Derry’s Callum Devine and his co-driver Noel O’Sullivan from Kerry emerged as the winners of the Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally in their VW Polo GTi R5 after three wonderful days of rallying over 20 stages.
Devine and O’Sullivan were battling for the title from the very first stage and for much of the event were in a battle with defending champions Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in their Hyundai I20 R5.
But the latter went off on the first run over the Fanad Head stage yesterday and that left Devine in a commanding position despite the best efforts of multiple British Rally Championship winner Matt Edwards who eventually finished second in another Polo, 55.5 seconds behind, with David Moynihan as codriver, thanks largely to some superb stages on Saturday and Sunday.
Former winner Sam Moffett, with Keith Moriarty as co-driver, finished third, in another Hyundai.
For Devine, who had led last year’s rally going into the Sunday stages, this win was a dream come true and he was very emotional when Oisin Kelly spoke to him just after he had completed the final Fanad Head stage to take the honours.
In the battle for the two-wheel drive honours Donegal’s Kevin Gallagher and Ryan Moore defended their title in the Darrian T90, finishing tenth overall and comfortably ahead of Damian Tourish and Domahnaill McAlaney in an Escort and David Moffett and Martin Connolly in a Toyota Starlet.
Gallagher said they had a plan in place and it all worked out well.
Large crowds were evident throughout the weekend, and at the finishing ramp at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny.
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