RALLY NEWS NO.6 Downings Bay Hotel/Saturday/Finish/6.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 – FINAL STAGE/ATLANTIC DR.
1st (1) Eugene Donnelly/James Sharkey (Impreza WRC) 54.11
2nd (3) Paul Harris/Donal Barrett (Corolla WRC) 55.43
3rd (6) Dom Buckley/Mike Wastling (Impreza) 55.56
4th (7) Martin Doherty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 56.29
5th (9) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 56.43
6th (16) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 57.09
7th (14) James Cullen/Reba Graham (Lancer N) 57.41
8th (8) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 58.51
9th (38) Robbie Peoples/Keith Stewart (Escort) 59.20
10th (21) Frank Wray/ Joe McNulty (Lancer N) 59.25

The above times are very provisional but there is no doubt about who has won this rally – Eugene Donnelly and his guest co-driver James Sharkey were in a class of their own in the Subaru Impreza WRC S11. Dom Buckley led initially and then was 2nd for most of the day, but a puncture on the last stage let Paul Harris and his co driver Donal Barrett into 2nd place in their Corolla WRC. Dom Buckley & Mike Wastling had to be content with 3rd at the end but it was still a very fine driver from the Scottish pair. James Cullen & Reba Graham turned in a brilliant performance to take group N in their Lancer.

Eugene Donnelly commented when he brought his Subaru into Downings. “It was a great day, fabulous day’s rallying, the organisation was great, spectators well behaved. The classic stages were superb. I just can’t put it into words. This man beside me co driving did an outstanding job. Without doubt it was one of my best day’s rallying”. Second placed Paul Harris said. “It was good, It was glad to take my sponsor for a run. We were going about eight tenths and it was good to get a bit of confidence up”. Dom Buckley told us. “We clipped a bank at the first hairpin and punctured the back left tyre. After 2 miles we were on the rim and just kept going, otherwise it was a great day. Now for the pub!” Martin Doherty caught up with Buckley and couldn’t get past him, smashing his Subaru windscreen in the process. There was an outside chance that Martin could have made 3rd, but it wasn’t to be, that’s rallying. Adrian McElvaney turned in a great time for the last stage to move up from 6th to 5th. Niall Maguire went very hard towards the end to try to compensate for his road penalties and made it into the top 10.

James Cullen’s drive was exemplary and he won group N by almost 2 minutes, a lifetime by today’s rally standards. Gabriel Martin seemed to be heading for 2nd gpN but he bashed the rear of his Lancer against a fence, got a lot of debris jammed between the tyre and rim and slowed enough to let Frank Wray through to 2nd in the category and Gabriel was 3rd.

The best 2 wheel drive performance is still to be decided – Damien Gallagher was leading but his Escort axle went on the last stage. There is still some question marks over the Glen stages for the Escort competitors, and it looks very much like Robbie Peoples could get the decision. Brian Brogan was going hard but his Escort suffered a puncture. Maurice Moffett is a few seconds down on Peoples and no doubt his daughter Laura who is at university in Edinburgh will be studying the internet very closely to see if her father has got the decision, but we will have to wait on that. We said earlier that Wesley Patterson, who had been leading 2 wheel drive, had been taken ill. He has been taken to Letterkenny Hospital and all our best wishes are with him. In the Junior category after 2 stages John O’Donnell was leading from Brendan Friel with Darren McKenna 3rd, all in Corollas.

Further stories include – Reid Transport man Shaun crashed his Lancer out on stage 2. Gavin Harris & Shaun Lafferty finished inside the top 15 with their Lancer and they gave Danny McBride’s clutch slipping example a wee push over the finish line into parc ferme. Seamus Gallagher was heading for a class win with just a couple of stages to go in his Saxo and Manus Kelly looked like he was going to win cl.11 in his Corolla. Similarly JP Logue was leading cl.2 in his Civic. Christopher Boyce had moved into the lead of cl.3 after stage 6 with young Toni Kelly 2nd. Lots more stories – but no more space….well done to Paddy Robinson, Gerry Burke and all the hard working Donegal MC team for a great rally and many thanks to all who helped and supported the Rally News. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net