Maiden International win for Kelly & Flanagan in Galway
Donagh Kelly from Donegal 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 their first ever International Rally win and puts them into an early lead in the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Rally Championship for 2015. Runner up just 39.2 seconds behind was to multiple tarmac champions Eugene Donnelly & Paul Kiely in a Mini WRC, after they edged out Sam Moffett & Karl Atkinson who were in a Fiesta WRC by just 0.7 seconds.
Josh Moffett & John Rowan took fourth place from reigning tarmac champions Declan & Brian Boyle by just three seconds after the Boyle cousins lost the lead with a three minute road penalty at the end of the first day. Dean Raftery & Mark Kane completed the top six in another Mini WRC after a very mature drive. There was disappointment for 2013 tarmac champion Garry Jennings with Rory Kennedy co-driving when they went off the road and into retirement on the fifth stage with damaged steering.
Aaron McHale & Paul McGee won Group N in his Mitsubishi Lancer while the modified category saw another dominant performance from Declan Gallagher & Ryan Moore as they begin their year as they left off last year with another win. Escort mounted father and son team Ernie & Will Graham took the honours in the Historic Rally, while Vincent McSweeney & Michael Kearney won the junior category in their Honda Civic.
