Wayne Garrett won a tactical battle with Tommy Merton to lift the prestigious John Donnelly memorial trophy motocross organised by the Killinchy club at Downpatrick.

Merton won the first race in which Garrett was the runner-up and when it came to the second leg those positions were reversed.

That meant Garrett and Merton were level on points as they entered the cliff-hanging final race to decide the destination of this famous piece of silverware.

For the record Merton won the opener by three seconds from Garrett with Hamilton on his own in third place.

Gordon Crockard had just moved into third place at half-distance when he bit the dust big-time. He was left badly winded.

Then in the second race it was Merton who controlled the pace from the front.

Garrett did make a few bold bids to draw level but Merton held the winning line to win by two seconds from Garrett with a recuperated Crockard a fighting third.

Starting the deciding final race there was no rematch for Garrett and Merton. Instead it was Hamilton who gave the impression that he might spoil the party.

In one of his best rides this year Hamilton took the win while Garrett was fully aware that if he finished ahead of Merton then the major would be his.

That’s precisely what happened with Garrett taking second followed by Crockard and Merton.