Donnelly stretches advantage in Galway Rally
Eugene Donnelly’s defence of his Irish Tarmac Champions crown has begun well and at the end of the first leg of the Galway International Rally his Toyota Corolla WRC is 26.5 seconds ahead of the Subaru WRC of Tim NcNulty with Eamonn Boland (Ford Focus) 39.8 seconds behind in third.
Donnelly was fastest in seven of today’s eight stages but there was some concern about a noise on board his car that manifested itself on the final stage.
McNulty, who led initially, was stymied by a throttle difficulty, he too is hoping that the problem will be rectified in the morning.
Eamonn Boland (Ford Focus) held third throughout most of the day but a charge from ex-national champion Peadar Hurson has seen him close to within a second of Boland.
Fifth placed Derek McGarrity spun on the closing stage of the day; meanwhile, Ray Breen, the reigning national champion is sixth overnight.
The tracking of Austin MacHale’s Ford Focus was out of line and it cost him a place, he slipped to eighth behind Andrew Nesbitt who ended the day with a gearbox problem that threatens his participation in tomorrow’s second and final leg.
The overnight top ten is completed by Gareth Jones (Subaru) and Group N leader, James Foley.
E. Donnelly (Toyota) 1h. 00m. 30.2s.
T. McNulty (Subaru) 1h. 00m. 56.7ss.
E. Boland (Ford Focus) 1h. 01m. 36.5s.
P. Hurson (Subaru) 1h. 01m. 37.5s.
D. McGarrity (Subaru) 1h. 02m. 07.4s.
R. Breen (Ford Focus) 1h. 02m. 23.9s.
A. Nesbitt (Subaru) 1h. 02m. 30.8s.
A. MacHale (Ford Focus) 1h. 02m. 33.1s.
Gareth Jones (Subaru) 1h. 03m. 05.2s.
J. Foley (Mitsubishi) 1h. 04m. 35.1s.
