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RALLY NEWS
NO.4 Service "In"..Sunday
2.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4
1st (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza) 31.48
2nd (2) Paul Harris/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza) 32.20
3rd (6) Donal O'Donovan/Pat Lordan (Celica) 32.31
4th (7) Ray Breen/John Purcell (Impreza) 32.38
5th (3) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (BMW M3) 33.05
6th (14) Tim McNulty/Julian Nangle (Celica) 33.14
7th (11) Tommy Graham/Anthony Nestor (Escort Cos) 33.24
8th (8) Hugh Dunne/Mike Gibson (Legacy) 33.25
The pace at the front of this Circuit of Munster Rally is certainly
hotting up with Donal O'Donovan fastest through stage 3 and Paul
Hrris quickest on stage 4. There are just seconds in it
between the top stage times, but Maguire got off to such a good
start that he has a comfortable buffer at the front of the field.
Stage 4, Slieve Felim Way, is very fast and narrow towards the
end and Niall Maguire found the left hand drive just a tad uncomfortable
whizzing through the rhododendrum bushes. Niall said "there
was a narrow 6 left and she ran just a wee bit wide, I was really
hanging on". Paul Harris was a lot happier through
stages 3 and 4 - we reported earlier on his engine not pulling,
Paul has discovered that if he switches the anti lag off it seems
to go a whole lot better.
Donal O'Donovan got into his stride and as we said earlier was
fastest through stage 3,(Nicker), by just 1s from Paul Harris
who in turn was 1s faser than Niall Maguire. However, Donal
was very disappointed with his time in stage 4, his Toyota was
14s down on the Paul Harris Subaru and Donal felt he had gone
really well. Ray Breen has had a very consistent quick
run so far to hold 4th place, while Denis Cronin is well on the
pace despite the car almost running out of petrol in stage 3
and coughing and spluttering towards the end.
Tommy Graham had a big overshoot at a crossroads to add to his
earlier dramas while Hugh Dunne, 2nd after stage 1, is making
little impression, his Legacy suffering a severe misfire following
his earlier puncture. Dermot Kelly is struggling on despite
his overheating engine, while Ollie O'Donovan suffered a one
and a half minute delay with a broken driveshaft. Ed Synan
seemed to have an engine problem at the start of stage 4 - no
sign of him here at service as yet. Tim McNulty is happy enough
to be lying inside the top 6. Rory O'Connor slipped just
outside the leaderboard following a stage 4 puncture which started
when his Escort Cosworth ran over someone else's spoiler.
Jon Tainton was leading gpN after stage 2, we think perhaps Patrick
Elliott is now ahead in the showroom class after stage 4 - Patrick
held up of course behind Declan Wilmott's accident. Dessie
Keenan is running an ordinary 4 speed box after destroying his
unit last week in Cavan. Keenan also damaged a wheel passing
McCartan McCague in stage 1, Dessie clipped a big rock at the
side of the road. Mick Moloney 2 overshoots..Micky McArdle water
bottle under feet in BMW..more later..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON |
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