Just when it seemed victory was slipping out of his reach, the Shell
Donegal International Rally was dumped back in Eugene Donnelly's lap.
Posted: June 22, 2004 9:57 AM
Andrew Nesbitt, the master of Donegal, had blazed his way to the front
and a record fifth win seemed only a formality for the two-time Tarmac
champion.
Back in the Pirelli series for the first time this year, Nesbitt had
hunted down Donnelly, the leader from the first stage on Friday, until
he nosed his McKinstry Motorsport Subaru Impreza S9 ahead on stage 12,
Fanad Head on Saturday afternoon. He was only one second ahead at that
point but then a stunning run over the notorious Knockalla stage, Fanad
again and then the re-run of Knockalla in streaming wet conditions - on
slick tyres - had stretched the gap to a seemingly invincible 35
seconds.
Add in a further 10 seconds on the first of yesterday's stages at Glen,
allied to the fact that Donnelly admits he had already settled for
second place plus a healthy helping of Tarmac points, and it was all
over - a Sunday drive to the finish.
But then it all changed. Just a mile or so into the Port Lake stage, the
ADL Group Subaru half spun and jammed across the narrow road on a blind
corner. Donnelly, following 30 seconds behind, had no warning as he
arrived to find his path blocked and his Toyota cannoned off the side of
the Subaru. He had just managed to reverse back and squeeze past when
Derek McGarrity appeared and his Subaru rammed the back of Nesbitt's
car.
Now the road was totally blocked although Donnelly was able to limp
clear and carry on to the end of the stage. Eventually Nesbitt and
McGarrity were also able to carry on and lead a long convoy of cars
slowly through the stage.
For a time confusion reigned but finally rally officials ruled that
Donnelly's time for the stage - 10 minutes and 42 seconds - would apply
to all competitors except Nesbitt who had caused the blockage. He was
credited with a maximum time for the stage, over 36 minutes, and dropped
from first to 50th position.
With the car suffering only body damage he was able to carry on and
complete the rally, setting more fastest times along the way, to end up
in 35th place as Donnelly and co-driver Paul Kiely brought their
Kingspan Toyota home to a first Donegal victory ahead of the reigning
Tarmac champions McGarrity and Dermot O'Gorman.
Rumours quickly circulated that Nesbitt would protest the application of
the maximum time for Port Lake, believing the stage had been discounted
completely from the results, but he accepted the decision and stepped up
to congratulate winner Donnelly.
"We might have had grounds to protest but I know from past experience
that these disputes are not good for the sport. I accepted the decision
and that's the end of it," he said, going on to explain that he had been
caught out on a narrow, slippery piece of road.
"The tyres were cold, the road was wet and muddy and the car just slid
sideways and jammed across the road. I was trying to do an eight or nine
point turn when Eugene arrived and then Derek and, well, you know the
rest."
Donnelly, who had driven superbly in a car that is technologically
outdated by the latest Subarus, was still stunned last night by the
sudden turn of events. "I've being doing this rally for a lot of years
but never dreamed I would win it," he said before heading off to
celebrate with his family and the McGeehan Motorsport team.
"I was second last year and I thought that was as good as it would get.
But it is a funny sport; it keeps throwing up surprises. You literally
can't be sure what's round the next corner!
"I made my mistakes on Saturday and allowed Andrew to take so much time
off me on the Fanad- Knockalla loop but he made his mistake on Port Lake
and gave it back to me. I'm just thrilled to have won this rally, it
means so much to me," added the Maghera man who now moves into second in
the Tarmac series behind McGarrity.
The reigning champion had a disappointing rally by his standards,
admitting he was all at sea in his tyre choices in the rainy/sunny
conditions. "I never seem to get it right in Donegal," he said, although
second place, 86 seconds behind Donnelly, keeps him on course for a
second successive Tarmac title.
And it was an all-Ulster 1-2-3 with Kevin Lynch, on only his second
international, taking third with the drive of his short career. He had
his S9 Subaru in fourth from the first stage and never wavered
throughout the three days, crowning it with his first fastest time over
the now infamous Port Lake stage second time around.
The Group N production category went to Seamus Leonard in the latest N10
Subaru after a fierce battle with first Seamus Heron, then Aaron McHale
and finally Cathal Rodgers, the Omagh man winning in the end by 22
seconds and taking seventh place overall as well.
Report Sammy Hammil for www.pirelliirally.com
Final Results
Pos Driver/Codriver (Make) Total
International
1 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC) 02:13:11
2 Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 02:14:37
3 Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 02:15:57
4 Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 02:16:30
5 Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Subaru Impreza WRC) 02:17:21
6 Maurice Gass/James McKee (Subaru Impreza WRC) 02:22:26
7 Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Subaru Impreza N10) 02:23:37
8 Cathal Rogers/Paul McLaughlin (Mit. Lancer Evo 7) 02:23:56
9 Sean Devine/Robert McDaid (Subaru Impreza WRC) 02:25:21
10 Dessie Keenan/Enda Sherry (Mit. Lancer EVO 7) 02:25:23
National
1 John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian T90GTR) 02:24:16
2 Damien Gallagher/Mac Walsh (Ford Escort) 02:27:14
3 Robbie Peoples/Keith Stewart (Ford Escort) 02:27:27
4 Drew Hunter/Victor Hunter (Ford Escort) 02:29:41
5 Declan McNaughton/Bob Kelly (Ford Escort) 02:31:08
Historic/Classic
1 Frank Cunningham/Elaine Cunningham (Mini Cooper S) 01:21:55
2 Adrian Kermode/John Coleman (Porsche 911) 01:22:55
3 Mervyn Johnston/Richard Hyland (Austin Cooper) 01:23:13
4 Alan Lemon/Jeremy Tomalin (Wolseley Hornet) 01:23:17
5 Mike Doody/Keith Moriarity (Morris Mini) 01:23:25
Stage Winners:
1 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
2 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
3 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
4 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
5 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
6 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
& Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
7 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
8 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
9 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
10 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
11 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
12 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
13 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
14 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
15 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
16 Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Toyota Corolla WRC)
17 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
18 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
18 Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Subaru Impreza WRC)
19 Andrew Nesbitt/J.O'Brien (Subaru Impreza WRC)
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