Callum Devine has strengthened his lead of the 2025 Donegal International Rally after two of his biggest competitors had incidents on the final two stages of the day.
After a rapid day’s running, William Creighton had ate almost fully into Devine’s lead – being 4.9 seconds back after Stage 12 and the first run through Knockalla and Garrygort.
European Champion Hayden Paddon was also still well in things in third until a dramatic roll on Stage 13, the second run of the day through Knockalla, took him out of the rally.
While his Hyundai i20 R2 was able to drive after the roll, he failed to post a Stage 13 time as he chose to return to service in Letterkenny.
Then on the final stage of the day, William Creighton’s challenge came undone as he left the road on the second run through Garrygort.
Creighton lost almost seven minutes with his foray off the stage, but remains in the rally as he was able to bring his Toyota Yaris R2 to stage end and then to Parc Fermé in Letterkenny.
That means that Callum Devine now has a 20 second buffer at the head of the rally headed into a final day that could throw weather uncertainty at crews which have been pushing flat out in gorgeous conditions so far this weekend.
He is trailed by Meirion Evans, the Welshman now 21 seconds off the lead but looking set to at the very least repeat his second place he achieved in Donegal 12 months ago barring any disasters on Sunday’s stages.
Donegal’s David Kelly now lies a superb third in his VW Polo after the dramas for Paddon and Creighton, a minute and two seconds off the lead and just three seconds ahead of fourth-placed Josh Moffett.
Below is the full Sunday schedule as the 2025 Donegal International Rally will come to a close.
Sunday:
Carnhill (SS15): 11am
Atlantic Drive (SS16): 11:50am
Fanad (SS17): 12:30pm
Carnhill 2 (SS18): 2:30pm
Atlantic Drive 2 (SS19): 3:20pm
Fanad 2 (SS20): 4:02pm