Donnelly wins West 2002 rally

Eugene Donnelly scored his maiden International Rally victory with a convincing win in the West 2002 International Rally, the final round of the Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac Championship in Galway.

On his debut drive in a Subaru World Rally Car, he reeled in early leader, Peadar Hurson, to take a

deserved win.

Recovering from a first puncture Donnelly and co-driver, Paul Kiely, set fastest times on all the

remaining stages to finish a minute and 16 seconds ahead of the Toyota Celica ST205 of Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter.

Hurson led until midway through today’s stages when he slid off and lost over a minute. Although he slipped to third, he eventually moved ahead of Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy, who spun their Toyota Corolla WRC on one of the closing stages, MacHale finished third – 18 seconds adrift of Hurson.

A late dash saw Trevor Cathers (Mitsubishi) eclipse Roy White, also in a Mitsubishi, for the Group N award in both the rally and the Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac championship.

On the first of the night stages, White extended his lead to a fragile six seconds but lost by 19 as

Cathers came through on the penultimate stage, S.S. 11. The final stage was cancelled.

Maurice Gass, in a Subaru WRC, was sixth.

1. Donnelly 59m. 33s.

2. Hurson + 1m. 16s.

3. MacHale +1m. 34s.

4. Cathers + 3m. 05s.

5. White + 3m. 24s.

6. Gass + 3m. 32s.