Nesbitt the new Donegal Rally leader

There is a change at the top of the leader board in the Shell Donegal International Rally, as Andrew Nesbitt/James O’Brien in the McKinstry run Subaru have a one second advantage over the Toyota Corolla WRC of Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely.

The change came on special stage 12, Knockalla, when Nesbitt gleamed 18 seconds from his rival - on the preceding stage, Fanad Head, Nesbitt took six seconds off Donnelly.

Donnelly reckoned he lost a few seconds on the Fanad Head stage where his Toyota had some mud in the wheel and on Knockalla, he overshot five times – he reckoned there was something wrong with the rear suspension of the Toyota, however, it transpired that the tyre compound was too hard.

Derek McGarrity/Dermot O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) retain third place – they are a minute 20 seconds behind.

Kevin Lynch (Subaru WREC) reports no problems in fourth from the Ford Focus WRC of Austin MacHale.

Tim McNulty, who is competing on stages like Knockalla for the first time, is eight seconds behind in sixth place.

Paul Harris (Subaru WRC) clipped a bank but retains seventh place.

Teenager, Matthew Wilson is out of the rally after he crashed on Knockalla and that promotes Maurice Gass (Subaru WRC) to eighth overall.

In Group N, Seamus Leonard (Subaru) has a comfortable lead, Aaron MacHale (Mitsubishi) lost over three minutes on Knockalla where Seamus Heron (Mitsubishi) was stopped.

1. A. Nesbitt/James O’Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 07m. 01s.

2. E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h. 07m. 02s.

3. D. McGarrity/D. O’Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 08m. 22s.

4. K. Lynch/F. Regan (Subaru Impreza) 1h. 09m. 07s.

5. A. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 09m. 50s.

6. T. McNulty/A. Nestor (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 09m. 58s.

7. P. Harris/J. McCafferty (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h. 10m. 34s.