Irish crews dominated the podium in Saturday’s Chris Kelly Memorial Rally, headed by Donegal’s Niall McGonigle and Caolan McKenna who were the class of the field in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.

On a day when a lot of island sport succumbed to Storm Amy, there were inevitably huge question marks over the event going ahead given it was centred on some of the most exposed roads in the island, namely Druidale and Beinn-y-Phott.

But thankfully the day dawned with conditions better than expected and a vast improvement on Friday’s reconnaissance where crews encountered rivers of water on the roads amidst torrential rain and severe gale force winds.

Leading locals Steve Colley and Joe Dooley (Mitsubishi Evo IX) were initially credited with the fastest time on the opening stage over Druidale to Little London, but once the checks took place their time was adjusted and it was McGonigle who led from the outset by a considerable 16 seconds.

Rallying
Steve Colley and Joe Dooley were initially credited with the quickest time on the opening Druidale stage. They ultimately finished fourth in the Mitsubishi Evo IX (Photo: Mark Corlett) ((Photo: Mark Corlett))

After a significant delay following a high-speed crash involving Maxx Bradshaw and Stephen Christian (Evo IX) at the Brandywell Cottage yumps, and with Druidale simultaneously blocked by a mechanical failure on Adam Midghall’s Subaru, Colley struggled with a misfire on the second run of the test as Irish crew Andrew Purcell/Kaine Treanor (Skoda Fabia Rally 2) grabbed second place.

Colley fell another spot on SS3 as the action moved on to the ultra-fast Beinn-y-Phott that favoured the newer cars, Northern Ireland’s Frank Wray/Joe McNulty (VW Polo) moving into the top three.

Blackpool’s John Stone and local co-driver Kirsty Duke (VW Polo) were next to close in on Colley, moving into fourth place after SS5 as the front three stabilised despite each of them having spins or overshoots at Sartfield hairpin.

With huge delays leaving two stages cancelled and just one to come to complete the event, Colley needed a big push on the final run down Druidale to do anything about Stone’s fourth place. Taking big chances, he did just that and the two crews completed the event tied, Colley taking the place by virtue of being faster on SS1.

McGonigle’s eventual winning margin was 44s from Purcell with Wray 31s further back.

Visitors Lee Edwards/Sam Spencer took top two-wheel drive honours in sixth place in their V6 Ford Escort, as locals Gary Leece/Sarah Coole (Skoda Fabia) took a top-10 result.

CHRIS BOYDE

The battered Evo IX of Maxx Bradshaw and Stephen Christian ended up a good 60 metres off the side of the Brandywell Cottage to Sartfield road. Fortunately, both men escaped without any serious injury. More in Thursday's Manx Independent (Photo: Mark Corlett)
The battered Evo IX of Maxx Bradshaw and Stephen Christian ended up a good 60 metres off the side of the Brandywell Cottage to Sartfield road. Fortunately, both men escaped without any serious injury. More in Thursday's Manx Independent (Photo: Mark Corlett) (Mark Corlett)

Final results – top 10: 1, Niall McGonigle/ Caolan McKenna (Ford Fiesta Rally2) total stage time 38min 14sec; 2, Andrew Purcell/ Kaine Treanor (Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2) 38:58; 3, Frank Wray/ Joe McNulty (Volkswagen Polo GTI) 39:29; 4, Steve Colley/ Joe Dooley (Mitsubishi Evo 9) 39:38; 5, John Stone/ Kirsty Duke (VW Polo R5 Gti) 39:38; 6, Lee Edwards/ Sam Spencer (Ford Escort G3) 40:15; 7, Aaron McLaughlin / Darren Curran (Volkswagen Polo) 40:28; 8, Kevin McLaughlin / Neil Martin Brogan (Honda Civic) 41:56; 9, Gary Leece/ Sarah Coole (Skoda Fabia) 42:03; 10, Darrell Taylor / Martin Brady (Ford Fiesta R5 rally 2) 42:15.

- Chris Boyde will focus on the local performances in this Thursday's edition of the Manx Independent.