'The stuff dreams are made of': Eamonn Kelly dedicates JWRC win to Craig Breen

Eamonn Kelly dedicated his maiden Junior World Rally Championship win to the memory of Craig Breen.

The Frosses man took an emotional victory in Croatia on Sunday.

Kelly was making only his second start in the one-make series and he climbed up the ladder to clinch the victory.

With Conor Mohan from Monaghan calling the notes in a Ford Fiesta Rally4, Kelly was aware of the significance of an Irish win, just over a week after the tragic death of Breen. The Waterford man lost his life in a crash while testing for the Croatia Rally.

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Kelly’s car sported a sun visor with a quote - “Never give up” - Craig Breen - as a nod to the Irish rallying icon.

“It's been a mad week and weekend and just can't believe it,” Kelly said.

“It is the stuff that dreams are made of. You grow up watching all that's going on and never thought I'd be part of something like this.

“It's been an emotional week for everyone Irish as well so there's no question about who you could dedicate this win to. There was a man up there in the sky shining down on us and this win is for him."

Kelly seized the moment when Diego Dominguez broke the rear right wheel of his car. Tom Rensonnet was experiencing engine trouble and when Lauren Pellier’s head gasket blew, Kelly was in the lead.

The 23-year-old won the Junior British Rally Championship last year and he followed in Breen’s footsteps by winning the Billy Coleman Award.

He is a son of former Irish Tarmac Rally champion Donagh Kelly and he had 30.8 seconds to spare on Rensonnet when he finished the final stage in Croatia.

He said: “We knew how tough this event would be, so we had a plan to drive maturely and never disobeyed it even when we wanted to, but it paid off hugely.”