Fisher's pain is Devine's gain at the Rally of the Lakes

Callum Devine and Noel O'Sullivan took victory in the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney on Sunday. Photo by Philip Fitzpatrick/Sportsfile

An enthralling battle for supremacy in the Rally of the Lakes went down to the wire where the unrelenting challenge of Derry’s Callum Devine (VW Polo GTi R5) and his Killarney co-driver Noel O’Sullivan paid dividends after long time leaders Fermanagh’s Alastair Fisher (VW Polo GTi R5) and co-driver Gordon Noble had a brief excursion and stopped on the final stage. 

Leaders of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5) and Andy Hayes came through to take second - a minute and 9.8 seconds adrift with Belfast’s Jonny Greer and co-driver Niall Burns (Citroen C3) 9.4 seconds further behind in third.

On Saturday’s opening loop of three stages, a ten second margin covered the top three of Fisher, Devine and Moffett after some 50 stage kilometres. Devine was best over the Kilsarcon stage to take a 2.5 second lead over Fisher with Moffett two tenths of a second behind. Fisher punched in the quickest times through Banard and Gortnagane to top the leaderboard after the opening loop, remarking that he was cautious in places but that there was more (pace) to come. Devine lacked commitment on S.S. 2 and was 6.3 seconds behind but Moffett lost the most due to his selection of a soft compound tyre that dropped him 9.5 seconds off top spot. An untroubled Greer (Citroen C3) was fourth with Meirion Evans (VW Polo GTi R5) admitting that he had lost touch with the leading trio. Daniel Cronin stalled his VW Polo GTi R5 on the start line of the first stage, he occupied sixth ahead of Tyrone’s Cathan McCourt.

Although Moffett benefitted from a change of tyres, a fastest stage time through S.S. 4 only brought a single second gain on Fisher, who dominated the remaining pair of stages to end the day as rally leader by 7.7 seconds. Devine retained second from a downbeat Moffett, who was 7.5 seconds further adrift overnight. Declan Boyle’s Fiesta WRC stopped with gearbox troubles.

On Sunday, Devine was quickest on the first run over both Moll’s Gap and Beallaghbeama and trimmed Fisher’s lead to 5.8 seconds. There was no change on the repeat as both beat the bogey time on “The Gap.” and the stage at Beallaghbeama (S.S. 10) was cancelled because of issues related to medical cover.

Meanwhile, Moffett lost further ground to his rivals and was 29.5 seconds adrift of second placed Devine. Greer stayed ahead of Evans with Cronin rounding out the top six.

Devine kept up the intense pressure and was quickest through both Shanera and Caragh Lake but gains were relatively minimal - 1.3 and 0.2 seconds as he cut Fisher’s lead to 4.3 seconds. The intensity increased on the penultimate stage when Devine moved to within 3.1 seconds. Then, the final stage drama unfolded when Fisher stopped after a brief off road excursion. Devine took the spoils and became the 26th different winner of the rally. Moffett took an unexpected second with Greer third. Local ace Rob Duggan (Ford Escort) won the Modified category.