Manus Kelly claims stunning victory at National Rally Championship

Subaru WRC debutants Donegal’s Manus Kelly/Donal Kelly took a superb win on the Seven Oaks Hotel Carlow Rally, the third round of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship.

They finished 9.9 seconds ahead of the Clonmel/Cork pairing of championship leaders Roy White/James O’Brien (Ford Fiesta WRC). Longford’s Tommy Doyle and Cork co-driver Liam Moynihan (Subaru WRC) were 21.8 further behind in third.

Despite stalling at the start, Manus Kelly made a great start and finished the stage at the top of the leaderboard — nine-tenths of a second ahead of Peadar Hurson (Subaru WRC) with the Escort of Frank Kelly only eight-tenths of a second back. White (Fiesta), Doyle, and Daragh O’Riordan (Fiesta) followed.