But his victory has set up a last round showdown for the title in the Glens of Antrim between Glenn Allen and Stephen Moore, who, for contrasting reasons, came away empty-handed.

They have dominated the series, taking maximum points from seven of the previous eight rounds, but Saturday saw them not only upstaged by young Cathcart but leave the Co Down forests without adding to their totals.

Moore, just one point behind leader Allen, was in trouble minutes before the start when his Irish forest championship-winning Ford Focus developed a fuel tank leak on Saturday morning.

With no replacement tank available Moore would have been out of the rally until Martin Cairns stood down and offered him his Group A Subaru.

Never having driven the car before it rolled over the start ramp, it was hardly surprising that Moore struggled and although he finished in a fourth place, the gallant effort did nothing to help his championship cause.

Allen on the other hand was back in his Toyota Corolla that has been out of commission since he crashed on the Raven's Rock Rally back in the summer, forcing him to drive borrowed cars in the intervening period.

But he was a couple of seconds down on the flying Group N Subaru of Cathcart, and pushing for the win that would ensure he became champion after two years as runner-up, when he crashed on the fifth stage.

FM CONTRACTS DOWN RALLY: 1 Richard Cathcart and Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza N) 36 mins 46 secs; 2 Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 37.17; 3 Paul Britton and Martin McGarrity (Subaru Impreza N) 38.18; 4 Stephen Moore and Tony McHugh (Subaru Impreza) 38.39; 5 PJ Gillespie and Mary O'Kane (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 38.57; 6 Andrew Ritchie and Garnet McFetridge (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 39.06; 7 John Walker and Dessie Wilson (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 39.06; 8 Eoin McErlean and Donard McCann (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 39.09; 9 Gary Rodgers and Brian Crawford (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 39.11; 10 Damien Hynds and John Magilton (Mitsubishi Lancer N) 39.18.