RALLY NEWS NO.2 End of Stage 1 Smearla River/Sunday 12.15

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1 Smearla River
1ST (7) Kevin O'Donoghue/Joe O'Leary (Lancer) 8.55
2ND (2) Adrian McElvaney/Enda Sherry (Subaru) 9.02
3RD (5) James Cullen/Reba Graham (Lance3r N) 9.05
4th (10) Eamonn Daly/John Young (Lancer N) 9.06
5th (3) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 9.10
6th (8) Mike Quinn/Sean Enright (Escort) 9.13
7th (11) Stuart Darcy/Stephen Furey (Impreza) 9.20
8th (4) Tadgh Linehan/Paddy Robinson (Impreza N) 9.27
9th (1) John Kearney/Denis O'Connell (Escort) 9.31
(12) Anthony O'Halloran/Larry O'Halloran (Manta) 9.31

Fastest on the opening stage was Kevin O’Donogue despite the fact that he felt his lancer was a wee bit loose at the rear end.

Adrian McElvaney was 2nd fastest and gradually wakening up while James Cullen said he was in a few hedges on his way to 3rd o/a.

Early incidents included Thomas Fitzmaurice clipping a stone with a back wheel of his Escort Cosworth which knocked him out of line for the next corner and he put the Ford in the hedge for 3 minutes.

Pat Donegan’s Escort went on fire and Brian O’Mahony crashed his father’s Metro 6R4 off the road.

No.1 seed John Kearney felt he was just too rusty and was slightly off the pace.

Mike Quinn was the fastest 2 wheel drive car and he finished the stage with the rear bumper damaged on the Escort.

Kevin Kelleher was thumping his Lancer’s steering wheel in frustration at stage finish and saying that the engine had gone off song during the stage, a re run of the Skibbereen incident.

Mike Moloney recorded 10.00 having stopped briefly to make sure Mike Moloney was OK. Ed Synan was on 9.38, felt he was rusty.

Aidan Walsh was on 10.00, Diarmuid Keohane 10.17. Tom Randles in the Celica 9.58 and Peter Kelly 9.48.

More news to follow….

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net