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RALLY
NEWS NO.10
Killarney - Sunday 5.30
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 18 CARAGH LAKE
1st (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 2.17.14
2nd (4) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 2.19.15
3rd (6) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (LancerWRC) 2.20.24
4th (15) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 2.24.05
5th (9) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 2.26.14
6th (18) Johnny O'Sullivan/Pat Cashman (Escort WRC) 2.26.26
7th (46) Alan Ring/Greg Shinnors (Impreza N) 2.28.30
8th (7) George Treacy/Jakes Kelly (206 WRC) 2.28.33
9th (27) James Foley/Lisa Roe (Lancer N) 2.29.11
10th (21) Aaron MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Lancer N) 2.29.33
With just one more stage to go Donie O'Sullivan has unfortunately
crashed out of this Killarney Rally of the Lakes. Donie was
lying a solid 2nd, 21s ahead of Austin MacHale and resisting all the
pressure the experienced Dubliner could throw at him. He was
fastest over stage 16, Molls Gap, and that was despite stalling his
Focus engine at the start line. Donie was worried that MacHale
would again take a chunk of time in stage 17 as he had done
previously. However Donie was just 5s slower than MacHale on
that one and looked as if he could cruise through the last 2 stages
to 2nd overall. But it all went wrong on the Caragh Lake test.
Details are sketchy so far, but the main thing is that Donie and co
driver Paul Nagle are reportedly OK. There is an unconfirmed
report that there was a small fire in the Focus. Hopefully the
damage is not too severe.
Further retirements on the last lap of stages included Denis Cronin
who ran into puncture problems with his Celica on Molls Gap.
Pete Doughty's Escort WRC disappeared on Ballaghbeama. We
reported earlier that Colm Murphy had run into engine problems. He
managed to get that sorted and is still going at full speed.
We also reported earlier about Eugene Donnelly's Corolla WRC
retiring with turbo problems. Eugene got that fixed and has been
carrying out course car duties this afternoon. Liam McCarthy's
retirement was confirmed because of a fuel leak on his Corolla WRC.
In the National part of the rally Phil Collins still has a massive
lead. Fergal Allen is 2nd in his BMW with Brendan Brosnan 3rd
despite a puncture to his Peugeot. Tom Randles was 2nd earlier but
his Escort succumbed to differential trouble.
In the Historic part of the rally Joe & Gareth Connolly continue
to lead in their Escort, from the similar Ford of Martin Freestone
& Chris Heyes. Don Moynihan is 3rd in yet another Escort, Mervyn
Johnston 4th in his Mini Cooper. Todd Falvey 5th in his Porsche and
Philip Wylie/Maurice Beckett 6th in their MGB.
In the innovative Junior section of the rally, just introduced this
year, talented 17 year old Owen Murphy led in his Peugeot from James
Stafford (Nova), Eoghan Fogarty 3rd in his Civic.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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