RALLY NEWS NO.5      Saturday 2.30..fornenst Glenflesk

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 - MULLAGHANISH
1st (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Subaru) 35.44
2nd (5) Stephen Finlay/Rory Kennedy (Focus WRC) 36.11
3rd (6) James Cullen/Ellen Morgan (Subaru) 36.30
4th (4) Frank Meagher/Pat Moloughney (Escort WRC)36.40
5th (8) Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson (Subaru WRC)36.42
6th (9) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Focus WRC)36.50
7th (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Celica) 37.04
8th (7) Stephen Murphy/MJ Morrissey (Subaru)37.08
9th (28) Hugh Dunne/Greg Shinnors (Legacy)38.26
10th (18) Donie & Tim O'Sullivan (Escort Cos)38.53
     (23) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Nagle (Escort)38.53
12th (29) Mark Fisher/Gordon Noble (Impreza N)39.23
13th (15) Frank O'Mahony/Hugh McPhillips (Impreza)39.25
14th (14) Davy Greer/Michael Reid (Celica) 39.42

Andrew Nesbitt just stunned the opposition with his time through stage 5, Mullaghanish.  On the first visit to that 5.6 mile stage Andrew's Pirelli shod Subaru stopped the clocks on 4.35, which seemed amazingly quick.  Most of the top drivers have stepped up their game, but none more so than Armagh refrigeration expert Nesbitt.  He was very cool at the stage finish, reporting no problems. Stephen Finlay in the Focus was 2nd fasttest with 4.32,desite clipping a wheel. Then it was Derek McGarrity on 4.36, James Cullen 4.39. Stephen Murphy, Eamonn Boland & Frank Meagher were all on 4.41. Pete Doughty was 4.43 and Tarmac Champion Ian Greer in the Taranto de Pol Celica 4.45.  Ian is saying very little, but informed observers on the stages reckon that his Celica doesn't seem to be handling as well as the other top cars, and Ian is having to fight the machine rather than go with the flow.  Nesbitt's car for example is rock steady over the bumps. Hugh Martin Doherty came off that stage 5 in a big rush, we didn't get his time and it looks like he has a mechanical problem. 
frank O'Mahony still had brake problems coming into service, he reckons that the master cylinder is starting to play up. 
In the Ford Puma Championship after stage 4 Simon Maugher was on a total of 36.17, Derek Daly 36.46, Ian Chadwick 39.32.  We thought Daly might have been faster than the English visitor,Maugher, on Daly's local stages. However the way the seeding has fallen, Daly is catching cars on every stage. Chadwick has intercom troubles. Another retirement is Tom Randles & Diarmuid Lynch.  Their Escort developed a gearbox problem which caused a vibration difficulty, the fan belt broke and sliced through a radiator hose.  Engine kaput, very expensive engine - not good for the likeable Kerry duo on their home event. In the HISTORIC/POST HISTORIC class - Lloyd Hutchinson in the Mini Cooper, after 4 stages, led on 36.31, John Keatley on 36.42, Geoff Crabtree 36.49, Lee Freestone 37.03, Philip Wylie 37.52, Dessie Nutt, inexplicably back, on 37.54.
Late news is that a farmer has fallen in his farmyard in stage 6, an ambulance has been called, stage delayed, could be bypassed..more later..BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON