RALLY NEWS NO.6         Quinns..Saturday 4.15

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5
1st (11)Derek McGarrity/Chris Patterson(Imp.WRC)28.40.8
2nd (15) Daniel & Michael Doherty (Impreza) 29.00.0
3rd (3) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Corolla WRC)29.11.2
4th (2) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC)29.11.4
5th (24) Mark Fisher/Gordon Noble (Lancer N) 29.33.9
6th (6) Stig Blomqvist/Mark Crowe (Impreza) 29.55.7
7th (4) Hannu & Juha Mikkola (Impreza WRC) 29.55.7
8th (18) David Greer/Michael Reid (Celica) 30.02.1
9th (10) Stephen Murphy/MJ Morrissey (Impreza)30.09.6
10th (26) Robert Woodside/Allan Harryman (Impr) N)30.14.3
11th (21) Hugh Dunne/Greg Shinnors (Legacy) 30.19.9
12th (1) Ian Greer/Dean Beckett (Celica) 30.23.8

Compared to the previous stages there were no major dramas through stage 5.  Daniel Doherty was fastest with Austin McHale 2nd fastest and Derek McGarrity 3rd.  Doherty said afterwards "I feel comfortable with the pace although I did get a bit exuberant over the finish, ran wide and burst a wheel, otherwise we're keeping it smooth".  McGarrity was just that wee bit despondent, understandable considering the earlier weight problem.  The Glengormley man commented quietly "We're just cruising now".  Austin McHale told us here at the regroup "The stage was a bit of a lottery, wet and dry patches."  That was contrasted by a smiling Ian Greer, the Tarmac Champion saying "Really enjoyed the stage".  Stephen Murphy was a bit off the pace and observed "We're just not at it today".  Frank Meagher is still setting very competitive times - inside the top 4 or 5 fastest, although he is way way down the order after his first stage accident.

Frank O'Mahony is still slightly off the pace, although the Cork man has a new turbo fitted to the Impreza and did feel that the car was going better up the hill from the start, he said "I was just getting the hang of the stage going in the other direction, now you just don't know where you're going to go off the road". Hugh Dunne had a good time and tells us his centre diff pressure problem is intermittent. 
Mark Fisher reckons he drove a bit conservatively on that stage, but still was much the fastest of the gpN cars. Trevor Cathers 2nd fastest, Brendan Kelly 3rd.  Brendan reckons that he is just lacking in confidence, always a gear too low, but he is starting to enjoy it a bit more and is going to try to give it a real run before the finish. Robert Woodside ran into trouble on that last test, the Barretts Subaru lost gears at the first grid and ended up in the ditch, with no reverse to get out. They had to wait for spectators to push the car back on to the road. The crew is going to try to change the gearbox here at service. Dan McCartan reports clutch slip on his Lancer and Michael Aitken in the red Subaru has a thumped front guard where he attacked the cement factory.  Conor Mulholland/Desi McGlade were off twice on the same stage earlier on..still going. Max McKillen has got ahead of Mark Doyle, by just 4s in the battle of the Peugeot 106s.Sean Keen leads F2 from Derek Jobb. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON