1st (7) Peadar Hurson/Ian Porter (Celica) 9.13

2nd (5) Tim McNulty/Julian Nangle (Impreza) 9.27

3rd (6) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Subaru WRC) 9.44

4th (18) David James/Ron Guha (Escort BDX) 9.54

5th (19) Jimmy Lambert/James Coleman (Escort) 10.00

= (29) William Carroll/James Mernagh (Escort COS) 10.00

7th (39) Willie O'Dwyer/Andrew Purcell (6R4) 10.02

8th (23) John Nolan/John Smithwick (Escort) 10.05

9th (12) Tom Holton/Andrew Cullen (Celica) 10.13

= (27) Trevor Culbert/James Glynn (Escort) 10.13

Peadar Hurson told us at the end of the first stage that he was being cautious. However, the other two drivers were open-mouthed at Peadar's stunning time. First on the road, Tim McNulty, commented at stage finish "Very very slippy, it looks like a sort of a finisher's rally, we may try and up the pace on the next stage". Hurson said "We got through the stage anyway - very difficult - on the first corner, we were nearly in the ditch, and on the second one, the road is very unpredictable. We were cautious enough". Maurice Gass is out in his new car for the first time, and he told us "The engine is completely cutting out coming out of junctions, alright when it's lit up, but we're losing a lot of time".

Fourth on the road is Sean McArdle and he echoed most drivers' feelings when he said "It's extremely slippy, I'd like a bit more grip". David James is the fastest of the two wheel drive cars so far, David saying "We stalled at a few junctions, although the car is going well otherwise. I think there's a bit more to come, I want to finish further up the leaderboard than this".

Despite a big straight on at a junction, Kieran Molloy is the fastest GpN car through, his Lancer stopping the clocks on 10.20. While Donal Bowens, making a return to the sport after quite an absence, recorded a time of 10.24. Noel Redmond was expected to be one of the front GpN runners, but his time of 11.19 reflected a blown turbo. Jimmy Lambert put up a class leading performance of 10 mins dead in his Mk2 Escort. Derek Smith recorded 10.19, Derek bedding in a new engine.

John Carroll in the Ford Ka recorded a time of 10.48, too soon yet to tell if it is the class winning performance that he needs to try and tie up the Triton Showers South East Championship, his 1600 Escort is in a different class, and recorded 11.11. Mick's time was not helped when he went through gateposts and into a field briefly.

Other stories included .... John Rooney was over a hedge for more than a minute, PJ Crossbie put his Peugeot in a ditch at the first junction, still going, but lost time. Pat Price was slowed when a bottle of water got tangled in his feet. Liam Wall's Escort is overheating.

More News Later ......... Brian & Liz Patterson