Mid Antrim 150: Michael Dunlop leaves it late for Supersport pole on Ducati as Junior Support session red-flagged

Michael Dunlop left it late to seal pole position in Supersport qualifying at the Richard King Haulage Mid Antrim 150 on Friday.

Dunlop is racing at the Co Antrim meeting for the first time since 2009.

placeholder image — Michael Dunlop races into Clough village at the Mid Antrim 150 on Friday as the Irish national road race returned after a four-year absence. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

The Ballymoney rider knocked Neil Kernohan (Kernohan Racing Yamaha) off the top spot in qualifying on his final lap on the MD/Scars Racing Ducati to record the fastest lap at 99.583mph on a damp course at Clough, four seconds ahead of Ballymena’s Kernohan.

Wet weather at Clough has caused delays to practice, while the Junior Support session was red-flagged when spectators reportedly refused to obey event marshals.

Republic of Ireland rider Kevin Keyes was third fastest in the Supersport session on the Daracore Racing Yamaha, 1.47s down on Kernohan, with veteran Paul Cranston slotting into fourth on the times on his Kawasaki, only two tenths of a second down on Keyes.

Sean Brolly (Ducati) and Ryan Whitehall (Yamaha) completed the top six.