O’Kane wins Killarney Forest Rally

Northern Ireland’s Kevin O’Kane and co-driver Mark Hanna have won the Killarney Forest Rally in their Subaru WRC.

Sun, 05 Sep, 2004 - 20:33

Northern Ireland’s Kevin O’Kane and co-driver Mark Hanna have won the Killarney Forest Rally in their Subaru WRC.

The rally is the final round of the Castleisland-based McCauley Trailers National Forest Rally Championship.

They finished over a minute ahead of the Mitsubishi of Pete Willoughby Paul Nagle, who fended off the challenge of fellow Group N crew, Stephen Moore/Liam McLaughlin (Subaru) by a single second.

Former champion, Dermot Kelly (Escort WRC) set the pace on the opening stage and led O’Kane by 13 seconds.

O’Kane responded and set a string of fastest times and reduced the deficit to a single second by the third stage.

He took a nine second lead on the fourth stage, Kelly took a single second out of his opponent on the penultimate stage as he trailed the leader by eight seconds but his bid for glory ended when he crashed on the final stage.

Meanwhile, Willoughby drove a superb rally, set the fastest time on the final stage to secure the runner-up spot.

Stephen Moore (Subaru) was third while brake difficulties hampered fourth placed James Murphy.

Patrick Elliott (Mitsubishi) was fifth and the top rear wheel drive competitor was Brian Lawlor (Escort) – despite a puncture on the last stage.

John Reid retired on the opening stage when a wheel came adrift of his Escort while Paul Staunton was a non-starter.

1. K. O'Kane/M. Hanna (Subaru WRC) 44m. 07s.

2. P. Willoughby/P. Nagle (Mitsubishi) 45m. 18s.

3. S. Moore/L. McLaughlin (Mitsubishi) 45m. 19s.

4. J. Murphy/C. Mulcahy (Escort Cosworth) 46m. 05s.

5. P. Elliott/M. Cahill (Mitsubishi) 46m. 10s.

6. B. Lawlor/P. Kavanagh (Ford Escort) 46m. 10s.

7. D. O'Sullivan/J. Kelly (Mitsubishi) 46m. 18s.

8. J. Cribben/B. Kelly (Mitsubishi) 46m. 31s.