UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1

1st (7) Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna (Escort Cos) 50.0s

(8) John McKeown/Paul Fergus (Sierra Cos) 50.0

3rd (11) Jim Crozier/Paul Callan (Proton) 51.0

(3) Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson (Escort WRC) 51.0

(17) Andrew Stewart/F. McShane (Impreza) 51.0

6th (5) Denis Biggerstaff/Damien McCann (Metro 6R4) 52.0

(12) Sean Cassidy/Martina Doyle (Escort Cos) 52.0

(16) Seamus Herron/Gerry McVeigh (Lancer) 52.0

9th (2) Eugene Donnelly/Shane O'Neill (Escort G3) 53.0

(18) Dan McCartan/Michael McElwee (Lancer) 53.0

11th (9) David McGlaughlin/John McGlaughlin (Escort Cos)54.0

(39) Sean McArdle/Ger McMonagle (Subaru) 54.0

(15) John McIvor/Brian McIvor (Escoart Cos) 54.0

(20) Derek Jobb/Kevin O'Brien (Lancer) 54.0

(19) Raymond McLoughlin/G.McLoughlin (Impreza) 54.0

(22) Greg McCormack/Charlie Beattie (Escort) 54.0

(23) Philip Shaw/Conor Murphy (Escort) 54.0

(30) Paul Gallagher/Karl Reid (106) 54.0

"We had a good run" reported Eugene Donnelly at the end of the first stage here at Lark in the Park, the Maghera man continuing "Although it was very slippy, the worst I've ever seen it. It's a matter of trying your best not to spin!" Being last year's winner Eugene has of course the honour of running first on the road, and therefore possibly encounters the slippiest of the conditions. Ivan Orr was next on the road driving Maurice Gass' car, Ivan looking rather shell shocked at stage finish and saying "It's a real handful, it is going to take a while to get into the way of it". Kieran Shaw arrived next, Kieran having the number on the side of his Escort WRC changed from 38 to 3 at the last moment. The Woodland Furniture man was another looking a bit shaky at stage finish and said "We had a bit of a whoopsie at one of the corners, I can't believe the time is so competitive". Ivan Stewart arrived next, the Letterkenny man not happy at all, his Escort Cosworth down on to 2 cylinders and well over 10s off the pace.

Richard Hogg was another surprised at his pace - it is Richard's first run out in one of Dominic McNeill's Escort Cosworths, and he admitted to missing a couple of gears in the stage, so there must be a bit more time left from the Limavady man. Similarly, equal first John McKeown lost time at the left hander towards the finish, John still very much on the pace. Other stories included..Sean McArdle out for the first time in a Subaru, Sean's comment after driving the Toyota Celica for the last couple of years "I could definitely grow to like this". In Group N Andrew Stewart holds the initial advantage, but there is very little in it. More news later...BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON