RALLY NEWS NO.2 End of stage 1 – near Athenry – 10.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Monivea

1^st (1) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 7.35.2

2^nd (3) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 7.37.3

3^rd (13) Tapio Laukkanen/Harri Kaapro (Impreza WRC) 7.39.9

4^th (9) Tim McNulty/Julian Nangle (Impreza WRC) 7.45.3

5^th (2) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Keily (Corolla WRC) 7.47.1

6^th (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 7.47.7

7^th (15) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 7.57.4

8^th (11) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Impreza WRC) 7.58.4

9^th (23) James Foley/Lisa Roe (Lancer N) 7.58.5

10^th (8) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 8.04.3

"Low lie the fields of Athenry"……one car went visiting, that was Ray Breen in his new Subaru – off the road but with the "OK" board up. All the lead drivers made it through the Monivea stage unscathed, but all reported it very slippy on damp and muddy roads. Tapio Laukkanen commented "Steady, no dramas no problems". Rally Leader Austin MacHale was really uptight, but still doing the business. McGarrity felt that he had clipped a rear right wheel against a rock, but there did not seem to be any damage. Eugene Donnelly reported "Very difficult in the new car, we were slow".

Donei O’Sullivan in the Bio-Clear Focus told us "We’re here to finish". JJ Fleming felt that the gearbox in his Subaru wasn’t quite right and he was struggling. JJ’s time 8.04.6. Maurice Gass was very despondent at stage finish, his Hyundai looked fine but his time was 8.26.12. Maurice having stalled the car on the start line.

Roy White was just fastest in group N from James Foley, Roy reporting the front of his Lancer to be pushing on the corners. Paddy White made a disastrous start. The engine would not fire up in Galway, he lost 80s and then had a puncture on the way to the stage. Aaron MacHale recorded a time of 8.07.5, found the going difficult on cold tyres. John Spain had been through a gate into one of the fields of Athenry, got away with it, little damage, little time loss. Tom Holton’s newer Celica finished the stage with a soft rear right tyre, and also some power steering problems.

Colm Murphy had a good time despite an overshoot, 8.09. Willie Fannin smacked the rear left corner of his Impreza, his time 8.30.4. Dessie Keenan had a good run, 8.06.9, and that was despite his brakes not being bedded in. James McCann’s Escort Cosworth had turbo problems and was off the pace. Guy Woodcock’s F2 Escort had some gearbox troubles.

More news after stage 3: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON (www.rallynews.net)