McGarrity leads Rally of the Lakes

Of today’s eleven stages of the Ordnance Survey Ireland/Gleneagle Hotel Rally of the Lakes, the third round of the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship, Derek McGarrity/Dermot O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) were quickest on seven with Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) claiming the remaining four fastest times.

The real facts reveal that McGarrity has an overnight lead of a minute and eight seconds over the Ford Focus WRC of Donie O’Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Ford Focus WRC).

Although Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) ended the day in third on stage times, a one-minute penalty for a jump-start has dropped them to fifth.

As a result, Donnelly/Kiely move to third – 33 seconds behind O’Sullivan/Nagle and certainly would seem to have their sights set on reclaiming second spot – to aid their bid for the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship.

Eamonn Boland made an encouraging debut in his Mitsubishi and finished the day in fourth.

The Subaru WRC of J.J. Fleming is sixth and Denis Cronin (Toyota Celica) is seventh with Johnny O’Sullivan (Escort WRC) is eight.

The final places in the overnight top ten are taken by Liam McCarthy (Toyota Corolla) and Pete Doughty (escort WRC).

In Group N, former racing driver, Alan Ring (Subaru) leads from Colm Murphy (Subaru) and James Foley (Mitsubishi).

Times at end of day one:

D. McGarrity/D. O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) 1h. 20m. 55s.

D. O’Sullivan/P. Nagle (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 22m. 03s.

E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h. 22. 36s.

E. Boland/D. Morrissey (Mitsubishi WRC) 1h. 23m. 04s.

A. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 23m. 17s.

J.J. Fleming/R. Ward (Subaru WRC) 1h. 25m. 26s.

D. Cronin/H. O’Sullivan (Toyota Celica) 1h. 25m. 54s.

J. O’Sullivan/P. Cashman (Escort WRC) 1h. 26m. 12s.

L. McCarthy/K. Murphy (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h. 27m. 16s.

P. Doughty/A. Whittaker (Escort WRC) 1h. 27m. 24s.