Motorsport: McNeill dominates in Mitchelstown Rally

Setting fastest times on the first three stages, Dominic McNeill/Francis Regan, in an Escort WRC, have opened up a substantial lead in the Sean Conlon Memorial Forest Rally in Mitchelstown.

The Ballymena driver is one minute and 16 seconds ahead of the Subaru Legacy of Ollie O’Donovan/David Moynihan, who arrived at the finish of S.S. 2, Kilcoran, with a punctured rear wheel and a damaged front wheel.

The Mitsubishi of Niall Driver/Francis Corrigan is some nine seconds adrift with former champions, Kevin O’Kane/Stephen Griffiths (Subaru) in fourth place.

Top seed, Dermot Kelly failed to start – his Escort WRC wasn’t ready in time for the Mitchelstown based event – the first round of the KBB Doors Forest Championship.

John McKeown crashed out on S.S. 2 and others who haven’t made it to the service halt include Eamonn Boland, John Donnelly and John McCarthy.

McNeill was quickest through S.S. 1, Cambaun where he was just two seconds ahead of Eamonn Boland with Eugene Donnelly (Toyota Celica) some 12 seconds further behind.

John McCarthy and John McKeown tied for fourth however, the leader board changed dramatically on stages two and three with a high rate of attrition.

O’Donovan, who was eleventh after S.S. 1, made a great recovery to move into second spot after S.S. 3.