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RALLY
NEWS NO.4
Dingle/Service/Sunday 3.15 www.rallynews.net
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 Slea Head
1st (4) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 29.48
2nd (1) Naill Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 30.05
3rd (2) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC) 30.39
4th (12) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Celica) 30.46
5th (21) Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell (Impreza WRC) 30.58
6th (14) JJ Fleming/Robbie Ward (Impreza WRC) 30.59
7th (15) George Cullen/Pat Cashman (Impreza 555) 31.15
8th (5) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 31.24
9th (7) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 31.25
(20) Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 31.25
Jim Harrison was leading this Kerry Rally heading into the Brandon Creek and
Slea Head stages, but on Brandon Creek the Macclesfield man bumped the front
of his Impreza WRC against a wall and lost approximately half a minute to
Niall Maguire and Donie O'Sullivan. Donie O'Sullivan turned in a scorcher of
a time to move from 3rd to 1st. Niall Maguire held on to 2nd and Patrick
Elliott came into 3rd and Harrison was relegated to 4th. On stage 4,
Slea Head, Patrick Elliott crashed his Subaru on a 2nd gear tight corner,
clipped a bank and damaged something in the front of the car, which meant he
couldn't continue. Donie O'Sullivan was away fastest from Niall
Maguire, Jim Harrison a further 9s back, his intercom turned up so loud that
he couldn't actually hear the notes for the roar.
Niall Maguire commented after the Brandon Creek and Slea Head stages.
"Knowing where to go hard is impossible, very slippy in patches, around
the grotto for example on Slea Head was bad, and the start of the stage was
very difficult. Maybe we picked too hard a compound tyre".
Jim Harrison is having to go out on to stages 5 and 6 with his Subaru brake
cooling radiator removed, having been damaged in the accident. Denis Cronin
was slowed through stage 4 when he caught up with Liam McCarthy's Corolla
which was suffering some clutch slip.
In Group N Gabriel Martin/Mark Kane set fastest time through stage 4
although Andrew Stewart still convincingly leads overall. Peter
Clifford made a slow start as he found his feet following his West Cork
accident, and Peter has now speeded up and has moved into 4th in group N
behind Willie Fannin. Jack Sleator would normally be on the front
running gpN pace but he has lost time through the last couple of stages with
severe brake problems. The engineers are fitting new discs here at service.
Interestingly, Opel dealer Jack has stepped into the breach for commentator
Dougie Hughes and supplied him with a new Opel van for his use during the
rest of this season. One very decent man!
In the 2 wheel drive category Anthony O'Halloran is going well, just ahead
of Aidan Walsh and John Rooney. Tom Randles lost at least 2 minutes on the
Brandon Creek stage when his Escort slid into a ditch and spoiled what was
looking like a good 2 wheel drive result. Emily O'Mahony's Ford
Puma stalled at the start of stage 3. Emily was eventually able to get
the car going but unfortunately drove off with the bonnet not properly
fastened, it blew up and smashed against the windscreen, losing more time.
Just outside the leaderboard - Cathal Arthurs is up to 11th as he gets used
to his new Hyundai. Then its gpN runners Gabriel Martin in 12th, Willie
Fannin 13th, Peter Clifford 14th. Liam McCarthy 15th, Kevin Barrett 16th
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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