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RALLY NEWS NO.4
Westport/Finish/Sunday/5pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 - LAST STAGE
1st (2) Eugene Ferry/John Gallagher (Escort) 27.27
2nd (14) Tom McGovern/Kevin McGovern (Escort) 27.39
3rd (11) Conor Curley/Paul Hone (Escort) 27.41
4th (6) Gordon Rogers/Philip McEntee (Escort) 27.41
5th (9) Rodney Wilton/Peter Leahy (Escort) 28.01
6th (3) Pat Higgins/Liam Higgins (Escort) 28.19
7th (17) James Cassidy/Damien Duffin (Escort) 28.26
(18) Terence McHugh/Brian McMonagle (Escort) 28.26
9th (7) Gerry Smyth/Charles Adams (Escort) 28.38
10th (47) Martin Magee/Adrian Brolly (Escort) 28.39
Eugene Ferry scored a convincing win here today on this Mayo Stage Rally,
Eugene far and away the fastest on the first stage, and able to drive with
some discretion through stages 2 and 3. The battle for 2nd and 3rd
place was no less ferocious for all that, with Tom McGovern doing enough on
stage 3 to move ahead of Gordon Rogers, with whom he was tying after stage 2.
It was young Conor Curley who set fastest time on that 3rd stage, to move
into equal 3rd with Rogers, but Derry man Conor taking the podium honours on
the tie break rules of fastest on the last stage.
The winner, Eugene Ferry, co driven by John Gallagher, commented here at the
Westport finish ramp.."I was lucky enough to get the break on the first
stage, although mind you I thought I had relaxed just a little too much on
the final stage. I am very pleased to have won, the car ran like clockwork. I
thought the rally was very demanding, slippy but good fun and the lads behind
were never too far away".
There were no major dramas amongst the leading runners over the final stage.
Tom Taafe pushed too hard on a square right corner and his Honda Integra went
into the ditch for many seconds, which meant any chance of catching class 3
group N leader Aidan Caddye went clean out of the window. Letterkenny man
Aidan had a good run all day, and improved towards the end, finishing just
outside theleaderboard on a total of 29.10. Just behind him was Gordon
Percy on 29.18. Paddy O'Reilly finished on 30.00, having lost time on the
first stage when his alternator belt gave trouble and also a few seconds lost
on the final stage when he caught up with the stricken Tom Taafe.
Rodney Wilton had a brilliant drive to win class 11 from James Cassidy.
Terence McHugh wins class 12 from Gerry Smyth, with Martin Magee coming into
the leaderboard at the very end and taking 3rd in that class 12. Smyth
set a superb time at the end and commented "I drove like an oul woman
early on, I'm mad at myself". Finally for now, many thanks to Sean
McHugh and all in the Mayo & District MC for all their hard work on
laying on this excellent event.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON
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