UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 15 (FINAL STAGE)

1^st (4) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.55.52

2^nd (1) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Corolla WRC) 1.56.22

3^rd (2) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.56.49

4^th (6) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.57.02

5^th (7) Pieter Tsjoen/Eddy Chevaillier (Corolla WRC) 1.57.57

6^th (5) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.59.15

7^th (11) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Impreza WRC) 2.01.38

8^th (18) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Impreza N) 2.04.06

9^th (15) Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Lancer N) 2.05.23

10^th (24) Nigel Hicklin/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 2.06.57

38 year old Meath man Tim McNulty has scored a worthy victory on this 2005 Murphy Construction Cork 20 International Rally.  Co-driven by Anthony Nestor in his Prodrive built, Pirelli shod and Pierse Construction backed Subaru Tim has finished 30s ahead of Eugene Donnelly having led the rally from the start. This is Tim’s first International victory. Of enormous significance as well, Eugene Donnelly’s 2^nd place has earned him 2005 Pirelli Tarmac Champion’s title, with Tim McNulty coming into 2^nd in the points and Derek McGarrity 3^rd. Paul Kiely is the Tarmac Champion co-driver. Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy brought their Lancer into 2^nd in Group N today behind Colm Murphy & Ger Loughrey in their Impreza.  Tim McNulty commented here at the finish. “Its brilliant, I held the head today, and that is a major part of rallying at this level. I’ve learned a lot, its brilliant to be number one in any international, its special here in Cork”. 

Eugene Donnelly set fastest on the last stage and then took a few seconds to tell us. “I’m over the moon; thought the rally was brilliant, nice stages. Honestly, as regards the championship I think it would have been very unfortunate if anything had gone wrong. We just kept pushing like every other rally. The car has been brilliant. What more could you ask for in a wee car this age. Derek McGeehan, Erik Wevers, everybody has done a great job for us.”

Third placed Derek McGarrity said. “At the end of the day, 2 bad finishes, in Donegal and the Jim Clark, ruined the championship for me. Eugene thoroughly deserved to win.  Tim McNulty has got a lot of speed, it could be a difficult year next year”.

New Tarmac Group N Champion Garry Jennings said. “I’m relieved to finish and get the title, it was hard to drive here at that pace,  but I’ve got used to the new car and I’m well set up for Rally Ireland”.  

Belgian visitor Pieter Tsjoen said. “I enjoyed it here, but it was not easy, the first 4 stages we had a hard time and getting accustomed to the road.”  Many of Tjsoen’s times were brilliant, he scored 2 fastest times, although he blotted his copy book slightly on the final stage when he braked too late over a crest and overshot a junction.

John Dalton & his co driver Gwynfor Jones have won the National rally in their Darrian from Keith Cronin in his Peugeot with Allen Treacey in his Corolla 3^rd. Don Moynihan won the Historic section of the rally from John Farrell with Denis Moynihan 3^rd, Todd Falvey 4^th and Sean Tracey 5^th in his BMW. Sean has done enough to win the Tarmac Post Historic title while Niall Creighton wins the Historic title in his Cortina. Seamus O’Grady made a late charge to win the Juniors section of the rally from Barry Meade with Jason Ryan 3^rd. Class winners in the main rally included Brian O’Mahony in his S1600 Puma. Eugene Meegan has won cl.3 in his Civic. John Murphy wins cl.5 in his Puma. Brian Pat Doherty has taken cl.7 in his Escort Maxi. Mick Quinn cl.2 in his Civic.

We mentioned on the previous RallyNews that James O’Sullivan had put his Lancer off the road in stage 14 – the 023 Tiles man managed to get the car back on the road and has finished 29^th. Jonathan Patterson & Jeremy Taylor in the RallyNews Group N Impreza have finished down the order in 43^rd place following a puncture this afternoon. Denis Cronin/Helen O’Sullivan have clinched the 023 Tiles championship in their Subaru even with the last round remaining. Finishing just outside the top 10 was Dutch Champion Erik Wevers in his Corolla WRC co driven by Michiel Poel. Stuart Darcy finished 12^th. Kevin Kelleher 13^th. Brian O’Mahony 14^th. Paddy White 15^th despite wrong tyre choices this morning. Tadgh Linehan 16^th in the Bio-Tech Impreza and that was despite his accident yesterday. Alan Nesbitt was 17^th and 2^nd gpN in the championship. Eddy Garry came up to 18^th in his Impreza WRC. Peter Wilson was 19^th and Tom Randles 20^th.