Killarney’s Noel O’Sullivan and Callum Devine have won the Circuit of Ireland Rally in Dungannon after long-term leaders Keith Cronin and Killarney’s Mikie Galvin ran into difficulty late on and paid the ultimate price.
Driving a Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2, Devine and O’Sullivan finished 1:24.9 ahead of Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy who were runners-up in their Ford Fiesta Rally 2.
It was a dramatic close to the event as three of the top four – Keith Cronin, Matt Edwards and Eddie Doherty – hit trouble and it created the perfect opportunity for the vastly experienced and hugely talented Devine and O’Sullivan.
Reigning Irish Tarmac Champion Cronin, who had lead from the start of the rally and set the pace for eight of the 11 stages, before getting into trouble, dropped to eighth position.
The Circuit of Ireland started on Friday afternoon with two runs over the Ivy Hill stage near Aughnacloy in very wet conditions.
Saturday’s route consisted of three loops of three stages,south of Dungannon and the weather again threatened to play spoilsport
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