UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 14 (Ballinacarriga)

1^st (3) Melvyn Evans/Alun Davies (Escort WRC) 1.44.56

2^nd (18) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Subaru Impreza) 1.45.31

3^rd (6) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Imp.WRC) 1.46.41

4^th (1) John Price/Caroline Price (6R4) 1.47.51

5^th (14) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Subaru Imp.WRC) 1.49.05

6^th (8) Tommy Graham/Sean Mullally (Subaru Imp.WRC) 1.49.12

7^th (20) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 1.49.52

8^th (46) Mark Morgan/Tony Fisher (Lancer N) 1.50.44

9^th (19) Derek Smith/Daragh Cafferky (Escort) 1.50.52

10^th (37) Barry Coleman/Alan Russell (Subaru) 1.51.50

11^th (47) Andrew Haddon/Mark Solloway (Lancer N) 1.52.16

12^th (16) Peter Lloyd/Martin Henry (6R4) 1.52.18

With just 2 stages to go Melvyn Evans is looking very secure at the top, through stages 13 and 14 the Welshman was again fastest. He commented here at service "It’s going very smoothly now, a clear screen makes all the difference." Steve Fleck’s challenge effectively ended with a poorish time though stage 11, and even though he set fastest time in stage 12, Fleck knew that any chance of victory had gone. When asked what the problem was in stage 11 he was at a loss to give an answer, felt it just didn't’go right, for no particular reason. Any pressure that Fleck was on from behind disappeared when Pete Doughty put his Subaru straight on at a T junction and into a field. That was the end of his rally. Jim Harrison then moved into 3^rd, by his own admission it’s just not clicking for Jim today. In his own words "Not coming together". John Price reports no problems. JJ Fleming was slowed by intercom problems and Tommy Graham who rounds off the top tells us that he is being a bit careful.

Despite a puncture, Mark Morgan still leads gpN from Andrew Haddon with Damien Cole looking good for 3^rd in the showroom category.

Phil Collins continues to lead the 2 wheel drive category and is having an absolute ball on the stages, but now under no pressure, joked "I’ve moved into a drama free environment". Derek Smith is still 2^nd best 2 wheel drive.

Max McKillen has retired his Denis & Mary Ryan backed Citroen Saxo, possibly due to that earlier clutch problem. Other stories include – Stephen Carway still going but confidence shaken after hitting a wall. Kieran O’Neill is still setting competitive times, leading his class, and approximately 13^th overall.

John Shanahan was leading his modified section yesterday, but a broken cable cost road penalties and knocked him back, the Killavullen car dealer flat out today to make up for lost time. More news later. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON