1^st (3) Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 32.40.7

2^nd (5) Donal O'Donovan/Sean Moroney (Celica) 33.18.1

3^rd (10) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 33.29.3

4^th (16) John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 33.31.3

5^th (15) Phil Collins/Nicky Grist (Escort) 33.48.5

6^th (8) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Impreza WRC) 33.49.7

7^th (12) Jon Ingram/Ian Allsop (Focus WRC) 33.50.6

8^th (14) George Cullen/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 33.54.5

9^th (4) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Focus WRC) 33.54.9

10^th (20) Barry Coleman/Don Montgomery (Impreza WRC) 34.20.1

The leaderboard of this West Cork Rally took another blow when local man Liam McCarthy and his co driver Kieran Murphy were marooned in stage 4 when their Corolla WRC ground to a halt.  Dunmanway’s McCarthy was having a great scrap with Welshman Melvyn Evans over the first 3 stages, particularly important as No.1 seed Denis Cronin stopped on the 1^st stage, so it was a massive anti climax also stopped. Melvyn Evans’ Subaru has had a slightly misfire and hesitation from the word go.  His mechanics changed the ECU in the car at service after stage 2 and the Impreza seemed a lot better through stage 3, but then in stage 4 it started to act up once again.   When Evans saw McCarthy’s Corolla stopped he knew he had a little bit of a buffer so switched off the critical anti lag in the Subaru. 

Donal O’Donovan was actually fastest in stage 4, although Donal told us that his Celica was moving about on the road a bit although he felt it was down to the tyres overheating rather than the suspension being too soft. Another local man, Kevin Kelleher, has battled his way up to 3^rd place and leads the Group N category in his “The Big Fella” backed Lancer.  Kelleher said. “The misfire or the hesitation we had earlier seems to be a lot better, not perfect, and we’re turning up the wick”. 

Michael Barrable’s new Focus encountered gear change troubles in the 2^nd stage and it turned out to be a very insignificant little problem so Michael was going a lot better through stages 3 and 4 and building up his confidence.  Also a lot happier was Nigel Hicklin. Nigel and his co driver Diarmuid Falvey were a bit down hearted after stage 2, feeling their rented Corolla WRC was a bit loose and a bit all over the road.  Charlie Donnelly and engineer Derek McGeehan have tightened up the suspension and Nigel says it is a “massive improvement”. Nigel is still outside the leaderboard on a total of 34.44.6 and was perhaps 10s off the pace through stage 4, but is getting better.

Steve Fleck had an intercom problem through stage 3 which cost a few seconds, but English visitor Fleck said. “Still bloody good fun”.  George Cullen told us he has stiffened the suspension up on his Impreza WRC by a notch and it is improving by the stage. Bob Fowden’s Impreza is still overheating so he is putting water in at every opportunity. Jon Ingram is still going well in his Focus WRC.

John Dalton continues to lead the modified category and try as he might Phil Collins is still dropping a couple of seconds a stage to the Darrian, although in fairness Collins has a fierce vibration through the prop shaft of his new Escort and no spare to put on it. Gwyndaf Evans was lying just outside the leaderboard after 2 stages and leading class 13 in his Escort, with Wesley Patterson 2^nd in the class.  Brian O’Mahony turned in a couple of screamer times in his father Frank’s Metro 6R4, but all to no avail as the car was retired after the 2^nd stage when the Goodman engine went off a cylinder.

On the Border Counties Rally in Kielder Marcus Dodd was leading Barry Johnson with Tim Pearcey 3^rd and leading GpN after 4 stages. Tony Thompson was 2^nd gpN and Comber’s Neil McCance was 3^rd gpN and 8^th o/a. Steve Perez was back in 7^th.  The rally was suffering from deep snow in some of the stages and indeed stage 2 had to be cancelled.  In the 206 Cup Colin Britton led from Myles Johnson with Declan Magee 3^rd.  At Bishopscourt Kevin Lynch led from Glenn Allen with Martin Doherty 3^rd, Sean Devine 4^th and Martin Elliott just leading GpN from Dickie Curran. The 2^nd stage had to be stopped when Raymond Johnson had a mishap in his Impreza after a big jump.

Back here in West Cork Washington James in the blue Darrian at No.29 reports that he is catching cars and getting held up. Ashley Field’s Darrian stopped when the data pulley on the engine collapsed so the ECU was not getting any messages. Tadgh Linehan’s Impreza went on to 3 cylinders through stage 3, he thinks he may have revved the car too hard at the start. John Hickey’s soft brake pedal problem in his gpN Impreza could be down to a warped brake disc. Dave Slattery retired his Impreza when he took a square right too tight at the mid point radio in stage 1 and got a rock in the ditch, breaking a wheel and the steering rack.  More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

(with thanks to Ciara Conlan for Border information. Thanks also to Dougie Hughes)