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RALLY NEWS
NO.4 Finish..Bloomfield House Hotel..Sun.6.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 - LAST STAGE
1st (2) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Celica) 24.50
2nd (1) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort Cos) 25.09
3rd (3) Connie Smith/James Murtagh (Escort) 25.52
4th (9) Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Escort) 25.53
5th (7) Joe McGurk/Brian Duggan (Celica) 26.09
6th (4) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Lancer N) 26.13
7th (151) Sean Gallagher/Liam Costello (Escort Cos) 26.28
8th (8) Camillus Bradley/Danny O'Neill (Escort) 26.35
9th (26) Noel Conaty/Bernard Cosgrove (Escort) 26.51
10th (18) Mervyn Wedlock/Philip Smith (Escort) 26.52
Tim McNulty was in top form when he arrived in here to the Bloomfield
House Hotel to celebrate his best ever rally result..victory
on this Castle Single stage. Summerhill, Co. Meath, man Tim,
co-driven in the Pierse backed Toyota by Donegal man Eugene O'Donnell,
commented "I enjoyed it, it was a fantastic result for me,
a great stage and very well run". Second placed David
Armstrong tried right to the very end, but a broken rear anti
roll bar made the car very skittish through the last stage.
"I still really enjoyed it, a fantastic day's rallying,
very hairy for me at the end". Connie Smith felt that
he went as well as he could in taking 3rd. Eugene Ferry
was simply bionic on his way to 4th overall in his Mk2 Escort
as well as winning his class. His closest Mk2 Escort rival,
Camillus Bradley, commented "We definitely had a good run,
but couldn't look at Eugene's times". Joe McGurk had
a smooth run to 5th, Patrick Elliot won group N as well as finishing
6th overall and commented "We were a bit slow at the start
but had a good run late on".
Just some other stories included...Sean Gallagher breaking a
rear spring and shock absorber on his Escort Cosworth on that
final stage, having set a scorching time in stage 2. Included
in Sean's total above is a 15s road penalty which may be removed,
to leave him tying with Patrick Elliott. Ivan Stewart got
his Escort Cosworth running cleanly for the final stage and set
a 4th fastest time, some indication of the Donegal man's potential,
but of course he lost a mountain of time earlier on.
Mick McQuaid commented about the rally "I enjoyed it, first
class event". That must say something about Castle
Automobie Club's organisation under new Clerk of the Course Dominic
Loughran. The above leaderboard is unofficial and a few
drivers just outside include - Mac McKenna, who said at the finish
"I'm disappointed, I tried very hard, maybe there was a
trace of a low down misfire but I just couldn't set the times".
Padraig Price finished on a total of 27.06 despite his Sierra
having clutch slip at the end. James & Ann Foley had 27.51.
Pat Higgins 27.40 and Freddie Walker 27.58. Freddie joked
"We took to the skies over some of the jumps, trying to
take on Richard Branson!" Alan Sheridan had a good
run to finish on 27.26. Paddy White was on 27.20 despite
his Escort Cosworth having water injection troubles, Enda Keenan
with his son Dessie on the notes, 27.49, another good run. No
more space..very well done and our thanks to all involved in
the rally..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON
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