Austin McHale and Bertie Fisher renew their rivalry at the cutting edge of Irish rallying in the AA Circuit of Ireland this Easter weekend. They have both won the Circuit twice. McHale has won five Tarmac championships and is the reigning champion while Fisher has won four titles. Last year's Circuit was won by McHale who beat Fisher by one second in the closest finish in the history of the event.

However, McHale's victory was spoiled by that dreaded bugbear of all sports - officialdom! He was wrongly given a 20 seconds penalty on Good Friday and the stewards of the Ulster Automobile Club refused to lift the penalty until the following Tuesday. McHale drove for the three days under the cloud of a penalty he did not incur.

Lesser men might well have given up, but the Mayoman pressed on and going into the last stage was 45 seconds behind Fisher. Even without the penalty it looked like second place for McHale.

Fisher completed the 18.6 miles Begney Hill stage near Bangor, playing it safe on intermediate tyres but McHale gambled on the weather, choosing slicks - he crossed the finish line just as the road was covered in sleet and snow. McHale's blinding pace reduced Fisher's lead to 19 seconds, but with that 20 seconds penalty it was not enough.

Back at the finish in Bangor, Fisher and co-driver Rory Kennedy drove their Subaru Impreza onto the podium and sprayed the champagne. McHale's protest was thrown out, but 24 hours after the finish, McHale and co-driver Brian Murphy were declared the winners. Fisher did not counter-appeal, but it was a shame that the event had to end on such a sour note.

Fisher had a dreadful season last year, crashing in Galway, Killarney and Donegal. This year started well for the Ballinamallard driver, with victory in Galway. He again rallies a well proven Subaru Impreza, where as McHale is rallying his Toyota Celica GT4 for a third successive year. He had hoped to get a new Toyota Corolla WRC, which will not now arrive until mid-summer at the earliest.

He failed to start in Galway due to a mechanical failure and is now playing catch up in the Toshiba Tarmac series. Car wise, the Subaru Impreza has a vital competitive edge over the Toyota Celica GT4 and as well as Fisher, Andrew Nesbitt in another Impreza is a hot favourite for Circuit honours.

McHale, Fisher and Nesbitt will be under pressure from Ian Greer in another Celica GT4 and from Eamonn Boland and Stephen Murphy in Ford Escort WRCs. The rally starts from Bangor at 12 noon today with a stage in the local Castle Park. Following 3x3 stages between Armagh and Newry there will be a long road section to the first of two overnight halts in the Abberley Court Hotel, Tallaght.

The Easter Saturday action starts with stages at Glenasmole and Sally Gap, two service stops in Arklow and a group of stages around Avoca and Wicklow. On Easter Sunday there will be a spectator stage in The Square, Tallaght, followed by stages near Mullingar, two services in Kilbeggan, stages near Ardee and Drogheda and another long drive to Bangor. On Easter Monday there will be eight more stages, six in the Mourne Mountains, service in Hilltown, Co Down, and the finish at Bangor Marina from approx 3.30 pm.

Championship rounds of Formula Opel, Fiat Unos, Strykers, Historics and the opening round of the new Dunlop RT2000 saloon championship are listed on the Easter Monday programme at Mondello Park. At Donington Park Irish drivers challenge for championship honours in the support races to the start of the British Touring Car Championship.

Neil Shanahan (Dublin) and Matthew Gilmore (Belfast) contest the British Formula Ford Zetec Championship while Michael Cullen (Dublin) is confident of posting a powerful challenge for the Ford Fiesta Championship. Co Wexford farmer Philip Kohoe (New Ross) makes his debut in Formula Opel and if he shows the same speed as he did in Formula Ford Zetec he will definitely be the pace maker. Another young driver expected to show is Gavin Smith.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Good Friday - Circuit of Ireland starts, Bangor, 12.0 p.m.

Easter Saturday - Circuit of Ireland, re-start, Tallaght, 8.0 a.m. Easter Sunday - Circuit of Ireland, re-start, Tallaght, 10.20 a.m.

Easter Monday - Circuit of Ireland, re-start Bangor, 8.0 a.m; Motor Racing, Mondello Park.