MICHAEL Keohane's return to motor racing after a 22-year hiatus proved challenging, to say the least.

The Ballygurteen driver, who had strong West Cork support, didn't finish either of the opening pair of races in the Porsche Carrera Cup GB series. Racing his Century Motorsport-run Porsche that was liveried in the colours of Keohane Readymix, the former Irish kart champion (1996) showed great pace in qualifying and looked set for a strong overall grid position until his best lap time was ruled out for exceeding the track limits (at the final corner), yet he still took P1 in the Masters class with a time of 1m 05.715s.

'It felt great really. To be fastest in the Masters today was good. Carl Cavers (reigning Masters champion) is a great benchmark,' Keohane said.

Cavers posted a lap time of 1m 05.994s. The 15 cars were separated by a margin of just 1.143s.

Century Motorsport team principal Nathan Freke remarked: 'Michael has learned the car really well. It takes drivers a long time to get used to these cars. We see it year on year that the second year the driver is much quicker than the first year. He seems to have jelled with it really well.'

In the opening race on Sunday morning, in dry and sunny conditions, Keohane had reeled in three cars on the run down to Redgate (T1) before he picked off two more cars before the Old Hairpin. However, as he approached McLeans he saw an opportunity to make even more progress only to get squeezed out. The left wheels of the Keohane Readymix-backed Porsche moved on to the grass, eventually sliding into a tyre wall. The impact damaged the front left wheel and light pod.

Due to the incident in the first race, Keohane started the second race from the back of the grid. 

This time, he was up four places on the opening lap and again leading the Masters class but as he moved to overtake another car, that of Jonathan Moore, his Porsche was struck by Moore, causing the tyre to deflate and Keohane had to return to the pits to change the punctured wheel.

Re-joining the race some two laps down, smoke emanating from the front left wheel brought retirement as a bolt in the damaged wheel arch pierced the tyre.

Following the race, Moore and Keohane were called to the stewards' room, where Moore received an endorsement on his licence for the incident.

Reflecting on his weekend, Keohane said: 'Yes, it was disappointing for everyone – for myself, the team at Century Motorsport and all the people that travelled. That said, there were a good few positives. I know I had the pace, both in qualifying and the races. I suppose I should have concentrated on the Masters class as I was leading both at the time. Then, as a racing driver when you see an opportunity you go for it - it's a natural instinct.'

The pace Keohane displayed augurs well for the next championship outing at Brands Hatch (May 9/10) and is hugely encouraging, but the decision to concentrate solely on the Masters class must be the priority. However, right through his career, Keohane has had to make choices. He knows he may have to stick to his initial plan and leave instinct aside – challenging yes, but also exciting times ahead.

Michael Keohane (No. 9) overtakes his Century Motorsport team-mate Carl Cavers (No. 22) at Redgate during the second race of the Porsche Carrera Cup GB series at Donington Park. (Photo: Martin Walsh)

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Last Saturday's EARS Motorsport Munster Moonraker Rally, the second round of the Trailer Parts and Spares Irish Forest Rally Championship, was won by Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5), who finished 3.1s in front of the Skoda Fabia Rally2 of Derry's Jordan Hone, with Tyrone's Mark Donnelly (VW Polo GTi R5) 1.7s further behind in third.

Hone was best on the first of the day's six stages and led Moffett by 2.8s. The latter posted the best time on SS2 and duly cut the deficit to 1.8s while Donnelly, whose VW Polo GTi R5 lost its rear bumper, was 5.5s off rally leader Hone.

On the final stage of the morning loop, Hone added a 10th of a second to his lead, with Moffett and Donnelly completing an unchanged top three. Midleton's Daragh O'Riordan, in the ex-Jason McSweeney Skoda Fabia R5, was 15th overall.

Several crews received the stage interruption time for SS4 that was blocked by another competitor. Out on SS5 and having sorted a slight misfire in his Hyundai i20 R5, Moffett set the quickest time to move into a 3.1s lead over Hone as Donnelly continued in third.

The final stage was also interrupted for the top crews and the positions after SS5 remained unchanged. O'Riordan finished 13th, while Ballylickey's Robert Cronin (Opel Corsa Rally4) finished fifth in Class 2 and 19th overall. On the opening stage (Coolatoor) he admitted he didn't have a good pace but thereafter it increased and he was untroubled. Ballincollig co-driver Brian Duggan and his New York-based driver Liam O'Sullivan (Ford Fiesta) finished second in Class 11F.

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The top 10 for next week's Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes (Killarney) – round four of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship – is as follows: 1. Callum Devine/Noel O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2); 2. Josh Moffett/Andy Hayes (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2); 3. Eddie Doherty/Tom Murphy (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2); 4. David Kelly/Shane Buckley (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2); 5. Eamonn Kelly/Conor Mohan (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2); 6. Michael Boyle/Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2); 7. Declan Boyle/Patrick Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2); 8. Shane Quinn/Stephen Reynolds (Ford Fiesta Rally2); 9. Max McRae/Cameron Fair (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2); 10. Ryan Loughran/Dale McGettigan (Ford Fiesta Rally2).

Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and his Ladysbridge co-driver Padraig O'Donovan are the top County Cork entry and are seeded at No. 15. Clonakilty's David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Bandon's Stephen Quin are seeded at No. 22.