Donnelly wins Ulster Rally

Eugene Donnelly (Toyota Corolla WRC) has won the Todds Leap.com Ulster International Rally, a counting round of both the Irish Tarmac Championship and the British Rally Championship.

The Derry ace finished 14.1 seconds ahead of Gareth MacHale (Ford Focus), who overshot on the final stage.

Derek McGarrity (Subaru WRC) was almost two minutes adrift in third.

In the BRC, Mark Higgins took top points - he also won Group N - finishing 9.9 seconds ahead of Gwyndaf Evans (Mitsubishi).

The ITC will now be decided on the Cork "20" International Rally in early October with Donnelly holding an 18-point advantage and requiring a top-three finish to win his fifth Tarmac title.

Meanwhile, the BRC will also go down to the wire with Higgins and his Irish rival, Keith Cronin (Mitsubishi) in a "winner takes all" situation on next month's Rally Yorkshire.

Over this morning's first pair of stages near Larne there was little between them, Donnelly gained 1.7 seconds on Stage 7 but MacHale clawed 0.9 of a second back on Stage 8.

Meanwhile, McGarrity, despite an overshoot, was only five seconds further behind.

On Stage 9, Slieve Gallion, the heart of Donnelly territory, MacHale punched in a magnificent time taking 11.7 seconds out of Donnelly to lead by nine seconds, the biggest margin so far between the top duo.

A stage later, Donnelly reduced the deficit to 5.3 seconds as McGarrity remained third.

Glenn Allen (Toyota Corolla) retired and Darren Gass crashed his Subaru.

On stages 11 and 12, the leading pair exchanged fastest times with Donnelly making further inroads - trimming MacHale's lead to 2.9 seconds.

He reduced the margin to half a second on the repeat of Slieve Gallion and went on to claim the spoils.

MacHale's gallant effort ended with an overshoot on the last stage.

McGarrity was third.

In the British Rally Championship, Mark Higgins (Subaru), who also won Group N, took maximum points.

Evans was fifth.

Sixth placed Alastair Fisher (Mitsubishi) scored points in both the BRC and the ITC - consolidating his lead in the latter.

Elsewhere, Belgian Kris Princen (Renault Clio R3) was 23.4 seconds ahead of the Renault Clio S1600 of Brian O'Mahony, the former Irish and British S1600 champion lost time with tyre choices earlier today.

The Ulster Rally also combined rounds of the Irish and British Fiesta Sporting Trophy, both rounds and indeed championships were won by Kilkenny's, Craig Breen.

1. E. Donnelly/P. Toner (Skoda Fabia WRC) 1h. 48m. 09.2s

2. G. MacHale/B. Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 48m. 23.3s

3. D. McGarrity/J. McKee (Subaru WRC) 1h. 50m. 21.4s.

4. M. Higgins/B. Thomas (Subaru) 1h. 53m. 01.6s

5. G. Evans/C. Patterson (Mitsubishi) 1h. 53m. 10.5s

6. A. Fisher/R. Kennedy (Mitsubishi) 1h. 55m. 53..1s

7. K. Princen/B. Eelbode (Renault Clio R3) 1h. 59m. 07.7s.

8. B. O'Mahony/J. Higgins (Renault Clio S1600) 1h. 59m. 31.1s.

9. P. Kirk/P. Ward (Mitsubishi) 2h. 00m. 10.9s.

10. A. Carmichael/I. Lamont (Mitsubishi) 2h. 01m. 10.1s.