McNulty leads Rally of the Lakes in Killarney

At the end of the first leg of the Ordnance Survey Ireland/Gleneagle Hotel Rally of the Lakes, Meath’s Tim McNulty and his Limerick co-driver, Anthony Nestor (Subaru WRC) have a lead of 47.5 seconds over the Toyota Corolla WRC of Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely.

Local driver, Donie O’Sullivan and his co-driver, Sean Mullally (Subaru) led after the opening stage, Moll’s Gap, by some 3.8 seconds but McNulty cut the deficit to a mere half second on the second stage, Gortnagane.

McNulty seized the lead on the third stage (Rockchapel) and thereafter consolidated his lead role in what was a trouble free run in his Pierce Contracting Subaru WRC.

The exclusion penalty that threatened to jeopardise Eugene Donnelly’s rally was removed by the Stewards late last night.

Yet, it seemed to take its toll on his performance and he was down in fourth after the opening stage.

However, he’s second overnight 19.8 seconds ahead of Derek McGarrity, who had to contend with a small fire on board his Subaru.

Early leader, Donie O’Sullivan was the day’s principal retirement, his Subaru stopped on S.S. 6 with engine woes.

That promoted Welsh ace, Gareth Jones, into second spot until he had a brief off road excursion this afternoon, he ended the day in fourth ahead of the Subaru’s of Stephen Murphy and Denis Cronin with the Ford Focus WRC’s of Eamonn Boland and Aaron MacHale next in the leader board.

Boland lost a few minutes with engine trouble early today.

In Group N, Seamus Leonard in a Mitsubishi, has a 28.4 second lead over the Subaru of Alan Ring.

McNulty takes a 47.5 second advantage into tomorrow’s 8 stages.

In the national category, Phil Collins (Escort) leads the Toyota Corolla of Mark Courtney by a minute and 22.8 seconds.

T. McNulty/A. Nestor (Subaru WRC) 1h. 05m. 13.2s.

E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1h. 06. 00.7s.

D. McGarrity/D. O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) 1h. 06m. 20.5s.

G. Jones/D. Moynihan (Subaru WRC0 1h. 06m. 44.4s.

S. Murphy/M.J. Morrissey (Subaru WRC) 1h. 06m. 54.5s.

D. Cronin/H. O’Sullivan (Subaru WRC) 1h. 07m. 50.5s.

E. Boland/H. O’Sullivan (Subaru WRC) 1h. 07m. 51.5s.

A. Machale/C. Perry (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 08m. 55.2s.

S. Leonard/J. McCafferty (Mitsubishi) 1h. 09m. 30.8s.

N. Hicklin/D. Falvey (Subaru WRC) 1h. 09m. 58.5s.