Devine and O'Sullivan secure maiden Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title

TARMAC CHAMPIONS: Derry's Callum Devine (right) and Killarney's Noel O' Sullivan lift the Bertie Fisher Perpetual Trophy after they clinched the Samdec Securities Irish Tarmac Rally Championship on the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally in Newry. Pic: Martin Walsh.

Derry’s Callum Devine (VW Polo GTi R5) and his Killarney co-driver Noel O’Sullivan secured their maiden Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title with a second place finish on the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally where works driver Frenchman Adrien Fourmaux and his co-driver Alexandre Coria aboard their M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2 took their expected victory to extend their lead in the British Rally Championship. Fourmaux finished 47.7s ahead of Devine with Belfast’s Jonny Greer (Citroen C3 Rally3) snatching the final podium place late on - 3.2s further behind. The Clonakilty crew of Darragh O’Donovan/Michael White (Honda Civic) clinched the ITRC Junior title with a facile victory.

Fourmaux led from the start but was kept in check by the ITRC regulars on Friday evening’s four extremely wet and windy stages. Overnight he led Devine by 7.4s with Tyrone’s Cathan McCourt (Ford Fiesta Rally2) another 7.7s behind. Welsh driver Meirion Evans (VW Polo GTi R5) bid to win the Tarmac series ended on SS2 when he slid off, hitting a gatepost and a tree after he lost concentration trying to engage malfunctioning wipers.