Jennings dominates Donegal

A huge weight has now been lifted off of Garry Jennings' and Neil Doherty's shoulders, after the new pairing dominated the 41st running of the Donegal International Rally, Ireland's premier rally.

Garry Jennings

Jennings lead from the outset, winning SS1 by 3.7 secs over Darragh O'Riordan. He really demoralised the opposition when he won Sunday's opener, the Glen stage, by 15 secs over O'Riordan. Amazingly, this performance came in wet conditions when Jennings, and most of the other competitors, were on slicks.

Jennings' Donegal glory also marks the Subaru Impreza S14's first win on Irish tarmac, after it's troublesome début in Galway. On smooth European tarmac, the S14 has had moderate success, but not on the unique Irish roads until Jennings' Donegal win.

Seamus Leonard

His run to victory was not without trouble. Jennings' hit a bank hard on SS11, injuring his arm and wrist. No serious damage was done to the Impreza, just some bodywork damage as well as taking off a wing mirror, which Jennings' said was “four grand's worth!”. Even with this moment, he impressed throughout the weekend, and his hired Impreza certainly impressed his parter Kerry, who, when asked by her partner “will we sell the house?”, actually considered it!

Derek McGarrity

Seamus Leonard took a surprise second overall after O'Riordan got a closer look at the Donegal scenery than he would have wanted during the rally on SS18. He lost 7 mins in a ditch but managed to get back on the road, but then took the decision to retire from ninth place. Leonard was lucky to get away with a massive moment on the Fanad stage when his Impreza WRC ran wide and mounted a bank.

Third went to Derek McGarrity in his newly-aquired Subaru Impreza S12B, last years winning car in the hands of Tim McNulty. Local driver Donagh Kelly is still adjusting to his ex-PJ McDermott Impreza S11, but still took fourth.

Declan Boyle

Fifth went to a hugely impressive Darren Gass. Gass was pulled over on a road section by an Garda Síochána for an alleged speeding offence on the way to SS4. He hauled his older S10 Impreza back up the leaderboard to take fifth spot, and hold on to his lead in the ITRC Driver's Championship. His challenge was helped somewhat by Niall Maguire's Subaru failing on him on the final test.

Sam Moffett took sixth overall as well as first in Group N ahead of his brother Josh. Both driving identical Mitsubishi Lancer Evo's, the pair were never far apart throughout the rally. Sam eventually beat Josh by 17 secs. Martin Doherty took third in Group N and eighth overall.

Sam Moffett

Kevin O'Connor was first 2WD home in his Citroen C2 R2 Max, 39.2 secs ahead of the Renault Clio R3 of Joe McGonigle, in tenth.

Donegal pairing Declan & Brian Boyle won the National Rally by just 4.8 secs in their MK2 Escort. Second went to Manus Kelly, in Gary McPhillip's usual car, after a spectacular drive. Martin McGee took third, lucky to finish at all after he damaged a wheel on the final stage passing Niall Maguire's failed Subaru.

The Historic Section went to Andy Johnston. Driving his immaculate Vauxhall Chevette, he and co-driver Jim McSherry won by just 6.9 secs after two days of competition. Stephen McFerren was a further 4 mins 40 secs behind in third.

Andy Johnston

Damien Whoriskey won the Junior Rally in his Ford Escort by 25 secs over a trio of Toyota Corolla's, lead by Barry McLaughlin. Third went to Christopher McLaughlin, just under 2 mins behind.

Perhaps the most impressive story of the rally was of local driver David Ward. Piloting his Talbot Sunbeam in the rally, Ward's engine failed on the Friday of the rally. A purpose built competition engine is very hard to come by late at night mid-ways through a rally, never mind finding somewhere to fit it then fitting the unit itself.

Damien Whoriskey

So, Ward came up with a solution that few else would think of. He put up an ad on Done Deal searching for an engine for his Sunbeam. He then proceeded to buy a Suzuki Swift from a woman in Letterkenny for €250, remove the engine from the Swift, bolt on his set of twin Webers and drop it into his Sunbeam rally car! And he re-joined the rally on Saturday!