Donnelly stretches advantage in Galway Rally

Eugene Donnelly’s defence of his Irish Tarmac Champions crown has begun well and at the end of the first leg of the Galway International Rally his Toyota Corolla WRC is 26.5 seconds ahead of the Subaru WRC of Tim NcNulty with Eamonn Boland (Ford Focus) 39.8 seconds behind in third.

Donnelly was fastest in seven of today’s eight stages but there was some concern about a noise on board his car that manifested itself on the final stage.