Manus Kelly and Donall Barrett have won the Donegal International Rally for the second time in a row!
Alaistair Fisher and Gordon Noble came second, with Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy finishing third.
Speaking to Donegal Daily reporter Charlie Collins, Manus Kelly says “it’s just surreal… it’s great to be back this year and compete against the best of the best.”
Manus and Donall said they had great craic all weeekend, and said that they are “over the moon.”
Manus and Donall had a wide lead after close competitors Donagh Kelly and co-driver Conor Foley went off course on Atlantic Drive. Fortunately both Donagh and Conor are okay.
The duo are honoured to now be included amongst the list of legendary rally teams who have been back-to-back champions, with Manus remarking that it’s surreal as they have always looked up to those on the list.
There has been 24 different winners since the Donegal rally began in 1972, however the list of back-to-back winners is very exclusive, with only the best of the best being included.
The list includes Cahal Curley, John Lyons, Billy Coleman, Bertie Fisher, Andrew Nesbitt, Eugene Donnelly, Gareth McHale, and now Manus Kelly and Donal Barret.
“They’re unreal, and to be sitting on par with them is just a dream come true for us both.”
Manus and Donal thanked their families, supporters, sponsors, and team.
Only two people have won it back to back three times; Cahal Curley (in 1972, 73, 74) and Billy Coleman (in 1984, 85, 86) – will Manus and Donal be the next to make history?
Full transcript of results:
Results for the International category:
O/A Car Driver/Codriver Make Class Pos Total Diff 1st Diff Prev
1 1 Manus Kelly/Donall Barrett Subaru Impreza 7 O/A 2:29:05.2
2 6 Alaistair Fisher/Gordon Noble Ford Fiesta R5 5 O/A 2:30:59.4 1:54.2 1:54.2
3 2 Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy Subaru Impreza 7 O/A 2:31:06.3 2:01.1 0:06.9
4 5 Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson Ford Fiesta R5 5 1 2:31:40.1 2:34.9 0:33.8
5 8 Josh Moffett/James Fulton Ford Fiesta 5 2 2:32:55.1 3:49.9 1:15.0
6 14 Pauric Duffy/Kevin Glynn Ford Fiesta R5 5 3 2:40:49.4 11:44.2 7:54.3
7 70 Callum Devine/Brian Hoy Opel Adam 2 1 2:44:09.2 15:04.0 3:19.8
8 16 Stuart Biggerstaff/Anthony Nestor Subaru Impreza WRC 7 1 2:44:46.7 15:41.5 0:37.5
9 69 Marty Gallagher/Dean O’Sullivan Peugeot 208 R2 2 2 2:44:56.8 15:51.6 0:10.1
10 60 Cathan McCourt/Stephen O’Hanlon Mitsubishi Evo 9 4 1 2:46:34.2 17:29.0 1:37.4
11 73 John Mulholland/Jeff Case Skoda R5 5 4 2:46:51.5 17:46.3 0:17.3
12 38 Colm Murphy/Don Montgomery Subaru N12 B 4 2 2:47:45.3 18:40.1 0:53.8
13 65 Gavin Kelly/Elaine NiShe Mitsubishi Evo 9 4 3 2:48:10.5 19:05.3 0:25.2
14 71 William Creighton/Liam Regan Peugeot 208 2 3 2:50:58.7 21:53.5 2:48.2
