AUSTIN McHALE and Brian Murphy survived treacherous conditions yesterday to win the Gleneagle Hotel Rally of the Lakes in a Toyota Celica GT4. McHale took over the lead yesterday afternoon when Liam O'Callaghan hit a rock on the Carragh Lake Stage, after which he retired his similar Toyota with suspected suspension trouble.
In a rally of many retirements, Steven Murphy was unlucky to lose second when his Ford Escort Cosworth also went off on Carragh Lake on the run over the stage near Killorglin and Peadar Hurson made the most of Murphy's misfortune to take his place in a similar Escort.
After nine stages, in mixed weather conditions on Saturday, O'Callaghan led McHale by one minute three seconds. Ford Escort Cosworth drivers were next headed by Hurson who was ahead of Murphy by 15 seconds and McHale by 41 seconds.
Six times Killarney winner, Bertie Fisher, withdrew his Subaru Impreza having sold the car just days before the event. This was a rally that O'Callaghan wanted to win and, at the end of the first day, he was in bullish form.
"The car is handling lovely in the wet and, as far as I'm concerned, the more rain the better. I kept it neat and tidy and had no dramas," declared the Kanturk driver.
Saturday was not without its dramas. The fancied Eamonn Boland retired his Escort Cosworth with engine trouble, Denis Cronin of Bantry crashed his BMW M3 and John Moynihan of Millstreet crashed his Escort - both crews unhurt.
Yesterday was again wet and windy and McHale was on a charge. He pulled back three seconds on O'Callaghan over the testing Molls Gap stage and he cut another eight seconds off O'Callaghan's lead on Beallaghbeama reducing the gap to 52 seconds.
O'Callaghan's rally was run following a mishap on the Carragh Lake stage. He started the stage on the wrong tyres, clipped a rock and suffered a front tyre puncture. McHale was in the lead after stage 13 with one minute six seconds in hand over Hurson with Murphy a further 17 seconds adrift.
O'Callaghan slipped back to fourth, two minutes 17 seconds behind the new leader.
O'Callaghan then withdrew and Murphy pushed Hurson down to third. Murphy's late charge ended on Stage 16 as a result of steering trouble.
At the Killarney finish, McHale was in jubilant mood having now won two of the three Tarmac Rally Championship rounds Galway and Killarney as well as finishing second on the Circuit of Ireland.
Hurson was happy to finish second, comfortably ahead of British driver Pete Doughty in a similar Escort. And Connie Smith of Ballyjamesduff was unlucky to crash his Escort on the last stage, losing a sure sixth place after a heroic drive.
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