THE 2025 Lakeland Stages Rally, hosted by Enniskillen Motorclub, lived up to its billing, as Patrick and Stephen O’Brien overcame an early stall and late pressure to clinch a third straight win in the event.
In a field of 106 starters, the brothers’ victory in their aging 2017 Skoda Fabia underlined Patrick’s standing as the man to beat in the forests, even on his rare returns from Australia. Their winning margin over Cathan McCourt and Barry McNulty was just 5.3 seconds after six high-speed stages through Carrigan and Ballintempo.
The drama started before the off. Shane McGirr and Denver Rafferty, favourites in the two-wheel-drive ranks, were forced to abandon their iconic Lada on Friday night and switch to a Toyota Starlet, while Gary and Wilma Johnston’s Escort never made the opening loop of after relay problems.
Early battle
Stage one, Carrigan, saw McCourt/McNulty snatch the early lead, 0.1s ahead of Vivian Hamill/Andrew Grennan in a Fiesta Rally2, with Gareth Mimnagh/Barry McCarney third. The O’Briens, who stalled at the start, were only fourth — a second off the pace.
Jason Mitchell and Paddy McCrudden’s hopes of sealing the Sligo Pallets Irish Forest title ended almost immediately, their Skoda crashing out on SS1.
In 2WD, Sam Stewart/Stephen Peoples drew first blood in their Escort, chased by Alan Smyth/Gary McCrudden and Paddy McToal/Connor O’Loane, all split by just 0.3s.
SS2, Ballintempo North, produced a string of beaten bogey times (pre-set stage targets based on a maximum speed, which crews cannot beat for credit), keeping the overall gaps tight. Stewart held his 2WD advantage as Condell/Donnelly’s Escort picked up steering damage after a heavy landing.
The day began to tilt on SS3, Ballintempo South. The O’Briens went fastest, vaulting into a 3.3s lead over McCourt. Behind them, Hamill slipped back, Mimnagh inheriting third. Stewart meanwhile extended his 2WD cushion, McToal losing ground.
Fight to the finish
After service, McCourt responded on the Carrigan repeat, cutting the gap to 1.5s. Mimnagh moved briefly into third before Hamill’s event ended with an off at the last corner.
On SS5, Ballintempo North again, both O’Brien and McCourt beat the revised bogey time and were credited equally with times of 5:27.0, leaving just 1.5s between them heading into the finale. Pettigo’s Kevin Eves meanwhile climbed into the podium places on his first ever Ford Fiesta gravel outing.
The showdown came on Ballintempo South 2. McCourt admitted a near-spin at a junction cost him: “We came down into a junction and lost time. The bogey times beat us today. We were quickest on the two stages which would have won us the rally.”
The O’Briens, meanwhile, had to take evasive action when spectators strayed onto the road but still went quickest by 3.8s to retain their Lakeland crown.
Patrick later said: “It was great to be back in the car and getting on a good pace early in the day. A stall on the first stage made it a little interesting, but it was maximum attack for the rest of the event, and eventually we came out on top.
“This win feels even sweeter as a true team effort.”
McCourt/McNulty had to settle for second, while Donegal’s Eves and co-driver Chris Melly celebrated a superb third overall, just 1.4s ahead of Mimnagh. David Kelly, debuting his VW Polo on gravel, claimed fifth, with Dromore’s Conor McCourt sixth in a hired Skoda Fabia RS.
Two-wheel drive showdown
The 2WD contest was equally intense. Stewart/Peoples held sway all day but McToal/O’Loane charged back, cutting the gap to just 1.4s before the final stage. Stewart dug deepest, winning by 4.1s. Donal Sweeney/Oisín Joyce rounded out the podium in their Toyota Corolla.
McGirr’s Starlet cried enough with a misfire on the final stage, while Condell/Donnelly salvaged 10th after their earlier dramas. Alan Smyth also impressed on his comeback after two and a half years out.
Local interest
There was plenty of Fermanagh success across the classes. Damien McGavren/Shane Maguire steered their BMW to 30th, while Mervyn Wilson (Mitsubishi) and Niall Connolly/Matthew McMahon (Talbot Sunbeam) finished 50th and 51st respectively. Damien Britton/Gavin Magee gained valuable mileage in their recently acquired Escort, finishing 58th.
Sammy Scollan/Neill McCarron took Class 9 honours in a Vauxhall Corsa, while Ben Fallis/Louise McBarron marked their first Micra Challenge win with 73rd overall. Gerard and Timothy Harte came home 76th, Rodney Donaldson/Andy Heekin 68th, and Karl Fallis/Tony McGovern 71st in their Civic. Retirements included Patsy Keenan (Fiesta Rally3) with mechanical woes, Richard Thompson (Astra) after losing oil, and the luckless Johnstons with drivetrain failure.