15 48 Gary Cooney/Darragh Mullan Subaru Impreza WRC 7 2 2:53:00.6 23:55.4 2:01.9
16 59 Ashley Dickson/Pierce Doheny Jnr Mitsubishi Evo 9 4 4 2:53:56.1 24:50.9 0:55.5
17 136 Christopher Boyce/Pascal Dillon Honda Civic 3 1 3:02:03.2 32:58.0 8:07.1
18 145 Alaistair Glenn/Lee Simpson Peugeot 206 2 4 3:28:14.0 59:08.8 26:10.8
Results for the National category:
O/A Car Driver/Codriver Make Class Pos Total Diff 1st Diff Prev
1 21 Damien Gallagher/Mac Walsh Ford Escort Mk2 14 O/A 2:36:29.2
2 27 Declan Gallagher/John McCarthy Toyota Starlet RWD 13 O/A 2:37:12.0 0:42.8 0:42.8
3 31 Ryan Loughran/Gareth Doherty Ford Escort Mk2 14 O/A 2:37:56.1 1:26.9 0:44.1
4 20 Jonathan Pringle/Paul Sheridan Ford Escort Mk2 14 1 2:38:23.7 1:54.5 0:27.6
5 36 Vivian Hamill/Andrew Grennan Ford Escort Mk2 14 2 2:38:36.2 2:07.0 0:12.5
6 25 Adrian Hethrington/Ronan O’Neill Ford Escort Mk2 14 3 2:38:48.2 2:19.0 0:12.0
7 35 Damian Toner/Denver Rafferty Ford Escort Mk2 14 4 2:41:45.9 5:16.7 2:57.7
8 44 John Bonner/Leon Jordan Ford Escort Mk2 14 5 2:43:02.4 6:33.2 1:16.5
9 77 Peter Wilson/Brendan McElhinney Ford Escort Mk2 13 1 2:45:41.6 9:12.4 2:39.2
10 56 Michael Carbin/Conor Mohan Mitsubishi Evo 4 20 1 2:45:43.4 9:14.2 0:01.8
11 82 Tommy O’Connell/Emmett Sherry Ford Escort Mk2 13 2 2:46:28.8 9:59.6 0:45.4
12 29 Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird Ford Escort Mk2 13 3 2:46:35.8 10:06.6 0:07.0
13 86 Johnny Jordan/Gary McNern Toyota Starlet RWD 11R 1 2:47:09.0 10:39.8 0:33.2
14 78 Conor Watters/Eamonn Doherty Ford Escort Mk2 14 6 2:48:06.4 11:37.2 0:57.4
15 64 Declan McCroary/Graham Henderson Mitsubishi Evo X 20 2 2:48:42.6 12:13.4 0:36.2
16 124 Damien McCauley/Shaun McMacken Ford Escort Mk2 11R 2 2:48:51.2 12:22.0 0:08.6
17 88 Leonard Craig/Conal McNulty Toyota Starlet RWD 11R 3 2:49:08.0 12:38.8 0:16.8
18 53 Michael Dunlop/Robb Fagg Ford Escort Mk2 13 4 2:49:54.1 13:24.9 0:46.1
19 55 John Devlin/John McCarthy Talbot Sunbeam 13 5 2:50:01.8 13:32.6 0:07.7
20 123 Declan Hall/Chris Corr Toyota Corolla 11R 4 2:50:36.9 14:07.7 0:35.1
21 66 Liam Doherty/Dermot McGettigan Ford Escort Mk2 11R 5 2:50:44.0 14:14.8 0:07.1
22 81 William McFadden/Daniel McBride Ford Escort G3 13 6 2:51:14.5 14:45.3 0:30.5
23 110 Stanley McKeown/Nigel Gourley Ford Escort Mk2 13 7 2:51:24.0 14:54.8 0:09.5
24 54 Robbie Peoples/Keith Stewart Ford Escort Mk2 13 8 2:52:33.4 16:04.2 1:09.4
25 107 Damian Campbell/Declan McGarrity Ford Escort Mk2 13 9 2:52:59.1 16:29.9 0:25.7
26 93 Dermot Cannon/Bobby Trimble Ford Escort Mk2 14 7 2:53:02.6 16:33.4 0:03.5
27 112 Liam McIntyre/Stephen McGing Mitsubishi Evo 9 20 3 2:53:16.5 16:47.3 0:13.9
28 163 Liam McFall/Matthew McKenna Mitsubishi Evo 22 1 2:53:56.0 17:26.8 0:39.5
