Motorsport: McGurk wins Carric on Suir Rally

Robbie McGurk/Rory Kennedy, in a Group N Subaru were impressive winners of the Willie Loughman Memorial Forest Rally in Carrick on Suir.

Leading from the start, their passage to victory was eased considerable when Dominic McNeill’s Escort WRC misfired on the penultimate loop of stages and on S.S. 9, finally retired from the rally.

However, there was little they could do about the performance of McGurk, that was simply outstanding.

Eugene Donnelly (Toyota Celica) and his Kerry co-driver, Paul Nagle took second. For most of the

rally they were involved in a tough contest with the Subaru WRC of Brian Murphy/M.J. Morrissey, however, the latter, who were only three seconds behind with two stages remaining, lost considerable time.

Firstly, on S.S. 9, the throttle linkage snapped and a puncture on the last stage added to their woes, they had to settle for fifth.

Third place went to the Subaru WRC of Eamonn Boland/Anthony Nestor, who had a trouble free run.

Kevin O’Kane, the new KBB Doors Championship leader, was fourth ahead of top rear wheel drive exponent, John Treacy (Escort).

One of the drives of the rally came from Fermanagh’s, Garry Jennings, he brought his Peugeot 1096 home in eight place overall, ahead of the more powerful cars.

1. R. McGurk/R. Kennedy (Subaru Impreza) 58M. 49S;

2. E. Donnelly/P. Nagle (Toyota Celica ST205) 59M. 52S;

3. E. Boland/A. Nestor (Subaru WRC) 1H. 00M. 22S;

4. K. O'Kane/S. Griffiths (Subaru Impreza) 1H. 03M. 02S;

5. B. Murphy/M. J. Morrissey (Subaru WRC) 1H. 03M. 04S;

6. J. Treacy/J. Smithwick (Escort) 1H. 04M. 04S;

7. P. Barrett/D. Colgan (Escort Cosworth) 1H. 04M. 41S;

8. G. Jennings/C. Curley (Peugeot 106) 1H. 04M. 46S;

9. E. Kinirons/T. Kinirons (Toyota Celica) 1H. 05M. 12S;

10. K. Molloy/B. Boland (Mitsubishi) 1H. 05M. 52S.

Navan’s, J.J. Farrell scored a narrow win over Eamonn Byrne in round 13 of the Hewison Autotest series in Dublin. Glen Irwin was third.