Motorsport: Jennings is best of the Irish in Welsh rally

Fermanagh’s, Garry Jennings, co-driven by Cork’s, David Moynihan were the top Irish crew in the 50-stage mile Advance Windows Systems Rally that took place in the forests of Sweet Lamb and Hafren in Wales.

They finished eight overall in an event won by Graham Middleton (Toyota Corolla WRC).

There were a number of other Irish drivers in action including Rory Galligan, who finished eleventh, Shaun Gallagher (14th.) and Andrew Brown (24th)

As Middleton led from the start and ran out a comfortable winner, Jennings was very consistent

throughout the 12 stages.

He was fourth after six stages and fifth after eighth stages. On the later stages, including one in darkness, he lost time as his Peugeot 106 struggled in the rutted stages.

Galligan was off the road on a few occasions as he acclimatised to his left hand drive car. He made a recovery towards to finish to claim eleventh place.

Meanwhile, in Garda in Northern Italy, a number of Irish karters have progressed to the tomorrow’s finals of the Winter Cup with two others in with a strong chance of progressing to the final.

In the ICA category, Cork’s Brian O’Mahony needs to finish in the six to make into the final. In wet

conditions today, he was 15th in the first heat and was 20th in the second heat. In the latter, he was up

to ninth before he was shunted off the track.

Joseph McGonigle is also in tomorrow’s pre-final.

James McCarthy (Cork) goes straight into tomorrow’s Jica final along with Niall Quinn.

Jeffrey Collier failed to make it to the finals.