29 128 Gene McDonald/Emmett Kelly Ford Escort Mk2 9 1 2:54:20.6 17:51.4 0:24.6
30 169 James McDaid/Hugh Kelly Ford Escort Mk2 13 10 2:55:10.2 18:41.0 0:49.6
31 109 Mickey Peoples/Francie Devine Ford Escort Mk2 13 11 2:55:22.9 18:53.7 0:12.7
32 119 Vincent Collins/Jane Collins Ford Escort Mk2 12 1 2:55:31.5 19:02.3 0:08.6
33 131 Peter McCarry/Michelle McGinley Ford Escort Mk2 13 12 2:57:53.1 21:23.9 2:21.6
34 111 John Dolan/John McGinley Ford Escort Mk2 13 13 2:58:21.9 21:52.7 0:28.8
35 114 Sean (jt) Warnock/Dessie Wilson Ford Escort Mk2 13 14 2:58:40.4 22:11.2 0:18.5
36 139 John Kelly/Niall Kelly Toyota Corolla 10 1 2:58:47.0 22:17.8 0:06.6
37 147 Paul Crosby/Tricha Greavy Toyota Starlet RWD 11R 6 2:59:02.9 22:33.7 0:15.9
38 148 Damien Cullen/Danny Cannon Honda Civic 11F 1 3:00:28.8 23:59.6 1:25.9
39 167 Pauric McGinley/Gareth Kelly Citroen C2 11F 2 3:00:43.5 24:14.3 0:14.7
40 132 Ruairi McGarrity/Martin McGarrity Peugeot 106 11F 3 3:01:15.9 24:46.7 0:32.4
41 165 Ivan Stewart/Timothy Duggan Mitsubishi Lancer 20 4 3:01:48.3 25:19.1 0:32.4
42 100 Denis Ferry/Donal Connolly Mitsubishi Evo 9 22 2 3:01:59.9 25:30.7 0:11.6
43 129 Gerard Gibbons/Darren Harvey Ford Escort Mk2 11R 7 3:02:03.3 25:34.1 0:03.4
44 85 Seamus Hegarty/Naill McDaid Ford Escort Mk2 14 8 3:03:24.5 26:55.3 1:21.2
45 138 Shane Carr/Ciaran Carr Vauxhall Nova 10 2 3:03:47.6 27:18.4 0:23.1
46 96 Jp Logue/James Logue Honda Civic 11F 4 3:04:01.8 27:32.6 0:14.2
47 76R Gerard McQuaid/Gary Quinlan Ford Escort Mk2 13 15 3:04:47.5 28:18.3 0:45.7
48 116 William Vance/Billy Vance Mitsubishi Evo8 15 1 3:05:04.2 28:35.0 0:16.7
49 90R Brendan Friel/Jp Boyle Toyota Corolla 11R 8 3:05:08.1 28:38.9 0:03.9
50 140 Andrew Stewart/Cormac Molloy Mitsubishi Evo 15 2 3:05:10.3 28:41.1 0:02.2
51 120 Anthony McCann/Damian McCann Ford Escort Mk2 12 2 3:05:42.1 29:12.9 0:31.8
52 26R Damian Tourish/Domhnall McAlaney Ford Escort Mk2 14 9 3:06:14.8 29:45.6 0:32.7
53 75R Jim McDowall/Charlotte McDowall Subaru Impreza 15 3 3:06:51.8 30:22.6 0:37.0
54 79R Gary McElhinney/Emmett Brosnan Ford Escort Mk2 13 16 3:07:34.9 31:05.7 0:43.1
55 143 Alan Browne/Michael Donnellan Subaru Impreza 20 5 3:07:34.9 31:05.7
56 166 Thomas Scally/John Wallace Honda Civic 11F 5 3:08:15.8 31:46.6 0:40.9
57 115 Roy Jarvis/Adam Milner Ford Fiesta R2 11F 6 3:09:18.0 32:48.8 1:02.2
58 160 Patrick Bonner/Jordan Murphy Ford Escort Mk2 12 3 3:10:28.2 33:59.0 1:10.2
59 102R Conor McCrossan/Connor Murphy Skoda Fabia s2000 22 3 3:11:43.0 35:13.8 1:14.8
60 155R James McDermott/Tony Martin Curran Ford Escort Mk2 12 4 3:12:58.7 36:29.5 1:15.7
61 171 Benny Dunleavey/Shane Dunleavy Honda Civic 11F 7 3:14:03.6 37:34.4 1:04.9
62 154R Simon Michael/Connor Dunlop Ford Escort Mk2 12 5 3:15:27.0 38:57.8 1:23.4
63 113R Kevin Kelly/Keith Harris Ford Escort Mk2 13 17 3:16:24.8 39:55.6 0:57.8
