McGarrity leads Circuit of Ireland Rally

After five stages of the Buy & Sell Circuit of Ireland Rally, Derek McGarrity and co-driver, Derek O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) have a 19.3 second advantage over the Toyota Corolla of Eugene Donnelly with Austin MacHale (Ford Focus) 23.7 seconds adrift in third and a mere 0.6 seconds ahead of Donie O’Sullivan (Ford Focus WRC).

Dessie Keenan (Mitsubishi) leads Group N.

Drama on the opening spectator stage at St. Angelo, just outside Enniskillen where Tapio Laukkanen retired with smoke billowing from his Subaru WRC.

Austin MacHale spun his Sanyo backed Focus and lost over 15 seconds.

Out on the stages in the country, McGarrity strengthened his advantage and set fastest times on three stages to extend his lead to almost 20 seconds.

For the first time today, on S.S. 5, a driver than McGarrity set the quickest time, Eugene Donnelly was

the quickest through the Tullyreagh Bridge stage and clipped a mere 0.1 of a second off the lead.

Both drivers reported no problems.

Austin MacHale, has moved into third but an impressive Donie O’Sullivan is just 0.6 of a second behind. O’Sullivan softened the rear suspension of his Focus and remarked that it was handling much better.

Having led the Group N category until S.S. 5. Garry Jennings lost over 20 seconds when he caught the Mitsubishi of Charlie Mavitty on a narrow section.

Billy Coleman award winner, Dessie Keenan, also in a Mitsubishi, now leads the showroom category and holds sixth overall – 9.3 seconds ahead of Jennings in a top ten completed by Colm Murphy (Subaru), Aaron MacHale (Mitsubishi) and Robbie McGurk (Mitsubishi).

1. Derek McGarrity 30m. 21.5s.

2. Eugene Donnelly 30m. 40.8s.

3. Austin MacHale 31m. 04.5s.

4. Donie O’Sullivan 31m. 05.1s.

5. Daniel Doherty 31m. 27.7s.

6. Dessie Keenan 32m. 36.9s.