| RALLY NEWS NO.2 Service/Ballyvourney/Saturday/12.15
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Mount Hilary
1st (1) Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Focus WRC) 9.24.4
2nd (5) Keith Cronin/Anthony O'Conaill (Lancer N) 9.25.1
3rd (2) Brian McGillin/David Doherty (Hyundai WRC) 9.26.8
4th (6) Michael O'Brien/Matthew Pearce (Focus WRC) 9.32.4
5th (4) Kevin O'Kane/Martin Brady (Impreza WRC) 9.38.1
6th (10) Cathal Rogers/Paul McLaughlin (Lancer N) 9.47.6
7th (21) Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Impreza WRC) 9.47.8
8th (11) Peter McCullagh/Alan Dolan (Lancer N) 9.48.6
9th (14) Colin Britton/Arthur Kierans (Lancer N) 9.49.7
10th (8) James Murphy/John Brennan (Escort WRC) 9.42.3
Brian McGillin led after the first stage of this Jim Walsh Cork Forestry Rally but his Hyundai sustained a puncture a quarter of the way through stage 2, Mt Hilary, and he did well to drop only a few seconds and down to 3rd on the leaderboard. First on the road, Stephen Moore, was able to move into the lead, but Stephen who is the current leader of the Hankook Irish Forestry series, finds running first on the road a slight disadvantage, his Focus WRC slipping about on the loose gravel. Stephen commented. “We went a bit harder on the 2nd stage, but nothing too exciting, a good result here could tie up the championship even with Killarney to go”.
Keith Cronin had a great run in his group N Lancer to hold 2nd place while Michael O’Brien in 4th said he was concentrating on keeping it clean but at the same time was just a small bit cautious. Michael also reported a very slight problem with his Focus WRC fly by wire system. Kevin O’Kane said he was keeping it nice and tidy, the former champion a very solid 5th.
Local electrical contractor James Murphy is back in 10th place, his Escort WRC sustaining a broken brake pipe in stage 2 which meant the middle pedal going to the floor. Cathal Rogers reported all well but made his usual sleepy start on the first stage although he also said that if he goes hard on the first stage he generally crashes! Peter McCullagh had no intercom in his Lancer for the first stage, got it fixed for the 2nd. Emma McKinstry had a great run through the first stage, didn’t go just as hard on the 2nd but is still well in the hunt.
Adrian Hetherington leads the 2 wheel drive category after 2 stages, Adrian’s total 9.53.4 which unofficially put him into 11th o/a. Frank Kelly is very unwell but is only 1s behind Adrian. Seamus O’Connell has new wheels and a new engine on his Escort but no matter how hard co driver Brian Duggan yelled at him he still overshot a K left into sudden hairpin left! Seamus’ total is 9.58.8. Brian Lawlor spun his Escort in the first stage, OK on the 2nd and said here at Ballyvourney service. “Sure isn’t it just good to be rallying!”
Further stories – Sean Heaney’s Lancer is down on power. John Hickey’s Subaru rear brakes are playing up. Jason Roche had an overshoot on the tarmac section in stage 2. Connie Smith in the famous black Sierra we reckon is just inside the top 20 despite clutch trouble. In the Fiesta Sporting Trophy – Alastair Fisher led after the first stage by 1s from Jonny Greer with Tadgh Buckley a further 6s back in 3rd. Series leader Conor Harvey was 4th a further 9s back. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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