UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 – end of Leg 1

1^st (3) Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC)  1.05.30.2

2^nd (5) Donal O'Donovan/Sean Moroney (Celica) 1.06.20.0

3^rd (16) John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 1.06.44.5

4^th (10) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.07.19.4

5^th (4) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Focus WRC) 1.07.23.5

6^th (15) Phil Collins/Nicky Grist (Escort) 1.07.30.9

7^th (8) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Impreza WRC) 1.07.33.6

8^th (14) George Cullen/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 1.07.51.3

9^th (12) Jon Ingram/Ian Allsop (Focus WRC) 1.08.35.4

10^th (20) Barry Coleman/Don Montgomery (Impreza WRC) 1.08.44.7

Melvyn Evans continued to clock up fastest times through the afternoon’s final 2 stages, the 2^nd visit to Ring and Ballymore. It was just a few seconds here and there but always Melvyn has held the upper hand to open up a 50s gap on Donal O’Donovan. Welshman Evans commented at the end of the day. “We had a few problems with the car and I didn’t push too hard but kept a careful eye on Donal O’Donovan.”  For his part Dunmanway man O’Donovan feels that he is screwing just about the maximum out of his Celica and overall the car is going well, but at the same time Donal said. “We didn’t go over the top”.   John Dalton turned in a stunning performance this afternoon to move into 3^rd place in his 2 wheel drive Darrian. Kevin Kelleher maintained Clonakilty pride with his fighting 4^th place, his Lancer, backed by his company “The Big Fella” also leading the Group N category.  Kelleher said about his last 2 stages. “We had a great run, couldn’t really fault it”. 

Michael Barrable got the finger out over the last couple of stages and moved from 8^th up to 5^th with the promise of more to come.  Phil Collins was more than pleased with the way his new Escort went today although he admitted that perhaps he took it a little bit steady over the last 2 stages. Steve Fleck in 7^th place just had a marvellous today to himself, really enjoyed the W.Cork stages. George Cullen pushed very hard over the last 2 stages of the day but for some reason the times just didn’t flow and he slipped from 7^th to 8^th.

Jon Ingram came screeching back into the leaderboard having fallen back to 11^th when his Focus WRC brakes gave trouble in stage 5. At the same time the Englishman was a little disappointed to be so far down, and only half joked when he said he wouldn’t mind some rain for tomorrow to equalize things out a bit. Barry Coleman was lucky to hold on to 10^th place, having slipped a bit when he picked a very safe intermediate tyre for the last 2 stages in the expectation that it might rain.

On the last Rally News we reported that Bob Fowden, although 9^th overall, may pull out of the rally because his Impreza engine was overheating. There is no sign of the Welshman here after stage 8 so we can only presume he did indeed pull out. News from earlier is that the reason for Liam McCarthy’s retirement was that his Corolla dropped a valve.