RALLY NEWS NO.10      Glengarriff..Sunday 11.15

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 - TIM HEALY
1st (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru)1.25.20
2nd (5) Stephen Finlay/Rory Kennedy (Focus WRC)1.25.56
3rd (6) James Cullen/Ellen Morgan (Subaru) 1.26.44
4th (7) Stephen Murphy/MJ Morrissey (Subaru)1.27.48
5th (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Celica) 1.28.31
6th (18) Donie & Tim O'Sullivan (Escort Cos)1.31.02
7th (28) Hugh Dunne/Greg Shinnors (Legacy) 1.31.49
8th (29) Mark Fisher/Gordon Noble (Impreza N)1.32.40
9th (14) Davy Greer/Michael Reid (Celica) 1.32.48
10th (15) Frank O'Mahony/Hugh McPhillips (Impreza)1.33.45

MODIFIED CATEGORY
1st (23) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Nagle (Escort)1.32.17
2nd (20) Wesley Patterson/Bob Kelly (Sierra Cos)1.32.42
3rd (32) Pat & Sean Mullane (Escort) 1.36.48

Rally leader Andrew Nesbitt had a drama at the end of the Kilmacilloge stage when his Subaru clipped a rock and punctured a wheel.  Having been 13s faster than Nesbitt over Molls Gap, Stephen Finlay by now had the bit between his teeth, and was a further 4s faster than the punctured Subaru through Kilmacilloge.  This brought the gap down to 25s.  The status quo was resumed on the Tim Healy.  Andrew Nesbitt had the punctured wheel replaced on the short road section, and despite the spare having not quite matching rubber to the other 3 wheels, set a stunning time of 6.07.  Finlay's Focus stopped the clocks on 6.18.  Ballygawley man Finlay reported a time consuming spin in the fog on the top of the Healy - a spin that involved laboriously working his way back through the 6 speed sequential gears, to get mobile again. The gap now back to 36s.  There are still some very tough stages to come - Lough Allua, Fuhiry and Borlin will be no picnic for any of the drivers, but the pyschological pendulum has swung back in Nesbitt's favour.

James Cullen in 3rd had a bit of a charge over Molls, but realistically Cullen is now taking a breather, and just keeping a weather eye on Murphy.  Murphy is in basically the same situation as Cullen and just keeping an eye on Greer.  Murphy commented "No point in bursting myself at the moment".  Tarmac Champion Greer is putting on a brave face at his relatively lacklustre performance, and is man enough to admit "I've lost my way".  Further back Hugh Dunne had a spin in Tim Healy and lost a few seconds.
Just to recap - Derek McGarrity & Chris Patterson slid off the road this morning on Molls Gap when lying 4th and they have retired. Pete Doughty was an overnight 10th and he stopped with a mechanical problem in the gap.  Johnny O'Sullivan had to do 3 stages this morning with a broken driveshaft and he is now lying 11th overall, just ahead of Hugh Doherty. Donegal man Doherty had a big spin in Kilmacilloge which took off the front spoiler of his ex Boland Escort WRC. In the Modified category, Wesley Patterson is closing in on Eugene Donnelly, who is really struggling now with a broken manifold. More news to follow..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON