FORD FIESTA MAN DONNELLY BACK TO WINNING FORM IN THE FORESTS OF KILLARNEY
Mark Donnelly (Ford Fiesta R5) took his first victory in seven years as he annexed the Castleisland-based Killarney Forest Rally, the opening round of the Irish Forest Rally Championship.
Taking the lead on the third of the day’s six stages he went on to finish 10.9 seconds ahead of Skoda Fabia R5 rookie and fellow Tyrone driver Ryan Caldwell. Stephen McCann (Ford Fiesta R5) secured third on the final stage, 14.5s further behind.
Vivian Hamill, having a debut rally in a VW Polo GTi R5, topped the timesheets on the opening two stages to lead Donnelly by 4.2s, the latter experiencing issues with the pop-off valve. An impressive Caldwell was only a second further behind. Donnelly powered his way through Mount Eagle and his performance delivered an 8.1s lead from Caldwell with third place Hamill a trifle miffed at how he lost time on the stage.
A quartet of Ford Fiesta R5s in the hands of McCann, Niall McCullagh, Jordan Hone and
David Condell were covered by a 13s timeframe.
On the repeat loop, and by his own admission lacking a rhythm, Donnelly went on the claim the laurels on what was his first win since the Bushwhacker Rally in 2016. A consistent Caldwell took a deserved second place with McCann, who was best though SS5, snatching third on the final stage to eclipse McCullagh, who had intermittent intercom woes for the final two stages.
Hone finished with a fastest time (SS6) but Condell hit a chicane and burst an oil cooler and retired, earlier Hamill bowed out after SS4 with gear linkage troubles.
Hugh McQuaid (Ford Escort) was untroubled on his way to winning the two-wheel drive category and Jack Kennedy
(VW UP) won the Junior 1000s and the Eoin McCarthy Memorial Perpetual Cup.
Results
Killarney Forest Rally Where: Castleisland, Co. Kerry Organiser: Killarney & District Motor Club When: February 19. Championships: Irish
Forest Rally Championship and Kingdom of
Kerry Rally Championship. Stages: 6 Starters: 71
1 Mark Donnelly/Stephen O’Hanlon (Ford Fiesta R5) 38m46.5s; 2 Ryan Caldwell/Arthur Kierans (Skoda Fabia R5) +10.9s; 3 Stephen McCann/Tommy Hayes (Ford Fiesta R5); 4 Niall McCullagh/Ryan McCloskey (Ford Fiesta Rally2); 5 Jordan Hone/Paul Hone (Ford Fiesta R5); 6 Brendan Cumiskey/Martin Connolly (VW Polo GTi R5); 7 Derek Mackarel/Eamonn Creedon (Mitsubishi Lancer E9); 8 Gary Kiernan/Christopher O’Callaghan (Mitsubishi Lancer E9); 9 Ray Breen/Micheál Maher (Ford Focus WRC); 10 Ashley Dickson/Martin Brady (Ford Fiesta R5). Class winners: Jack Brennan/John McGrath (Renault Rally5); Kyle McBride/Liam McIntyre (Ford Fiesta); PJ O’Connor/Denny Greaney (Mitsubishi Lancer E9); McCullagh/ McCloskey; Breen/Maher; Francis Kelly/ Charlotte Egan (Ford Ka); Danny O’Leary/Katelyn O’Leary (Peugeot 205 GTi); Dario Tempesta/Kieran Carroll (Honda Civic); Shane McCanney/Conor McGurren (Toyota Corolla); Donal Connolly/Danny McLaughlin (Ford Escort); Hugh McQuaid/Declan Casey (Ford Escort); Cyril Wharton/Donal Falvey (Subaru Impreza); Mackarel/ Creedon; Jack Kennedy/Colin O’Toole (VW UP).