That ccolade goes to Killarney duo Donie O'Sullivan and Paul Nagle who secured a magnificent second place after some excellent driving over two days in extremely testing conditions.

O'Sullivan and Nagle were only two and a half minutes slower than the overall winner, Donnelly, who is the reigning Irish Forest Rally champion, and O'Sullivan will surely be pleased with some fast times recorded on the road.

Indeed, it was the local boys who set the early pace with O'Sullivan taking the first stage over Moll's Gap in his Subaru Impreza WRC in a blistering 10.28.3, five seconds faster than Austin McHale.

O'Sullivan and Nagle showed great control as the rain over the course left driving conditions very difficult.

By the end of the fourth stage a gap was emerging between the top four and the chasing pack.

Derek McGarrity has moved into top spot with O'Sullivan just three seconds behind. Ominously, Eugene Donnelly and Austin McHale were lurking just eight nd eleven seconds off the lead, ensuring that O'Sullivan and Nagle would be in tough company.

By the end of day one Donnelly had moved into first place with McHale leading the chase 20 seconds back.

O'Sullivan and Nagle were still hanging in at third place but lost some valuable time during the day and finished Stage 11, 1 min 34secs behind Donnelly.

However, O'Sullivan showed what a battler he is by going over the first stage of day two Moll's Gap fastest in 10:28.4.

The weather wasn't much better on Sunday with all drivers reporting slippery conditions.

The real battle was up front where McHale had got within ten seconds of Donnelly by the end of stage 14, and by stage 17, Beallaghbeama, he had overtaken Donnelly and held a three second lead.

With two stages left it looked as if all McHale had to do was stay on the road but in the penultimate stage, Caragh Lake, McHale and Brian Murphy crashed out.

That left Donnelly with an easy drive to glory to take his first Rally of the Lakes victory and his second ever international rally win

O'Sullivan and Nagle had their own mini battle with Derek McGarrity and Dermot O'Gorman who were lurking in third place and only about thirty seconds behind the Kerry crew, ensuring any slip would be punished.

However, O'Sullivan isn't in the habit of making errors and he expertly guided his Subaru home in a total time of 2:32:22.9, two minutes and 35 seconds behind Donnelly/Kiely and 12 seconds ahead of Derek M c G a r r i t y / D e r m ot O'Gorman.

Eamonn Boland and Damien Morrissey had to stop and change a puncture on the very first stage on Saturday morning, and the time loss dropped them well down the order.

However, they fought back up the leaderboard as the rally progressed, and grabbed fourth place on the final stage, edging ahead of Maurice Gass and Geoffrey Orr.

Denis Cronin and Helen O'Sullivan recorded the sixth fastest total time over the two days, and they won the National Rally of the Lakes for crews competing in Modified cars.

Dick Curran and Billy McCullins won the Group N category in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7, from Aaron McHale/Damien Connolly and Michael Curran/Dessie Wilson, also in Mitsubishis.

Last year’s winner, Andrew Nesbitt, was a late withdrawal as he reported difficulties preparing his Subaru for the Killarney challenge.

Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2003 Provisional Results after final stage:

1: Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely, Subaru Impreza W R C 9 8 ,

2hrs.29mins.47.8secs. 2: Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle, Subaru Impreza WRC99, 2:32:22.9 (+2mins 35secs)

3: Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman, Subaru Impreza WRC S8, 2:32:34.5 (+2:47)

4: Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey, Subaru Impreza WRC S8, 2:36:07.8 (+6:20)

5: Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr, Subaru Impreza WRC S7, 2:36:28.7 (+6:41)

 

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