64 157R Aaron McLaughlin/Karol Egan Mitsubishi Evo 9 20 6 3:16:52.1 40:22.9 0:27.3
65 28R Eugene Meegan/Sarah Whelan BMW M1 14 10 3:17:04.8 40:35.6 0:12.7
66 45R Kyle McGettigan/Dale McGettigan Ford Escort Mk2 14 11 3:17:28.1 40:58.9 0:23.3
67 34R Phil Collins/Stephen McAuley Ford Escort Mk2 14 12 3:17:39.4 41:10.2 0:11.3
68 133 Kevin Charles/Hugh Hunter Ford Fiesta ST 13 18 3:19:46.5 43:17.3 2:07.1
69 135R Johnny Wilhare/Cahir Wilhare Honda Civic 11F 8 3:21:19.4 44:50.2 1:32.9
70 146 Eamon McLaughlin/Steven Boyle Vauxhall Nova 10 3 3:21:19.5 44:50.3 0:00.1
71 144R Sean Brogan/Daniel Callaghan Honda Civic 11F 9 3:21:33.4 45:04.2 0:13.9
72 152R Clive McGonigle/Steven Tinney Ford Escort Mk2 13 19 3:23:48.1 47:18.9 2:14.7
73 142 Brian Maguire/Chritopher Gray Peugeot 205 13 20 3:32:03.1 55:33.9 8:15.0
Results for the Historic category
O/A Car Driver/Codriver Make Class Pos Total Diff 1st Diff Prev
1 H2 Ernie Graham/Tim Sayer Ford Escort Mk2 K O/A 2:13:30.9
2 H1 Barry Jones/Iwan Griffiths Ford Escort Mk2 D5 1 2:14:26.5 0:55.6 0:55.6
3 H4 Keith McIvor/David Burns Ford Escort RS K O/A 2:15:46.1 2:15.2 1:19.6
4 H6 David Goose/Robert Harold Ford Escort RS1800 D5 2 2:18:26.0 4:55.1 2:39.9
5 H10 Robert Adamson/Dick Wardle Ford Escort Mk2 D5 3 2:20:16.3 6:45.4 1:50.3
6 H7 John Keatley/James McKeefrey Ford Escort Mk2 D5 4 2:20:46.7 7:15.8 0:30.4
7 H9 Shawn Rayner/Declan Dear Ford Escort Mk2 D3 1 2:24:10.2 10:39.3 3:23.5
8 H17 John O’Reilly/Mark Convey Ford Escort Mk1 C3 1 2:24:21.6 10:50.7 0:11.4
9 H20 Francis Barrett/Paul McGee Ford Escort Mk2 K O/A 2:24:53.6 11:22.7 0:32.0
10 H15 Iarla Carty/Joe White Austin Mini Cooper C1 1 2:26:13.5 12:42.6 1:19.9
11 H5R Richard Hall/Declan Campbell Porsche 911 D4 1 2:31:47.5 18:16.6 5:34.0
12 H11R Dave Pritchard/Emyr Hall Ford Escort Mk2 K 1 2:32:30.0 18:59.1 0:42.5
13 H19 Harry Browne/Martin McGrath Hillman Avenger C2 1 2:36:27.5 22:56.6 3:57.5
Results for the Junior category
O/A Car Driver/Codriver Make Class Pos Total Diff 1st Diff Prev
1 J8 Stephen Peoples/Kieran Burke Ford Escort Mk2 J2 O/A 58:56.5
2 J11 Niall Curran/Darren Curran Honda Civic J2 O/A 59:05.7 0:09.2 0:09.2
3 J6 Jenna McCann/Conor Duffy Ford Fiesta R2 J2 O/A 1:00:30.4 1:33.9 1:24.7
4 J9 Nicholas Alcorn/Christopher Moffitt Honda Civic J2 1 1:00:56.8 2:00.3 0:26.4
5 J22 Barry Gallagher/Jonathan Jacob Honda Civic J2 2 1:02:06.0 3:09.5 1:09.2
6 J7 Justin Ryan/John Burke Honda Civic J2 3 1:02:45.8 3:49.3 0:39.8
7 J20 Ryan Diver/Stephen Reynolds Honda Civic J2 4 1:07:27.0 8:30.5 4:41.2
8 J17 Colette Rooney/Shane Farrell Honda Civic J2 5 1:11:14.2 12:17.7 3:47.2
9 J15R Ryan Moore/Neil Brogan Honda Civic J2 6 1:13:30.2 14:33.7 2:16.0
10 J3 Eric Calnan/Michael Kearney Peugeot 106 J2 7 1:16:46.8 17:50.3 3:16.6
