UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 – Final stage

1^st (7) Matthew Wilson/Michael Orr (Focus WRC) 2.01.07.0

2^ND (6) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 2.06.02.0

3^rd (8) Gareth MacHale/Paul Nagle (Corolla WRC) 2.07.11.3

4^th (1) Daniel Carlsson/Mattias Andersson (Lancer N) 2.08.23.4

5^th (2) Freddy Loix/Robin Buysmans (Ignis) 2.10.42.3

6^th  (10) Sean Devine/Killian Duffy (Impreza WRC) 2.11.43.2

7^th  (16) Roy White/Stephen McAuley (Lancer N) 2.12.16.9

8^th  (15) George Tracey/Jane O'Connor (Peugeot 206 WRC) 2.14.40.6

9^th (45) Gordon Coleman/James Gallagher (Lancer N) 2.15.02.2

10^th (18) John McGlaughlin/David McElroy (Lancer N) 2.15.25.3

Matthew Wilson had a grin from ear to ear when he brought his Focus WRC into the petrol station here at Manorhamilton on the way to the Sligo finish of this Rally Ireland. For 18 year old Matthew this is a hat trick of wins, 3 in 3 weeks, and what a flourish to finish with by winning this event, Ireland’s bid to enter the World Rally Championship arena. When he stepped from his Ford Focus WRC Matthew said. “Can’t quite believe it, I owe an absolute massive thank you to all the team who prepared the car and to Michael Orr to co-drove for me this week and helped me so much.  I enjoyed the tarmac stages yesterday, they were really great. Today was difficult through the forests, there was a lot of loose gravel and I was lifting off although strangely I was still 30s faster through the long stage 2^nd time over.  Realistically a tarmac round of the world championship here would be the ultimate!” 

Behind Matthew Eamonn Boland took things very steadily to bring his Focus WRC into 2^nd place. Gareth MacHale piled on the pressure towards the end to secure 3^rd. Gareth and co driver Paul Nagle had been battling with Glenn Allen in a similar Corolla WRC but Glenn’s Toyota stopped at the start of stage 10 with head gasket trouble.  Pressure on young MacHale then came from a different quarter as Daniel Carlsson came tearing back up the time sheets following his stage 9 puncture. Carlsson made the mistake of jumping a start which incurred a 30s penalty, but as it transpired he would not have caught Gareth anyway. Freddy Loix kept his Suzuki Ignis bubbling and screaming right to the end to take 5^th place, while Sean Devine rounds off the top 6 in his Impreza WRC.

Roy White did well to bring his FESP backed Lancer into 7^th place to take 2^nd in group N, and that was despite one of the lenses on Roy’s glasses popping out mid way through the 24.9km Ballintempo stage. Roy just had to take his glasses off and do his best. Young Gordon Coleman has never really driven much on gravel but he certainly went really well today to come into 3^rd gpN and 9^th overall. George Tracey also recovered well to bring his Peugeot WRC into 8^th and John McGlaughlin got over a few dramas to take 10^th, just ahead of Estonian driver Jaan Molder.

Finally for now well done to Clerk of the Course Tom Nolan and all the Rally Ireland organisers for getting the show on the road and many thanks to all who helped and supported the RallyNews service.

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net