RALLY NEWS NO.15
St Angelo – Monday 5.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 23
ST ANGELO (last stage)
1st (1) Derek
McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 2.34.42.7
2ND (4) Andrew
Nesbitt/James O'Brien (Impreza WRC) 2.36.00.9
3RD (5) Eamonn
Boland/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 2.36.46.6
4TH (7) Tim
McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 2.38.17.1
5TH (3) Austin
MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 2.39.50.8
6TH (16) Sean
Devine/James McKee (Impreza WRC) 2.46.11.9
7th (57) Garry
Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 2.47.48.8
8th (18) Alan
Nesbitt/Paddy Robinson (Impreza N) 2.52.24.2
9th (20) Paddy
White/Graeme Stewart (Impreza WRC) 2.52.25.3
10th (14) Aaron
MacHale/Ger McMonagle (Lancer N) 2.53.26.3
The grand finale of this 2005 Meteor
Electrical Circuit of Ireland was a head to head stage duel between
Derek McGarrity and Andrew Nesbitt in their respective Subarus for
victory. McGarrity was almost 14s faster than Nesbitt on this final
spectator stage to win the rally by 18.2 seconds. Derek started the
stage just 4s in front, what was thought was going to be a really
close finish turned into almost an anti climax as Andrew Nesbitt
slithered his Impreza into the scenery at the slurry pit over on the
far side of the circuit. This meant Andrew taking 2m28s for the
stage as against McGarrity’s 2.14. In theory that should be the end
of the story, a hat trick of wins for Derek McGarrity, 2 of them
with Dermot O’Gorman co driving, 1 with Chris Patterson. It is
possibly the closest finish ever on this event. The last time it
was this close was when the late Bertie Fisher seemed to win by 1
second, and after much discussion in steward’s meetings, the rally
eventually went to Austin MacHale by 19s.
There is still some discussion
as to whether the above results will stand. Andrew Nesbitt feels
very strongly that he was dealt, not just a cruel but an unfair
hand, in stage 8 yesterday where he lost over 30s at a chicane,
which he claimed was not set up as per the road book plan when he
did his reconnaissance. In fact, Andrew feels that an injustice has
been done. He does have the right to protest, but he has said here
at the finish that he will not. That aside, McGarrity was delighted
to achieve the hat trick and told us. “To be honest I thought we
were going to get it from Cookstown on. My luck had changed for the
better, with the damaged wheel and the Pirelli tyre not going down.
Also a man came up to me and showed me an old Cookstown Motor Bike
Race programme which featured my late father, Patsy, making his
debut there. I just felt this was my day”. At that Derek’s mother
appeared out of the crowd and threw her arms around him – the
celebrations had begun!
Andrew Nesbitt commented. “I’m
not too down hearted, I’m really happy the way the stages went for
me, I think I did 18 or 20 fastest times, and I have more or less
come out of retirement to do the event.” Eamonn Boland in 3rd
said. “After all the rubbish that I endured last year with cars I
enjoyed the event”. Tim McNulty in the Pierse Subaru finished a
good 4th, he did lose quite a few seconds on the last
stage when he stalled the car, but it made no real difference.
Austin MacHale came 5th, not a fantastic result by his
standards, but then on the Saturday he thought he was in big trouble
with the car so he was glad to have made the finish.
Garry Jennings wins Group N, Garry
saying. “Fantastic, I’m so happy; it’s my first Circuit finish in 4
years of trying. Rory and I worked really hard through Saturday and
Sunday and we were able to take a breather today”. Alan Nesbitt
finished 2nd Group N. Aaron MacHale 3rd.
Willie Fannin 4th and young Conor McCloskey, celebrating
his 19th birthday today, a fabulous 5th gpN
and 12th overall. Sean Devine and Paddy White finished 6th
and 8th in their respective World Rally Cars, Paddy’s
smelling like a manure pit after a big spin at the farm. Just a few
more places in the roll of honour – Brian O’Mahony did a great job
in his Puma keeping everything together and coming in 14th
overall to win class A6 ahead of Andrew Bushe who was 16th.
Peter Wilson scored a brilliant N2 class win and 17th o/a
in his Civic and Brendan Comiskey won class N3 in another Civic and
was 18th overall.
In the National section of the
event Paul Gallagher & Karl Reid took their Corolla to victory by
over 2 minutes from Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan in an Escort with
Declan McNaughton/Barry McCarte 3rd in another Escort.
Finally for now our thanks to
all who helped and supported the RallyNews service throughout the
event. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSONU www.rallynews.net
