RALLY NEWS NO.3        Service (in) Sunday 1 pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2

1st (3) Paul Harris/Eugene O'Donnell (Subaru Impreza) 17.13

2nd (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru WRC) 17.17

3rd (175) George Cullen/Dermot O'Gorman (Subaru Impreza) 17.43

4th (12) Jim Harrison/Mike Gibson (Escort Cos) 18.11

5th (17) James Gillen/Shane O'Neill (Escort) 18.16

6th (4) Ray Breen/John Purcell (Subaru Impreza) 18.27

7th (16) Rory O'Connor/Francis Kenny (Escort Cos) 18.29

8th (29) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (BMW M3) 18.44

9th (14) Joe McGurk/Arthur Kierans (Celica) 18.53

10th (32) Mac McKenna/John Loughran (Peugeot) 18.54

11th (9) Noel McCarrick/John McCafferty (Subaru Impreza)18.56

12th (20) Glen Allen/Adrian Johnston (Escort) 18.57

Andrew Nesbitt was fastest on stage 2, Pete Doughty stopped on road section, Paul Harris 2nd fastest.  The second stage, Bunnyconnellan, was slightly damp and very slippy, causing most of the drivers problems.  Andrew Nesbitt arrived in here to service with  mud across the front of his Subaru, and telling us that he had a slight moment at the very tight hairpin.  Otherwise the Armagh man reported all well, but still needs to carry out adjustments to his Impreza's suspension.

Pete Doughty finished stage 2 but his Escort WRC was stopped at the side of the road in Ballina, and Pete was working furiously at the new sequential gear change set up.  So far he has not made it here to service. Paul Harris had a bit of a spin in stage 2, otherwise OK.  Ray Breen in his new Subaru is still playing himself in.  George Cullen tells us he is lucky to be in the rally at all - Kenny McKinstry travelled down to Ballina at dawn this morning and rebuilt his Impreza's gearbox in the car park of the hotel!!  Jim Harrison told us "We're still getting used to the active differential in this car, found the second stage very slippy, maybe the tyres are too hard a compound. We were off the road briefly at the graveyard on stage 1".  Rory O'Connor had put his Escort Cosworth off the road in stage 2 and arrived into service with oil dripping from the front right cooler. James Gillen found it very slippy.  Tim McNulty, on a total of 19.16, is playing himself in with the ex McHale Celica. Glen Allen was off briefly in stage 1 and is lying 2nd in class to the airborne Mac McKenna. Noel McCarrick leads gpN from Joe McHugh - McCarrick reports no problems, McHugh says he was on the wrong tyres and also held up by Michael Shaw. Defending gpN national champ admits he's driving like "an old granny".  Missing here at first service is Sean Gallagher and Andrew Stewart, both in Lancers. Dan McCartan also missing.  Kevin Barrett has gearbox troubles, Dominic McLoughlin, very sick engine. Paul Gallagher in the Corolla, big spin SS2, lost a lot of time. More news later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON