1^ST (1) Andrew Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 1.32.00

2^ND (5) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.32.47

3^RD (4) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.34.20

4^TH (11) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 1.35.19

5^TH (2) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.36.01

6^TH (14) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.36.22

7^th (9) Paul Harris/John McCafferty (Impreza WRC) 1.36.47

8^th (26) Maurice Gass/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 1.40.44

9^th (19) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Lancer N) 1.41.21

10^th (17) Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Impreza N) 1.41.30

11^TH (59) Cahal Rogers/Paul McLaughlin (Lancer N) 1.41.31

NEWS COMING IN…..ANDREW NESBITT HAS CRASHED A SHORT DISTANCE INTO PORT LAKE. Eugene Donnelly clipped Andrew’s Subaru and was able to keep going. McGarrity has crashed into Nesbitt’s car and is going slowly. MacHale spun his Focus to a halt, blocking the stage to save Nesbitt’s car further damage. More ….Donelly’s car overheating, Nesbitt got going…

Through the High Glen stage Andrew Nesbitt was fastest by 12s from Eugene Donnelly, Paul Harris equalled Eugene’s time, Austin MacHale was 4^th fastest. Andrew Nesbitt was totally focused at stage end as only Andrew can be, he was obviously intent on stamping his authority all over this Shell Donegal Rally. He reported the car 100 per cent. Eugene Donnelly had a clean run while 3^rd placed Derek McGarrity finished the stage with smoke pouring from his Subaru brakes. Derek recounted pulling the hand brake on at a chicane, the rear wheels locked and he wrestled with the hand brake while hammering up the road, until eventually it cleared, but the brakes were still binding a little at stage finish. Kevin Lynch wasn’t just as fast as normal through that stage, his time 7.48, 10s slower than MacHale behind, but Lynch still has a fair bit in hand.

In Group N Seamus Leonard and Cahal Rogers tied for fastest with a time of 8.13, Colm Murphy was on 8.14. Aaron MacHale 8.17 and Dessie Keenan 8.25. Leonard reported the stage to be very slippy, but otherwise he had a good run. Dessie Keenan had a spin and lost a few seconds. Interestingly, there is some discussion about Aaron MacHale’s overall position in the rally. He was shown as 20^th on the overnight results, having lost 3 minutes with an accident on Knockalla. However, there was another accident further back in the stage which caused the stage to be stopped, and Aaron has now been awarded an "interrupted stage time" which brings him up to 9^th overall and leading group N.

Just outside the top 11 is Dessie Keenan in 12^th. Sean Devine 13^th. Colm Murphy 14^th. Tony Davies 15^th. John Dalton had a good time through High Glen and that should keep him in the lead of the National part of the rally, ahead of Paul Gallagher in his Corolla. More news to follow. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net