Drama in Donegal at international rally

Eugene Donnelly and co-driver, Paul Kiely on board their Kumho backed Toyota Corolla WRC took a dramatic win on the Shell Donegal International Rally, the fourth round of the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship.

Sun, 20 Jun, 2004 - 21:17

They finished a minute and 26 seconds ahead of the Subaru of championship leaders, Derek McGarrity/Dermot O’Gorman with the similar car of Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan third – a minute and twenty seconds adrift.

Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Subaru) won the Group N category.

The national class was won by John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) and Frank and Elaine Cunningham (Mini Cooper S) won the Historic category.

Andrew Nesbitt who spun on S.S. 16 was later credited with a time of some 36 minutes that dropped him to 35th place.

His demise promoted Donnelly back to first place, a position he held for the first 12 stages.

In the Pirelli Championship, McGarrity’s second spot gives him a ten-point lead over Austin MacHale, who finished the rally in fourth place behind Kevin Lynch (Subaru).

Today’s main retirement was that of Paul Harris (Subaru), he bowed out when the timing belt pulley broke.

Seamus Leonard (Subaru) fashioned a fine comeback to win the Group N category where he was 19 seconds ahead of Cathal Rogers (Mitsubishi).

Aaron MacHale (Mitsubishi) was third in the category and ninth overall in a top ten completed by Sean Devine (Subaru).

1. E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 2h. 13m. 11s.

2. D. McGarrity/D. O’Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h. 14m. 37s.

3. K. Lynch/F. Regan (Subaru Impreza) 2h. 15m. 57s.

4. A. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 2h. 16m. 30s.

5. T. McNulty/A. Nestor (Subaru Impreza WRC) 2h. 17m. 21s.

6. M. Gass/J. McKee (Subaru WRC) 2h. 22m. 26s.

7. S. Leonard/G. McVeigh (Subaru Gp.N) 2h. 23m. 37s.

8. C. Rogers/P. McLaughlin (Mitsubishi) 2h. 23m. 56s.

9. A. MacHale/G. McMonagle (Mitsubishi) 2h. 24m. 39s.