Devine clinches Donegal title hat-trick as local challenge fades

CALLUM Devine and Noel O’Sullivan completed an impressive hat-trick of Donegal International Rally victories.

The Skoda Fabia duo, who have now won the last three Donegal Rallys in a row, won by a relatively comfortable 20.5 seconds from the Toyota GR Yaris of Meirion Evans and Ger Conway, while David Kelly and Arthur Kierans took the final step on the podium after Kesh native, Jon Armstrong’s challenge ended in disappointment.

The European Championship front-runner was keen to make his mark on his Donegal debut, behind the wheel of the M-Sport Rally2 Ford Fiesta and after winning nine of the 20 stages over three days, he certainly did that.

Unfortunately, an issue with the differential cost him substantial time on day one and on the event’s final stage he slid on some melted tarmac

“On the last stage, everything was going to plan until it wasn’t!,” he said. “I came over a crest and I was concentrating on my line and maybe braked 10-20 metres too late and because of that and the road being all melted, the car locked up straight away. I couldn’t stop it from locking up and going straight on and we glanced against the wall, which was enough to break the rear suspension and we couldn’t fix it.

“It’s a big shame and I’m sorry to all our sponsors for this event. We put in a big effort to get into the podium race after the issues but then, unfortunately, it was my mistake on the last stage that ruined all that.

“But it’s still been a positive weekend for the pace but hopefully we can come back in the future and have a cleaner event. I’ve really enjoyed the experience here.”

And Armstrong’s former European Championship foe, New Zealander Haydon Padden also ran out of luck over the weekend, crashing out in his C&M Motorsport Sales Hyundai i20N on Saturday when well placed for a top five finish on his first appearance in Donegal.

Of the local competitors in action, Cookstown’s Ryan Loughran and co-driver Dale McGettigan were the top finishers, bringing their Rally2 Ford Fiesta home in ninth overall, three places ahead of Dromore’s Cathan McCourt and navigator, Barry McNulty in a Skoda Fabia.

Next of the Tyrone contingent to cross the finish ramp was Strabane duo, Darragh Cairns and Mark Preston in 15th in their Volkswagen Polo, while Moy’s father and daughter crew, Frank and Lauren Kelly brought their ‘Baby Blue’ Mk II Ford Escort home in 18th overall and fourth in class 14.

Clady’s Frank Wray and Joe McNulty were one place adrift of the Kelly’s in 19th in another Polo, while Strabane’s Gary Cairns and Garry Monteith took third in class 24 in their Polo and 34th overall.

Another Strabane driver, Ryan Caldwell, who had Stephen O’Brien on the notes, finished 47th overall in their Fabia, while Dungannon’s Richard O’Lone and David Burns were the second placed RC3 crew across the finish ramp and 81st overall in their Fiesta.

And Cookstown’s Owen Mallon and Keith Hall were just inside the top 100 in their Mk II Ford Escort.

Meanwhile, in the Historic event, Dromore’s Hugh McQuaid and Declan Casey took fourth overall and second in class 18 in their RS1800 Ford Escort. Ronan Campbell and Danny Greaney were sixth overall and third in class 19 in another Escort, while Castlederg native, Jonni McDaid and co-driver Tony McGovern won class 17 in their Talbot Samba and claimed 14th Historic overall.