UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4

1ST (1) Trevor Moore/Philip McCrea (Escort) 18.49

2ND (3) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Celica) 18.56

3RD (7) Stephen Whitford/Mark Crowe (Lancer E6 N) 19.15

4TH (4) Denis Biggerstaff/Damien McCann (Metro) 19.28

5TH (10) Richard Hogg/Mark Hanna (Evo 5 N) 19.34

6TH (5) James Gillen/Victor Carrothers (Escort) 19.39

7TH (27) Frank Kelly/Hugh McCallan (Escort) 19.47

8TH (21) James Cassidy/Damien Duffin (G4 Escort) 19.41

9TH (9) Gary White/Barry Taggart (Escort WRC) 19.51

10TH (16) Greg McCormack/John Magee (Escort) 19.52

11TH (15) Brian McCloskey/Francis Regan (Escort) 19.54

= (19) Johnny McKenna/Frank Conville (Escort) 19.54

NB: Some drivers may have road penalities.

The big news here at the Maghera Service is that both Derek McGarrity and Kevin O'Kane have retired after being off the road. McGarrity is reportedly stuck at the second chicane in stage three, Altbrittain. Reports from the stage describe visibility as very poor, the low cloud causing many of the drivers major problems. It seems that McGarrity couldn't see the chicane, clipped one of the barrels, his Impreza WRC bouncing into a ditch.

Trevor Moore now leads the rally, the former winner describing stage three as the slippiest stage ever, added to the mist, Trevor quoted "unreal". Eugene Donnelly reports no problems in second place, the local man saying everything is 100%. Denis Biggerstaff has dropped to fifth after co-driver Damien McCann openly admitted to getting lost on the notes in the fog "we could not see anything, I just lost my bearings, it was better to stop calling the notes than have an accident".

Many drivers have reported spins and small offs but the most notable of these was Richard Hogg. He put the Lancer off the road about half way through stage four, the car quite badly damaged at the front, Richard is checking to see if the car is straight here in service. James Gillen and Victor Carrothers were also off in SS4 losing at least 20 seconds, while Brian McCluskey has a really bad misfire in his Escort Cosworth.

Greg McCormack in his Mk2, the driver claiming he is not going hard and finding the transition to gravel a little bit strange.

Also going well is Johnny McKenna in his Mk2, James Cassidy is flying in his 1600cc G3, into the top ten and having a trouble free run. Rodney White has suffered a few spins in his sunbeam and is on a total of 20.46.

More News Later ..... Michael Patterson and Zoe Todd