DARREN Gass from Armagh and co-driver, Enda Sherry from Monaghan, achieved their first major victory in a dramatic finale to the Safety Direct Galway International Rally on Sunday.

Gass had just 1.3 seconds to spare over former Tarmac champion Eugene Donnelly with the leader at halfway, last year’s winner Justin McNulty, just behind after losing time when damaging the front suspension of his Impreza in a collision with a chicane.

The winning Gass/Sherry combination had taken the lead on the penultimate stage when misfortune also befell Donnelly who lost a critical 40 seconds afte suffering a puncture.

Leading Galway finishers were Tom Flaherty from Galway City and Patrick Curley from Gort who were 10th overall and second in the National event in their MK2 Escort.

The next Galway crew to finish was Tom Cahill from Coldwood and Philip Conneely, originally from Loughrea but living in Australia.
Other Galway crews that excelled were Neill Pierce and Enda O’Leary from Loughrea who won class 11 and David Quigley and Des Sherlock who won class 2.

Father and son crew, Pat and Jonathan Kelly from Ballybane, took class 16 with Martin Creaven and Chris Crowe from Galway winning class C3 in their historic MK1 Escort.

The spirit of the rally award went to James Brett from Clarinbridge and Shelly Conneely from Loughrea who travelled from Australia to compte.

Overall, the 2012 safety Direct Galway International Rally was a major success with the largest entry of competitors for years.

The huge crowds of spectators, both on the city centre spectator stage and the stages in Headford, have not been seen for many a year.

Thanks to Gardai and the Civil Defense, and marshals from Galway and other Motor Clubs, there were no incidents to report and disruption to traffic was kept to a minimum.