irish Rally legend brought out of retirement for another blast in a Metro 6R4.

After these three came the familiar Irish rallying names, most of them Subaru mounted. Frank Meagher was at 5, followed by Eamon Boland, Kenny McKinstry, Daniel Doherty, Derek McGarrity and Maurice Gass all in the WRC flavoured Subaru. Those favouring the 555 versions of Subaru included Paul Harris, Niall Maguire, Ray Breen, Tim McNulty, Barry Coleman and Kevin Barrett.

With Tommy Graham in his Escort WRC, Frank O' Mahoney in the McKinstry-run Escort Maxi Kit Car, Tom Holton in a Toyota Celica GT4 and Max McKillen in the Citroen Saxo Kit Car, it all made for a very interesting day.

The course too, was very interesting. Based in and around the grandstand area of the racecourse and around the ambulance track, it was a bizarre mixture of tarmac, loose gravel sections and tree bark! The tree bark sections slowing the rally cars to a crawl with their very rutted nature. These sections were in places where the ambulance track crossed the racetrack and due to the ruts a few drivers, especially those of WR Cars, decided to remove their front bumpers to minimise the damage that could have been caused.

The day consisted of four runs, the first of which was untimed, to let the drivers get used to the stage.

Andrew Nesbitt was first through stage 1 in his Cuisine de France Impreza WRC, and he set a time of 3.08 on the tough course. Kenny McKinstry though, in his own Impreza WRC, appeared at the stage finish in a time 1 second faster than Nesbitt to take the lead. Frank Meagher was in third place, 7 seconds off the lead, with Austin McHale a further 2 seconds back in his Toyota. Maurice Gass held fifth while Derek McGarrity was just 2 seconds slower, but the driver in joint 6th with McGarrity was putting on a real show. Ollie O'Donovan in the ex-McRae Subaru Legacy stormed spectacularly through the first stage to equal the time of Impreza WRC-mounted McGarrity.

In 8th were the Doherty brothers in their WRC Subaru with Paul Harris in 9th and Billy Coleman 10th in the Metro 6R4. Eamon Boland meanwhile, spun on the first stage and damaged his steering.

On stage 2, Nesbitt set exactly the same time as he did on stage 1, but McKinstry was slower on his second run, giving Andrew the lead by 1 second. There was a gap of 10 seconds to Frank Meagher and Austin McHale, still 3rd and 4th respectively, the gap between the two extended to 3 seconds. Derek McGarrity had got in front of Maurice Gass and now held 5th with a gap of 1 second, with Ollie O'Donovan a further 4 seconds down, but still in 7th in the ageing Legacy.

The Doherty brothers had disappeared from the time sheets with piston damage, allowing Paul Harris to move up to 8th. Also missing was Billy Coleman in the Metro, front differential failure resulting in his retirement. This moved Tim McNulty into 9th place in his Subaru Impreza. Having stopped on stage 1, Eamon Boland came through stage 2 with a time of 3.24 - a good bit off the pace.

It was a fantastic finale then to the day with a one second gap between the leaders going into the final stage. When Nesbitt finished the stage he had set a time of 3.04, the fastest time so far. McKinstry finished the stage 3 seconds slower leaving Nesbitt the winner by 4 seconds. The only constant of the day seemed to be between 3rd and 4th, with Frank Meagher and Austin McHale staying in their respective positions all day, the gap between the two remained at 3 seconds, though Meagher finished 16 seconds behind Nesbitt. McGarrity finished with a half spin but held on to 5th from the hard charging Ollie O'Donovan in 6th. Paul Harris fought his way into 7th by the end of the day, and Maurice Gass had a problem at a chicane and dropped to 8th at the close of play. Tim McNulty finished the day 9th in his ex-Bertie Fisher Impreza 555, while Niall Maguire in the ex-Nesbitt Impreza 555 rounded off the top 10.

1. Andrew Nesbitt Subaru Impreza WRC 9.20
2. Kenny McKinstry Subaru Impreza WRC 9.24
3. Frank Meagher Ford Focus WRC 9.36
4. Austin McHale Toyota Celica GT4 9.39
5. Derek McGarrity Subaru Impreza WRC 9.45
6. Ollie O'Donovan Subaru Legacy RS 9.47
7. Paul Harris Subaru Impreza 9.51
8. Maurice Gass Subaru Impreza WRC 9.53
9. Tim McNulty Subaru Impreza 555 9.56
10. Niall Maguire Subaru Impreza 555 10.07