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Rallynews No.5 Sunday Hillgrove Hotel
6.45pm
Unofficial Leaderboard After Stage Nine
1st (2) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (WRC)
1.09.36
2nd (4) Sean Devine/James McKee (Subaru)
1.10.46
3rd (6) Kevin Barrett/Barry Goodman
(Subaru) 1.10.48
4th (14) Enda Keenan/Paul Garry (Escort
1.12.54
5th (16) Mac McKenna/John Loughran (205
rwd) 1.13.17
6th (3) David Armstrong/Bob Kelly (Subaru)
1.13.30
7th (15) Paddy Boyle/Marty Sherlock
(Escort) 1.13.33
8th (19) Mick McQuaid/Victor Fields
(Escort) 1.14.29
9th (22) Gordon Rogers/Philip McEntee
(Escort) 1.14.38
10th (40) Francis Wray/Joe McNulty (Lancer
N) 1.15.03
It certainly has been a red letter day for young
Adrian McElvaney and co driver Paul Goodman when they took their
first ever rally win on today’s Monaghan Stages rally. Driving a
newly acquired Impreza WRC the local lad pushed hard from the start
to lead Niall Maguire from the outset and never looked like cracking
under the strain. Adrian was delighted here at the Hillgrove Hotel
rally finish and said “I feel fantastic, it has been my ambition to
win this rally all my life, it is a dream come true”. Co driver
Paul Goodman summed it up when he said “we have been working to this
for three years, lets hope it is the start of a roll”. Sean Devine
snatched second place from Kevin Barrett over the final couple of
stages with an absolutely storming drive in his Impreza and was
fastest on both stages eight and nine. Kevin Barrett was pleased
with his result but the Triton man was disappointed not to have
taken slicks for the final stage but reckons that Devine would have
had him anyway.
It was a dramatic conclusion to the days rallying
over the final three stages. Reigning national rally champion Niall
Maguire had been battling for the lead but crashed his Triton
Impreza in stage seven and although he got going again the car was
to badly damaged to continue. Also in the wars was Hugh Martin
Doherty who went off the road on the final stage and into
retirement.
One of the highlights today was the 2wd race and Enda
Keenan has taken a fantastic win in this category and finished an
amazing fourth overall in his Escort Mk2. Enda had been involved in
a great battle with Maurice Moffett but Moffett is reportedly parked
up on the side of the road in stage seven. Paddy Boyle scored a
great result in seventh but was off the road in stage eight dropping
a few seconds. Just off the leaderboard it would seem thatTrevor Lancashire
has taken class 12 after a day long battle with Gerry Cassidy. GpN has been
won by Francis Wray in his Lancer despite a blown turbo over the
final stage. Michael McColgan takes second in GpN in his Lancer
(total 1.15.38) with Danny McBride just behind in his Impreza (total
1.15.41).
Finally for now well done to Monaghan Motor Club and
COC Brendan McCrudden and his team for another great Monaghan
rally. Many thanks to all our sponsors of today’s rally news
service and a big thank you to Cora Maguire and her rally office
team for their help. Michael Patterson & Zoe Todd
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