RALLY NEWS NO.10                Service/Sunday 5.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 16 – last stage

1^st (3) Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 2.14.17.5

2^nd (5) Donal O'Donovan/Sean Moroney (Celica) 2.14.53/1

3^rd (16) John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 2.16.50.9

6^th (10) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 2.18.14.0

7^th (19) Mark Morgan/Tony Fisher (Lancer N) 2.20.43.2

8^th (31) Gwyndaf Evans/David Jones (Escort) 2.21.20.9

9^th (21) Kieran O'Callaghan/Hugh Giles (Lancer N) 2.21.30.0

10^th (33) Wesley Patterson/Llinos Jones (Escort) 2.21.52.8

Welshman Melvyn Evans and his co driver Sean Mullally from Limerick have scored a hard earned victory in their Denis & Mary Ryan supported Subaru Impreza WRC on this tough West Cork Rally.  Melvyn, a winner here in 2002, had a close early battle with Liam McCarthy but when the latter retired his Corolla with a blown engine Evans had a little fresh air between himself and the rest of the field and despite some niggly problems with his Impreza engine management and also some 5^th gear worries, the Welshman made no mistake in clinching victory. 

Dunmanway’s Donal O’Donovan won here in 1998 in a Sierra Cosworth, and was right on the pace this weekend in his old model Celica, but realistically the car is no match for the modern world rally cars. Still, Donal capably co driven by Sean Moroney put up a great show and was ready to pounce if Melvyn Evans made the slightest mistake. Dubliner Michael Barrable only drove his new Focus WRC this week for the first time and following a few stages to bed himself in turned in some blindingly fast times over today’s sun kissed stages. With co-drive Dermot O’Gorman on board there is a promise of great things to come.  It looked as if Michael Barrable was going to come into 3^rd place overall, but his Focus WRC stopped on the very last stage with a mechanical problem.

Clonakilty brothers Kevin and Martin Kelleher certainly upheld local honours with a fine run to group N victory in their “The Big Fella” backed Lancer this weekend. They were up as high as 3^rd overall but had to settle for a lower position when the car developed turbo problems this morning and then a slipping clutch this afternoon. It was still a terrific result. John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones put up a great show in their Darrian to win the honours of best 2 wheel drive and 3^rd overall at the finish. While Gwyndaf Evans, although taking a back seat from rallying last year after he hurt his hand, turned on the style this weekend to finish 2^nd 2 wheel drive and win class 13.

Melvyn Evans commented at the end. “It was a brilliant rally, we had some problems with the car which took the edge off it for me and we hit a bird on the last stage which gave me a big fright, but overall a great result”.   Donal O’Donovan said. “We really had to go like mad over the last few stages to keep Barrable at bay and now it looks like he hasn’t come out of the last stage. That’s the way it goes. A great rally”.  John Dalton really enjoyed his event but was a wee bit sorry at the end that he held up George Cullen’s Impreza, George on a real charge. Jon Ingram, on his first visit to the West Cork Rally, just couldn’t believe how good it was. Kevin & Martin Kelleher were very relieved to make the finish, it was a close call whether the clutch would last out. Mark Morgan drove a very sensible rally to take 2^nd gpN while Kieran O’Callaghan was 3^rd. Gwyndaf Evans virtually roared at the end “Beautiful, just beautiful, a great rally”. Wesley Patterson survived his gearbox troubles to take 2^nd cl.13 and 10^th o/a in his Escort. Finally for now very many thanks to all who helped and supported the Rally News service and well done to all at Cork MC for a good job well done!. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

(our thanks to Dougie Hughes and Jack Keane)