Donagh Kelly secures double in Enniskillen

There was double delight for Donegal’s Donagh Kelly (Ford Focus WRC) as he clinched the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship with victory in the Todd’s Leap Ulster Rally in Enniskillen. 

In sharp contrast, local hero Garry Jennings and his Letterkenny co-driver Rory Kennedy were on course to record a third straight Ulster Rally win until their Subaru WRC burst into flames some two kilometres from the finish of the final stage, leaving the pair bitterly disappointed.

In the unlikeliest of circumstances Kelly secured the Tarmac title with his fourth event win of the season. “I couldn’t believe when Garry failed to come through the last stage... To win both championship (National and Tarmac) in the same season is very special.”

Kelly/Flanagan finished a minute and 46.4 seconds ahead of the Skoda Fabia S2000 of Desi Henry/Liam Moynihan, with Derek McGeehan/Arthur Kierans (Mini WRC) 35.2 seconds further behind in third.

Jennings began Saturday’s eight stages 45.4 seconds off the lead but within a stage he had trimmed the deficit by 17.7 seconds. Confidence levels within the cockpit of the Kumho-backed Subaru were high and Jennings had overhauled Kelly by SS8 (Widow Magee) and led by 9.4 seconds.

Antrim’s Desi Henry and his Millstreet co-driver Liam Moynihan occupied third — their Skoda Fabia S2000 running faultlessly. The Mini WRC of Derek McGeehan inherited fourth after following the demise of Stephen Wright, who damaged the radiator of his Fiesta R5 and although the Monaghan man completed the seventh stage he decided to call it a day rather than risk engine damage.

Elsewhere, Jonny Greer (Citroen DS3 R5) and Jon Armstrong (Peugeot 208 R2) completed the top six midway through the day. Armstrong led the similar car of Killarney’s Rob Duggan in the R2 category by just over 30 seconds, availing of better tyres on the morning stages. Derek McGarrity was sandwiched by the two young drivers, the Antrim driver’s Subaru WRC suffering clutch and gearbox troubles. Callum Devine in the pocket rocket Opel Adam occupied ninth while 10th-placed Camillus Bradley (Escort) led the Modified category, after Frank Kelly retired his Escort, running wide and clouting a wall.

Continuing at a relentless pace, Jennings extended his lead and by the end of SS10, he lead Kelly by 36 seconds. The Kesh driver added more time on the penultimate stage and was within two kilometres of the finish of the final stage when flames began to emanate from his Subaru. With the help of fellow competitors, the fire was extinguished and with it their Ulster hat-trick.

Henry and McGeehan took second and third respectively. Greer netted fourth and McGarrity nursed the ailing Subaru to fifth ahead of R2 category winner Jon Armstrong — 32.8 seconds ahead of Duggan, who remains in pole to win the Carryduff Forklift Road to Wales competition.

In the junior category, Boherbue’s John O’Sullivan and his co-driver JJ Cremin took a comfortable victory in a hired left-hand drive Ford Fiesta R2.