UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 10 FINAL STAGE
1st (6) Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 1.08.18.8
2nd (4) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Mini WRC) 1.08.20.1
3rd (1) Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 1.08.25.2
4th (7) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 1.09.44.2
5th (3) Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.10.06.5
6th (5) Daragh O'Riordan/Tony McDaid (Impreza WRC) 1.10.16.8
7th (14) Sam Moffett/James O'Reilly (Lancer N) 1.11.19.3
8th (12) Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Lancer N) 1.11.30.7
9th (11) Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Impreza WRC) 1.12.50.9
10th (16) Josh Moffett/Domhnall Lennon (Lancer N) 1.13.01.5
NATIONAL RALLY
1st (19) Declan & Brian Boyle (Escort) 1.12.15.7
2nd (15) Tom Flaherty/Patrick Curley (Escort) 1.12.18.2
3rd (28) John Hendy/Alan White (Corolla TC) 1.13.10.1
4th (9) Daniel McKenna/Andrew Grennan (Escort) 1.13.38.2
5th (45) Arthur & Mac Kierans (Escort) 1.14.31.1
6th (31) Tom Cahill/Philip Conneely (Lancer) 1.14.38.9
What a grandstand finish there was to this Safety Direct Galway Int. Rally with just over 6s covering the top 3 at the finish. Darren Gass/Enda Sherry have taken the winners laurel after a copybook driver in their Subaru. Armagh man Darren never put a wheel wrong and it really was a brilliant performance in what is now a slightly older model Impreza WRC. Tim McNulty led the rally for more than half the distance but then his Subaru collided with a straw bale chicane and bent the steering. From that moment on Tarmac Champion McNulty struggled. Eugene Donnelly drove superbly to survive a puncture on his new Colm Quinn backed Mini WRC and his charge back with some stunning times brought him into 2nd place, just 1.3s behind Gass. Results are of course still provisional but it must be one of the closest finishes in a long time on an Irish rally. 23 year old Darren Gass commented at the finish. “I drove my brains out over the 2 stages after the final service and drove rubbish on the last stage. It is great to win. It was a brilliant rally and the car was perfect”.
Garry Jennings showed real class in today’s difficult conditions to win group N and finish 4th o/a. Sam Moffett was 2nd GpN and Donagh Kelly 3rd. Billy Coleman Award winner Sam would not have a lot of experience at this level, which makes his performance all the more meritorious. Donagh Kelly in the Airtricity Lancer is more accustomed to forest stages so he has nothing to be ashamed of in today’s showing.
In the National Rally Donegal crew Declan & Brian Boyle in their Escort kept their heads together to stay in touch with the leaders and then surged through when it mattered. Pat & Jonathan Kelly finished 7th o/a in the National and won their class. Pat’s Impreza suffered a damaged manifold on SS3 and after that he took it a bit easier and commented at the finish. “It’s a bonus for me to get to the end”.
In the Historic Rally Ernie & Will Graham in their Escort scored a very clear win, 2m46s ahead of John Keatley/James McKeefry in their Porsche 911. Keatley did lead earlier but was held up behind an accident, but then Ernie Graham really got the hammer down and forged ahead. Brendan & JP McAree were 3rd in their Porsche.
Finally for now we would like to thank everyone who supported and helped with our RallyNews service, particularly our sponsors. Our thanks and congratulations to CoC Victor Farrell and all his Galway MC enthusiastic and hard working team for organising such a successful Galway International Rally.
