Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and his Derry co-driver Kevin Flanagan powered their Ford Focus WRC to victory in the Colm Quinn BMW Galway International Rally, which was based around Gort over the weekend.
It was the duo’s first ever International Rally win and puts them into an early lead in the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship for 2015.
Multiple tarmac champions Eugene Donnelly & Paul Kiely were just 39.2 secs behind in second spot in a Mini WRC, after they edged out Sam Moffett & Karl Atkinson in a Fiesta WRC by just 0.7 seconds.
Last year's winners and defending Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Champions Declan and Brian Boyle were the early leaders on Saturday but an engine problem at the start of one stage cost them dearly, as they were penalised three minutes for lateness which dropped them well down the field.
They fought back to fifth place by the finish, behind the Moffett brothers from Monaghan, Sam and Josh, who took third and fourth places in a pair of Fiestas.
Reigning Young Driver of the Year and Billy Coleman Award winner Dean Raftery had a promising debut in a Mini WRC, finishing sixth despite almost two minutes lateness penalties on the opening stage of the rally due to a burst water pipe.
