Motorsport: Donegal pair enjoy emphatic win

A late entry, Donegal’s Declan Gallagher (Toyota Starlet) and co-driver Derek Heena had an emphatic win in the Acesigns Laois Heartlands Rally. With the best times on all six stages, they finished a minute and 32.4 seconds ahead of the Ford Escort of fellow Donegal crew Mark Alcorn/John O’Donnell. Oldcastle’s Gary McNamee co-driven by Brian Brady took an impressive third in their Class 16 Honda Civic — 11.2 seconds further behind.

Gallagher powered his way through the first of the day’s six stages and led top seed and last year’s winner Cavan’s Jonny Pringle (Escort) by 14.7 seconds, however, Pringle was in trouble and lost time towards the stage end when the alternator bracket snapped and his Escort had to be towed back to the service park and he withdrew. Cashel’s Pat O’Connell (Mitsubishi EvoX) was 2.2 seconds behind the unlucky Cavan driver. Ironically, the alternator bracket also snapped in Gallagher’s Toyota Starlet on the second stage but he was able to continue and enjoyed a 32.8 second advantage over O’Connell with Donegal’s Mark Alcorn (Escort) another 5.8 seconds behind followed by the Escort trio of Wexford’s Richard Moore, Meath’s Jack Newman (Escort) and Banteer’s Barry Meade (Ford Escort).