RALLY NEWS NO.3 Service - Sunday 1.15pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Billa Bridge

1st (5) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 17.43
2nd (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 17.45
3rd (4) Cahal Arthurs/Jakes Kelly (Accent WRC) 17.58
4th (3) Patrick Elliott/David Moynihan (Impreza WRC) 18.00
5th (10) David Armstrong/Bob Kelly (Impreza WRC) 18.17
6th (152) Sean Devine/Brendan Connor (Impreza WRC) 18.32
7th (16) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman (Impreza WRC) 19.01
8th (8) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Focus WRC) 19.03
9th (19) Willie Fannin/Richard Price (Impreza N) 19.05
10th (23) Joe & Dermot McHugh (Escort Cos) 19.13

The weather took a down turn for stage 2, the roads were very slippery and Kevin Lynch had to dig deep to record a fastest time with some very brave driving on dry weather slick tyres. Lynch was 10s faster than fellow Subaru driver Niall Maguire to move into the lead, next fastest was Cahal Arthurs in the Hyundai, 1s down on Maguire. Niall said. "We were on a cross between a slick and an intermediate tyre but it was still very slippy". Kevin Lynch said. "Still a long way to go". Cahal Arthurs was slightly surprised to be up into 3rd ahead of Patrick Elliott, Cahal having stalled his Accent at a hairpin. David Armstrong had a good run in the ex Melvyn Evans Subaru to move up from 6th to 5th ahead of Sean Devine. The latter having slid his Subaru sideways down towards the bridge at the end of stage 2 and clipped the parapet with the front right-hand corner of the Impreza. Glenn Allen reported another overshoot and also a spin at the bridge in stage 2, Glenn still getting to grips with the left-hand drive Focus.

In Group N Willie Fannin had a straight-on at a junction but still managed to hold on to the gpN lead. Noel McCarrick was on the wrong tyres and also suffered a couple of overshoots. We reported on the last RallyNews that Gabriel Martin was slowed with an intermittent cut-out in the engine department of his Lancer. The fuel pump has been changed and hopefully that is the problem sorted. James O'Sullivan lost a few seconds on the 2nd stage with a spin, his total now 19.43. Noel McCarrick is on 19.29 and Gabriel Martin 19.20. Danny McBride in the GpN Impreza is on 20.14 having survived a massive stage 2 spin. Jack Sleator is on 19.47 in his Lancer. Adrian Quinn (Lancer) 19.37, well up in gpN.

Pat Donegan continues to lead the two-wheel drive cars, Pat's total 19.20 in his Escort. Mac McKenna went straight on at a square left into a field, dropped over a minute, no damage, his total 20.39. Enda Keenan is struggling to find grip, his total 19.46. While Maurice Moffett thinks there is something not right about the steering rack of his rear wheel drive Peugeot, and his total is 20.08. Brian Armstrong has had a reasonably good run and his total is 19.40 in the Escort. Arthur Kierans (Escort) is possibly leading his class on 19.33. Gerry Smith (Escort) big overshoot, no times available just yet. Gordon Rogers is on 19.36.

More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net