From a final list of three, Motorsport Ireland has announced that Craig Breen is the winner of the 2009 Billy Coleman Award for the Young Rally Driver of the Year.

Breen made his debut in Rallying in August 2007 and won no fewer than four different championship crowns during the 2009 season.

The highlights of the year included winning the National Junior Rally Championship and finishing third overall in the Birr Forestry Stages Rally, beating many four wheel drive turbo charged cars in the process.

Breen also clinched the International Fiesta ST Trophy at the final British round of the World Rally Championship on 25th October.

In 2010, Breen is set to challenge for the British Rally Championship and will also take in selected WRC events as a precursor to making the move onto the world stage.

The Billy Coleman Award is presented annually to the most outstanding young Rally driver during the current year. The award consists of a support package for Rally competition in 2010 to the value of €50,000.