Gareth MacHale leads Rally Ireland

Midway through Rally Ireland, the Irish bid for qualification for the World Rally Championship, Gareth MacHale and co-driver Paul Nagle in a Ford Focus WRC hold a 47.8 second lead over the Toyota Corolla WRC of Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely.

Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC are third.

MacHale, sixth in last week’s Rally Mexico, was quickest through the opening stage, Donegal 1, opening up a 15 second lead over the Mitsubishi Lancer WRC of Daniel Carlson with Eamonn Boland (Ford Focus WRC) some three seconds further adrift in third.

Kenny McKinstry, in his left hand drive Subaru, held fourth spot followed by Australian, Chris Atkinson and Irish Tarmac champion, Eugene Donnelly.

Donnelly had a torrid time on the stage – the suspension settings of his Toyota Corolla not suited to the stage.

However, he made amends on the next stage, Tyrone 1, where he set quickest time to move into third place.

Rally leader Gareth MacHale lost time when he stalled his Ford Focus WRC at the start line.

Daniel Carlsson lost over four minutes with a puncture and slipped down to 17th in overall classification.

On the repeat of the stage in Donegal, MacHale was again fastest to stretch his lead as Donnelly posted a much quicker time than earlier this morning to move into second.

Top 6

Gareth MacHale/Paul Nagle (Ford Focus WRC) 41m. 01.5s

Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 41m. 49.3s

E. Boland/Francis Regan (Ford Focus WRC) 41m. 52.2s.

K. McKinstry/James O’Brien (Subaru WRC) 42m. 45.0s.

Chris Atkinson/Glenn Patterson (Subaru) 42m. 46.9s.

Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Ford Focus WRC) 43m. 13.0s.