By 
RYAN Loughran produced a blistering final stage run during Monday’s Turkey Run Rally at Shackleton to pip Dromore’s Cathan McCourt to the final podium spot at the traditional end of year event near Limavady.
Omagh-based Loughran, who had Shaun Doherty on the notes in their Rally2 Ford Fiesta, trailed McCourt and his partner, Bronagh Williams, who sat in the co-driver’s seat for the occasion in their Rally2 Skoda Fabia, by just 0.1 of a second going into the final test. And his second fastest run, which was bettered only by event winner, Aaron McLaughlin, who overhauled Muff’s Daniel Doherty’s 4.7 second advantage to win by a second in the end, was enough to edge out McCourt and seal the final spot on the podium.
Donemana duo, Paul Britton and Peter Ward were the next best of the Tyrone crews as they finished seventh overall, inheriting the position vacated by Plumbridge’s Niall Devine, who hit trouble on the final stage before coming home 20th overall.
Cookstown’s Owen Mallon was next of the Tyrone crews home as he and co-driver Joe Devlin took 13th overall in their Rally2 Skoda Fabia, while Seskinore’s Gareth Deazley and navigator, Oisin Joyce sealed their first finish in over a year following a frightening crash at the 2024 Donegal Harvest Stages Rally in a Rally4 Ford Fiesta to claim 24th overall and second place in class 2 behind the wheel of their Mitsubishi Evo IX.
After a slow start Deazley and Joyce ended up leading the class into the final stage by 1.8 seconds, where they went four seconds quicker than their nearest rival, Conor Wilson. However, a nominal time on stage one was changed for the Carndonagh man, giving him and navigator, Katie Wilson the class win in the end.
“Sometimes nominal times go for you and others go against you, but that’s rallying!,” a philosophical Deazley, who hopes to compete in the Border Rally Championship in 2026, acknowledged.
“I got quicker as the day went on and it’s definitely promising. I had a good day and I was happy with the day. I probably learned a lot about the car and the way to drive it, so it’s all positives.”
Omagh’s Barry McIvor and co-driver, Kyle Diffin came home 26th overall in their R5 Volkswagen Polo and Dungannon’s Richard O’Lone was 34th overall in his Rally3 Ford Fiesta, taking second in class four in the process.
And World Rally Championship co-driver, Fintona’s Aaron Johnston returned to the driver’s seat for a festive fling. After his debut at the Bushwhacker Rally in September, which ended in mechanical failure, he impressed once again behind the wheel of his Toyota Starlet to finish 38th overall and third in class 8 with Cathair Hughes on the notes.
“I’m happy enough. It’s nice to get a finish after the Bushwhacker when we had a mechanical,” he said. “The wee car ran faultlessly, it was enjoyable and dry, which is the main thing. It was a really good day. Enjoyable.”
Next of the local crews to finish was Dungannon co-driver, Aidan Campbell and driver, Sam McConnell, who finished 40th overall and second in class five in their Rally4 Ford Fiesta, while Trillick’s Campbell and Chrissy Corry were 42nd overall in their Mk II Ford Escort, with Cookstown’s Ryan McIvor and co-driver, David Burns one position behind in a similar machine.
Strabane pair, Lee McCrory and Iggy Houston finished 47th overall in their Honda Civic, while Drumnakilly co-driver Ryan McAleer and team-mate Tiernan Doherty won class nine in their Nissan Micra.
Eskra’s Niall McKenna and Dungannon navigator, Declan Campbell were 53rd in their Rally4 Fiesta and Donemana’s Jude and Ruairi O’Neill finished first in class 10 in their Renault Clio Sport 182.
Meanwhile, Omagh’s Barry McCusker, who was partnered by Castlederg’s Martin McHugh brought their Mitsubishi Evo IX home in 64th position overall.
