UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 10 (Ballybuck)

1^st (13) Tapio Laukkanen/Harri Kaapro (Impreza WRC) 1.10.11.2

2^nd (2) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.10.20.5

3^rd (1) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.10.41.3

4^th (3) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.11.27.4

5^th (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.11.42.2

6^th (9) Tim McNulty/Julian Nangle (Impreza WRC) 1.12.08.3

7^th (8) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.13.01.4

8^th (23) James Foley/Lisa Roe (Lancer N) 1.14.10.9

9^th (16) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Lancer N) 1.14.50.5

10^th (25) Dessie Keenan/Laura Keenan (Lancer N) 1.15.20.6

11^th (12) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Celica) 1.15.25.2

12^th (38) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 1.15.35.5

Tapio Laukkanen was fastest through stage 10, Ballybuck, while his closest pursuers Eugene Donnelly and Austin MacHale had minor difficulties. In Group N Roy White retired his Lancer with damaged differentials at junction 10. Colm Murphy was fastest Production car.

Tapio Laukkanen actually lost the lead of the rally briefly at the service area before this stage 10 when his Impreza cam shaft sensor went on the blink. The problem was sorted, and in warm dry sunny conditions here at Ballybuck outside Adrahan, Tapio flew through the stage to demoralise the opposition. The Finn commented at stage finish "A good run, nothing stupid".

Eugene Donnelly was in a real flap, the inside floor pan of his Corolla WRC awash with water after the tank for the water injection burst inside the car. Austin MacHale was disappointed to have stalled his Focus WRC at the stage start and lost valuable seconds. While Derek McGarrity mounted no significant challenge, the Tarmac Champion reckoning he had picked too soft a compound tyre for the conditions.

Tom Holton was an overnight 14^th, but his Celica has reportedly gone off the road in the stage, or anyway, has stopped. This brings George Cullen up to 13^th, George taking it steady in the ex Bertie Fisher machine, which now makes him the highest placed Galway driver.

Edging up towards the top 15 now is Tony Davies in his Metro 6R4. Also Jack Sleator in his Lancer, Glenn Wilson and Guy Woodcock in their Formula 2 Escorts.

Latest on Tom Holton is that he has got the Celica going after being off for about 30 minutes on a slippy 6 right. Paddy White was lying 21s overnight, and looked to be gaining a few places this morning, but then the Navan man’s engine started to go off song, and there is some oil smoke. Paddy had various problems yesterday, for example of stage 9 he smacked a wall with the front right hand corner but with superficial damage.

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