Young prospect Eunan McGlinchey celebrates podium success at Brands Hatch

The 23-year-old signed with the Gearlink Kawasaki team for 2021 after spending a year in the World Supersport 300 series last season.

McGlinchey, who won the British Junior Supersport title in 2018, has been touted as one of the country’s most promising young short circuit riders and he showed his potential, standing on the rostrum twice to consolidate his sixth position in the standings after three rounds.

After Saturday’s Sprint race was delayed until Sunday following a red flag on the second lap, McGlinchey came through from the third row of the grid to force his way into the top three in wet but drying conditions.

England’s Kyle Smith took the win on his Triumph from Dubliner Jack Kennedy (Bournemouth Kawasaki), with Aghadowey man McGlinchey six seconds adrift in third.

McGlinchey repeated the feat in the feature race and narrowly prevailed after a thrilling duel with team-mate Ben Currie on the final two laps.

Former champion Kennedy won the race by over three seconds from Smith, with McGlinchey 1.7s back in third.

“It was a hard race and it was exciting because you didn’t know what the track conditions would be like,” McGlinchey said.

“We started to work our way through the field and I had some technical problems that probably cost me second place, but I’m happy this weekend with two third positions and good points.”

Fermanagh native Lee Johnston finished fifth in the feature race on the Ashcourt Racing Yamaha, with Korie McGreevy in seventh (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha).

Johnston, who is third in the championship, was 11th in the Sprint race, one place ahead of Ballynahinch man McGreevy.

Carrick’s Glenn Irwin had a best result of sixth in the third British Superbike race on Sunday, which was run over just seven laps following a restart after Gino Rea’s Buildbase Suzuki suffered a huge blow-up, causing a red flag stoppage.

Championship leader Christian Iddon took the win on the VisionTrack Ducati from McAMS Yamaha riders Tarran Mackenzie and Jason O’Halloran.

Irwin was 11th in Saturday’s race and eighth in race two on the Honda Fireblade.

His younger brother Andrew finished 12th on Saturday and 14th in the second race, but crashed out of sixth place in the last race on the SYNETIQ BMW.

Scot Mackenzie won Saturday’s race from Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Ducati) and Iddon.

Race two was won by O’Halloran Bridewell and Mackenzie.

In the National Junior Superstock class, Randalstown’s Eugene McManus was fifth ahead of Sam Laffins, while Co Tyrone’s Keith Farmer was fourth and eighth in the National Superstock 1000 races.

Round four of the championship takes place this weekend at Thruxton.

Meanwhile, the second round of the Dunlop Masters Superbike Championship was held at Mondello Park in Co Kildare.

Roads ace Derek Sheils was a double winner on Sunday on his Roadhouse Macau BMW, while reigning champion Richie Ryan won Saturday’s first race.