MacHale pleased with new Focus after Galway test.

Gareth MacHale took the runners-up spot on the Galway International Rally on Sunday, on his first run in his new 2006 spec Ford Focus WRC, which he will switch to in Mexico, his next outing in the FIA World Rally Championship.

MacHale went into the second leg on Sunday morning in a comfortable third position, as a dogfight for first ensued between BP Ford works driver, Marcus Gronholm and Irish tarmac champion Eugene Donnelly, the former eventually coming out top, after Donnelly went off in SS14.

Speaking after the event, MacHale was happy with his new stead, even if he did have to get use to left-hand drive: "We're very pleased with the outcome this weekend, with how the car handled and how we adapted to it and, of course, with finishing second behind a WRC legend like Marcus Gronholm," he reflected.

"It also goes to reinforce the fact that sometimes, rallying is as much about luck as skill. Eugene Donnelly showed Gronholm for the two days of the event that Irish drivers cannot be taken for granted come Rally Ireland in November, and it was unfortunate that he went off the road on the second day.

"We hope now that we can sustain that level of professionalism in World Rally Championship this season - and let the world know that Irish rallying really is on top of its' form."

MacHale, who finished eleventh on the Rallye Monte Carlo last month, will now be back out in action at the start of March, when the Rally Mexico gets underway from March 9-11. MacHale is due to do 11 WRC events in total this season.