Donnelly wins Cicuit of Ireland Rally

Derry's Eugene Donnelly and co-driver Paddy Toner (Skoda Fabia) have won the Circuit of Ireland Rally today.

They had a winning margin of 48.4 seconds over the Subaru of Eamonn Boland/Mickey Joe Morrissey with Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) a further 16.3 seconds behind in third.

The day's first major retirement was that of Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly, they decided to withdraw rather than risk any further damage to their Subaru which had developed an oil leak.

Although Gareth MacHale (Ford Focus WRC) set the best stages times on the two runs through Slieve Gullion - he was penalised 10 seconds however for a jump-start on Stage 10.

At the Newry service that followed, Donnelly was in total command - 56 seconds ahead of Boland, MacHale was third and McNulty fourth.

Alan Carmichael (Mitsubishi) led Group N and despite a one-minute penalty, Darragh O'Riordan (Renault Clio) retained a top 10 spot and the lead of the two-wheel drive category.

Craig Breen rolled his Fiesta out of the rally on Stage 9.

MacHale set another fastest time, on this occasion, on Stage 11.

However, his work was undone when his Ford Focus developed a gearbox problem and he lost more than 20 seconds to his rivals.

By the end of Stage 12, Donnelly was 59.1 seconds ahead of the Subaru of Eamonn Boland, the latter stalled his car at one of the junctions.

A disconsolate MacHale was third ahead of McNulty.

Subaru duo, Darren Gass and Kevin Barrett filled the final places in the top six.

Carmichael (Mitsubishi) led Group N - but Rory Byrne, also in a Mitsubishi, was only 9.9 seconds behind.

Donnelly went on to secure his second Circuit victory ahead of Boland and MacHale, the latter set five of the six fastest stage times today.

Carmichael won Group N and O'Riordan won the two-wheel drive category.

1. E. Donnelly/P. Toner (Skoda Fabia WRC) 1h. 55m. 01.2s.

2. E. Boland/M.J. Morrissey (Subaru WRC) 1h. 55m. 49.6s.

3. G. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 56m. 05.9s.

4. T. McNulty/D. Moynihan (Subaru WRC) 1h. 57m. 03.1s.

5. D. Gass/D. Falvey (Subaru WRC) 1h. 58m. 41.5s.

6. K. Barrett/B. Goodman (Subaru WRC) 2h. 02m. 43.1s.

7. A. Carmichael/I. Lamont (Mitsubishi) 2h. 09m. 56.5s.

8. R. Byrne/J. Patterson (Mitsubishi) 2h. 10m. 08.2s.

9. D. O'Riordan/S. McCarthy (Renault Clio S1600) 2h. 10m. 51.9s.

10. P. White/G. Stewart (Ford Focus WRC) 2h. 12m. 30.5s.