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RALLY NEWS
NO.13 Letterkenny parc ferme..Sat.
7.30pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 18 (last Sat.stage)
1st (3) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 2.15.50
2nd (1) James Cullen/Ellen Morgan (Impreza) 2.18.35
3rd (5) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Celica) 2.20.12
4th (9) Frank Meagher/Dermot O'Gorman (Escort WRC) 2.20.24
5th (11) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza) 2.20.48
6th (8) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 2.21.53
7th (14) Hugh M Doherty/Mike Gibson (Escort WRC) 2.23.59
8th (24) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Nagle (Escort) 2.25.20
9th (28) Glenn Allen/Adrian Johnston (Escort) 2.30.50
10th (30) Brendan Kelly/Sean Harris (Lancer N) 2.31.10
Andrew Nesbitt made no mistakes over the final loop of stages
on this 2nd day of the Shell Donegal International. His
Pirelli shod Subaru was immaculate as it came into the Courtyard
Shopping Centre parc ferme. Andrew now fastest on 18 out
of 18 stages. Andrew commented "It was another very
good day, the stages really suited us. The organisers decision
to cancel stage 19 I think was the right one. There were thousands
there to watch the cars. I'm glad that Austin McHale and Brian
Murphy were uninjured in their accident. Overall I have to say
there is another day to go, this rally isn't over yet".
James Cullen admitted to settling down a lot over the last few
stages. The big leaderboard battle now is between Ian Greer,
Frank Meagher and Daniel Doherty for 3rd place. None of
those 3 can afford to relax for an instant. Greer's Taranto de
Pol Toyota had a soft wheel on Fanad which cost perhaps 20s.
Frank Meagher admitted to a small intercooler problem and his
engine going slightly flat for a while but otherwise the Tipperary
man had a very good run.
Daniel Doherty said he was giving it a real good go towards the
end while Eamonn Boland continues to settle in to his subaru,
and is starting to get well on the pace. Hugh Martin Doherty
had a puncture on stage 16, Kindrum, when he clipped a rock at
a junction. This cost over a minute.
Retirements towards the end included - Phillip Shaw, his Escort
went out after a brilliant run, Phillip was 9th overall and leading
his class. Stephen Murphy stopped with mechanical problems when
lying 12th overall. Seamus Heron lost the gpN lead to Brendan
Kelly - Brendan was overhauling his Lancer rival anyway, but
then Heron clipped a rock in Fanad and shattered a wheel, losing
over a minute. Outside the top 10 we have Seamus Heron, then
unofficially Maurice Gass, Sean McArdle and Natalie Barratt,
lying 3rd in gpN and on a total of 1.33.38. Seamus Gallagher
is leading his class in the Civic. Looking back for just a second
- Derek McGarrity's problem on Atlantic when the wheel came off
was down to a seized hub, and then the studs sheared. Eugene
Donnelly continues to lead his class, Eugene commenting at the
end "We went fair enough, sure we'd a good oul crack at
it". Finally for now, a reminder that Sunday's stages 21/23
will not now run. More news in morning.BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON |
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