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RALLY NEWS
NO.7 Cork...Saturday 6.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 (END OF DAY 1)
1st (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru WRC) 1.15.46
2nd (4) Frank Meagher/Dermot O'Gorman (Focus WRC) 1.16.11
3rd (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Corolla WRC) 1.16.37
4th (3) Austin McHale/Joe Downey (Corolla WRC) 1.17.58
5th (5) Kenny McKinstry/Sean Mullally (Subaru WRC) 1.18.40
6th (14) Niall McShea/Michael Orr (Saxo) 1.20.03
7th (9) Frank O'Mahony/Hugh McPhillips (Subaru) 1.22.05
8th (24) Roy White/Des Cooney (Lancer N) 1.22.08
9th (67) Sean Gallagher/Liam Costello (Escort Cos) 1.23.18
10th (10) Sean McArdle/Paul McCann (Celica) 1.23.33
Andrew Nesbitt has led this first Cork 20 day from stage 1, but
the Cross Refrigeration man came under pressure, firstly from
Ian Greer who closed to within 1s after stage 3, and then Frank
Meagher whoc clocked in 2 fastest times on sstages 5 and 6.
Nesbitt resisted all pressure however, commenting after Skahanagh
2.."We had a good run, very steady, the Subaru behaved immaculately.
It was slippy in places, but the Pirellis did their job".
Frank Meagher tried very hard through the afternoon stages, and
indeed had a heart stopping overshoot in the new Focus in stage
8, but only dropped a few seconds, although he did lose his momentum
slightly afterwards. Ian Greer commented "I'm happy
enough, it was a good day's work". Greer did lose 15s with
road penalties, otherwise the above gaps would have been closer.
Overall though it was an exciting and interesting day's rallying,
with the organisation working like clockwork.
One leading retirement was Donal O'Donovan - the outgoing Southern
4 Champion held a very creditable 5th place for most of the day,
indeed was as high as 4th at one point, but his Celica's water
injection pump cried enough between stages 7 and 8. Eugene
Donnelly had led the modified section for most of the day, and
was handily placed in 8th overall in his Escort G3, but Eugene
and co-driver Paul Nagle were happy to survive a very high speed
off road excursion in stage 8. Their Escort hit a series of bumps
about 2 miles into the stage and took to the hedges, happily
a smashed wheel the worst of the damage and 3 mins. lost. McHale
commented at stage finish "Just a matter of keeping it together
the way the clutch is". Frank O'Mahony emerged from stage
8 with the engine smoking badly. Roy White continues to lead
gpN and said "Very slippy but I'm enjoying it".
Niall McShea continues to do his superb job in the class leading
Saxo and said "A great day's fun".
In the Ford Ka Championship Oliver Stanley led from John O'Dowed
by 12s with John Carroll and cross channell visitor Shaun Woffingden
battling for 3rd, albeit well over a minute behind.
In the Historic section of the rally Lloyd Hutchinson was 10s
ahead of Martin Freestone with John Farrell just 9s back. Those
first 3 are all in Post Historic cars. Dessie Nutt in the Porsche
was the first Historic and 4th overall with Philip Wylie also
in an Historic just 3s behind. John Keatley was 6th on the list.
More news in themorning..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON |
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