RALLY NEWS NO.11       Sunday 2.15..Ballylickey

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 15 - BORLIN
1st (5) Stephen Finlay/Rory Kennedy (Focus WRC)1.54.47
2nd (6) James Cullen/Ellen Morgan (Subaru) 1.55.53
3rd (7) Stephen Murphy/MJ Morrissey (Subaru)1.57.26
4th (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Celica) 1.58.27
5th (18) Donie & Tim O'Sullivan (Escort Cos)2.02.12
6th (28) Hugh Dunne/Greg Shinnors (Legacy) 2.02.58
7th (29) Mark Fisher/Gordon Noble (Impreza N)2.03.39
8th (14) Davy Greer/Michael Reid (Celica) 2.04.00
9th (12) Hugh M Doherty/Billy McCullins(Esc.WRC)2.05.21
10th (15) Frank O'Mahony/Hugh McPhillips (Impreza)2.05.27

Unbelievably Andrew Nesbitt reportedly ran out of petrol in stage 13 - Lough Allua. Andrew had a 36s lead going into that stage.  However, that is all over now, Stephen Finlay is the clear leader with a 66s advantage over James Cullen.  Unconfirmed reports are that Nesbitt's co driver James O'Brien got a lift from a passing helicopter, got a can of fuel, went back to the Subaru, and she fired up.  Of course, it was much too late then.

Finaly had to be a wee bit careful through stages 14 and 15 - his Focus suffering a damaged rear damper.  Ellen Morgan, co-driving for James Cullen, commented at the end of Borlin "That was real tough going, a lot of pace notes, and my voice isn't the best today anyway. James has a bit of a flu big and I think it has been passed on".  Stephen Murphy was fastest through stage 15.  The Carlow man shared the previous Borlin stage record with McHale. Donie O'Sullivan had a lucky escape when he did a full 360 spin going into the arch on Borlin, the car got away under braking over the bumps. A lot of fresh air up there!! 

Andy Blair has reportedly had an accident in Borlin and has blocked the stage.  Hugh Dunne had a big moment in stage 14, damage to the rear of his Legacy testimony to a frightening 6th gear spin.  Hugh M Doherty is now speeding up as he settles in to the Escort WRC. Johnny O'Sullivan had power steering pump problems in Borlin and dropped some time. The MODIFIED SECTION of the rally turned on its head when Eugene Donnelly went off the road for a long time in Lough Allua, still going but out of the picture. Eugene of course had been leading the Modifieds.  Wesley Patterson was 2nd but he lost even more time in Lough Allua with punctures. Pat Mullane, Dessie Keenan, Michael Moloney & Philip Shaw are in the modified picture, but we have not times for Tracey in the Metro 6R4 and he is right in there as well.

Mark Fisher is going like a train to lead gpN and is moving up the leaderboard. Gerry McVeigh is 2nd in gpN.In the Ford Puma championship Derek Daly has lost time with a puncture/suspension trouble to hand the advantage to Englishman Simon Maugher. In the Historics John Keatley leads the Post Historic section from Martin Freestone. Dessie Nutt is first proper Historic.  More news to follow. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON