RALLY NEWS NO.4                  End of stage 6 - Sunday 4.45pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 - BALLYMOUNTAIN
1st  (3) Niall Maguire/Paul McLoughlin (Subaru) 54.11
2nd (9) Patrick Elliott/Sean Moriarty (Subaru) 55.04
3rd (10) Sean Gallagher/Victor Carruthers (Escort) 55.35
4th (5) Robert Woodside/Dean Beckett (Subaru) 55.51
5th (4) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Subaru) 56.00
6th (2) Melvyn Evans/Alun Davies (Esc.WRC) 56.10
7th (30) David & June Long (Sierra) 56.28
8th (16) Jon Mercer/Aled Davies (Metro 6R4) 56.34
9th (28) Mac McKenna/John Loughran (Peugeot rwd) 56.54
10th (33) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 56.55
        (8) Richie Curran/Gerry English (Esc.Cos) 56.55

Through stages 5 and 6 Niall Maguire continued to set fastest times, the Dunlop Championship leader still pushing hard despite the slippy conditions.  Patrick Elliott in 2nd reports no major problems, while 3rd placed Sean Gallagher, also fighting for Dunlop Championship points, is back on the pace following his earlier intercom problems. Robert Woodside in 4th place now has reverse gear, but still no 6th in his Impreza WRC.  Fifth placed Steve Fleck reports no problems and Melvyn Evans in 6th told us that his engineers have made some adjustments to the centre differential and the car is handling a lot better, but he is really too far in arrears to make much headway.  Melvyn still of course is the top Get Connected points contender - one of his main rivals John Price is lying outside the leaderboard on 57.38, Price telling us that his Metro suspension just is not right for today's conditions, and he is also having intercom troubles.

In Group N Bob Fowden has got his Lancer sorted out following slight suspension trouble caused by an earlier puncture.  Bob has sliced past Kieran Molloy, Fowden now on 57.57, Molloy on 58.18.  Aaron McHale is taking it steady enough, his rebuilt Lancer still with some suspension and bake troubles, and his total is 59.31.  While Gwyndaf Evans is also struggling with brake dramas and he is on 59.50. 

Latest retirements include Derek Smith, who was just knocking on the leaderboard but has pulled out at the end of stage 6 because of gearbox problems.  Gareth Lloyd has crashed his Escort in stage 6.  Tom Geraghty has put the McKinstry Subaru off the road in stage 4. Mark Morgan had a big accident in stage 1.  Tom Randles has lost time because of a jammed throttle cable earlier in the rally.  Kieran O'Neill is on a total of 59.50 in the Kit Kat Kadett, told us he is enjoying the rally, and in his own words "glad to be out"..!  David James has wiper and electrical problems. Tim Ball in the Darrian, suspension awry after clipping a rock earlier.
Ford Ka Championship - After stage 5 Gerry Keyes has moved into the lead from Ken Mulvaney with David Lyons 3rd. James Eivers was well ahead of Keyes after stage 4 but unfortunately his Ka succumbed to driveshaft trouble in stage 5.  More news after stage 8. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON                                                   www.rallynews.net