Donnelly leads the way in Donegal

Reigning Irish Tarmac champion, Eugene Donnelly and co-driver, Paul Kiely, lead the way at the end of the opening leg of the Topaz Donegal International Rally in Letterkenny.

Donnelly, onboard a Skoda Fabia WRC, moved into the lead on the second stage in a closely fought encounter.

At the service halt in Letterkenny after the opening loop of three stages, Donnelly led the Subaru of Eamonn Boland by 2.9 seconds with Derek McGarrity, who led after the opening stage, occupying third - 1.9 seconds further behind.

Out on the second loop, Gareth MacHale was the main mover, his performance, including a fastest time on stage five, brought him into second place (he was ninth after the opening stage and fourth after S.S. 3).

As Donnelly ended the leg with another fastest time and expressed satisfaction with his day’s work, MacHale remarked that he slowed off intentionally on the final stage so as to ensure he wouldn’t be running first on the road on tomorrow’s eight stages.

Series leader, Eamonn Boland ended the day in third – just a second behind MacHale.

Kevin Lynch in a Ford Focus occupies fourth overnight with top local driver, PJ McDermott (Subaru WRC) fifth.

Driving a Renault Clio S1600, Kris McKee gave yet another superb performance that resulted in sixth overnight.

Today’s main retirements were Derek McGarrity, his Subaru developed steering trouble.

Transmission failure accounted for the demise of Patrick Elliott (Subaru WRC).

The Group N category is being led by Damien Tourish (Mitsubishi), despite a puncture and some brake trouble. Garry Jennings, Niall McShea and Kevin Kelleher, all in Mitsubishi’s, are next in the showroom classification.

1. E. Donnelly/P. Kiely (Skoda Fabia WRC) 40m. 19.1s.

2. G. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 40m. 31.5s.

3. E. Boland/D. Morrissey (Subaru WRC) 40m. 32.5s.

4. K. Lynch/F. Regan (Ford Focus WRC) 40m. 57.6s.

5. PJ McDermott/K. Duffy (Subaru WRC) 41m. 10.4s.

6. K. Meeke/D. Moynihan (Renault Clio S1600) 41m. 57.0s.

7. N. Maguire/E. Sherry (Subaru WRC) 42m. 02.1s.

8. D. Doherty/M. Doherty (Subaru WRC) 42m. 03.9s.

9. G. Allen/D. Connolly (Toyota Corolla WRC) 42m. 07.8s.

10. D. Tourish/D. McAlaney (Mitsubishi) 42m. 58.5s.