RALLY NEWS NO.3                   Dingle-Sunday- 3.30        www.rallynews.net
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 Brandon Creek
1st (2) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 25.38
    (7) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza)  25.38
3rd (5) Liam O'Callaghan/David Hogan (Impreza) 25.45
4th (9) Donal O'Donovan/Pat Lordan (Celica) 26.06
     (6) Tim McNulty/Julian Nangle (Impreza) 26.06
6th  (10) Kieran Shaw/Crawford Henderson (Esc. WRC) 26.14
7th (8) Patrick Elliott/Sean Moriarty (Impreza) 26.28
8th (14) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 26.38
9th (17) Dermot Kelly/Francis Regan (Esc. WRC) 26.54
    (28) Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 26.54

There were no major dramas amongst the top drivers through stages 3 and 4.  The big story was Niall Maguire's speed.  Monaghan man Niall is the current leader of the Dunlop Championship.  Caught on the hop at the start of the first stage, Niall did not get his Subaru's anti lag system switched on until he was a couple of miles down the road, meaning his first stage time was just a few seconds slower than Harrison.  In stage 2 it was Harrison and O'Callaghan who were fastest.  In stage 3 Slea Head, Maguire started to redress the balance and recorded a time of 6.45, with Donal O'Donovan 2nd fastest on 6.47, Harrison, McNulty and O'Callaghan tying on 6.48.  In stage 4 Brandon Creek, Niall showed the opposition a fairly clean pair of heels with a time of 5.21, Harrison was on 5.26, McNulty 5.27 and O'Callaghan 5.29.  West Cork man Donal O'Donovan was back on 5.37 on that one, his Celica's water injection packing the fiddle halfway through, the computer then telling the anti lag system to give it a rest in sympathy.  Wonderful the works of a wheelbarrow!!

Maguire commented here at service into Dingle Harbour - "Apart from those few seconds lost on the first stage we've had a very smooth run, no major dramas".  Liam O'Callaghan told us "We lost a few seconds at the end of Brandon Creek when we came across a farmer walking on the road, and we had to beep the horn a couple of times."  Third on the road Tim McNulty told us "We're getting into it now, haven't got any hard compound tyres, but we're fitting new front covers at every opportunity".  Following his quick start Jim Harrison seemed a little downbeat at the end of stage 4, but reported no problems, no dramas.  Next on the road Patrick Elliott was also looking a bit down, saying "We had a problem in stage 3, but really I don't want to talk about it". !!??

Kieran Shaw continues to set a good pace, but perhaps his stages 3 and 4 not quite as good as his 2nd stage time.  Anthony O'Halloran reports no problems, although getting stuck in 4th gear on stage 2 did not help. Enda Keenan's Escort - broken throttle cable.  Tom Randles, getting on to the 2 wheel drive pace, but he will not recover from his 2nd stage puncture, total now is 28.31.  O'Halloran is on 27.40, James Cole going nicely on 27.38. Sean McArdle clipped a rock and is on 28.01.   Andrew Stewart continues to lead gpN and in fact is in the top 10, & is another looking for hard compound tyres but we have misplaced one of his times. John O'Leary in the gpN Subaru has lost 6 minutes with a puncture.  More news to follow..BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON                              www.rallynews.net