Killarney men win Circuit of Kerry

Killarney’s Donie O’Sullivan and co-driver Paul Nagle in their Ford Focus WRC won the Circuit of Kerry, the opening round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

Former Dunlop National Rally Champions, Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) were second – 22 seconds in arrears, with overseas crew Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell, also in a Subaru WRC, finishing a further 45 seconds adrift in third place.

The Group N showroom category was won by Gabriel Martin/Mark Kane (Mitsubishi).

Harrison led initially but on the third stage, Brandon Creek, his Subaru WRC hit a wall and lost valuable seconds.

Amazingly, he hit another wall a few metres away.

The incidents cost him over 30 seconds and he dropped to third as O’Sullivan took the lead.

The Killarney man drove a controlled rally and ran out a deserving winner.

Retirements included Mel Evans. He failed to finish the first stage. Denis Cronin retired out of fourth

place on S.S. 6 and George Cullen bowed out prior to the final stage.

Behind the top three, Ray Breen secured one of his best results to date. He was fourth, and JJ Fleming and Kevin Lynch, both in Subaru WRC’s completed the top six.

Andrew Stewart led Group N until the penultimate stage, when a puncture dropped him to third in the category behind Willie Fannin and winner, Gabriel Martin.

1. D. O’Sullivan/P. Nagle (Ford Focus WRC) 59m. 04s.

2. N. Maguire/P. McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) 59m. 26s.

3. J. Harrison/H. Bell (Subaru WRC) 1h. 00m. 11s.

4. R. Breen/A. Purcell (Subaru WRC) 1h. 00m. 43s.

5. JJ Fleming/R. ward (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 07s.

6. K. Lynch/F. Regan (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 19s.

7. A. McElvaney/P. Goodman (Subaru WRC) 1h. 01m. 22s.

8. G. Martin/M. Kane (Mitsubishi) 1h. 02m. 46s.

9. C. Arthurs/J. Kelly (Hyundai Accent WRC) 1h. 02m.

53s.

10. W. Fannin/R. Price (Subaru) 1h. 02m. 59s.