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RALLY NEWS NO.6 Sunday/End of stage 9/10.30am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 9 – Fidanne
1st (5) Keith Cronin/Anthony O'Conaill (Lancer N) 46.28.5
2nd (1) Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Focus WRC) 46.34.5
3rd (2) Brian McGillin/David Doherty (Hyundai WRC) 48.23.1
4th (4) Kevin O'Kane/Martin Brady (Impreza WRC) 48.25.1
5th (14) Colin Britton/Arthur Kierans (Lancer N) 48.25.6
6th (42) Damien Tourish/Charlie McLudy (Lancer N) 48.34.7
7th (21) Emma McKinstry/Kenny Hull (Impreza WRC) 48.48.4
8th (46) Alwyn Jobb/Thomas Nugent (Lancer N) 49.24.3
9th (10) Cathal Rogers/Paul McLaughlin (Lancer N) 49.21.5
10th (17) Seamus O'Connell/Brian Duggan (Escort) 49.30.1
11th (20) John McGaffin/Alan Russell (Impreza WRC) 49.31.3
12th (16) Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Escort) 49.32.7
Although listed 3rd overall above Brian McGillin’s Hyundai incurred gearbox trouble on the opening stage this morning, Brian and co driver David Doherty having since retired from the rally. Another retirement was James Murphy/John Brennan. Kilmallock man James was having a ball all day yesterday and despite early brake problems was up to 6th overall but his Escort WRC clutch cried enough this morning. A third retirement this morning was Enda McNulty/Mark Bowens, their Lancer crashing at a square left square right kink on that opening stage. Following crews reported that the OK board was up but the Lancer seemed to be suffering a fair bit of panel damage.
Rally leader Keith Cronin got off to a bad start this morning with a spin on almost the first corner of the stage, a square left. Well, it was more of an overshoot than a square left, but anyway Keith reckoned it cost him perhaps 10s. He was always worried about that Fidanne stage as regards trying to keep his lead. Keith reckoned it was a stage much more suited to world rally machinery with many straights and then square corners which meant a lot of slowing down and then speeding up. What Keith really needs in the group N car is flowing tight terrain to keep the momentum going. Stephen Moore another accomplished run and set fastest time. Colin Britton was 2nd fastest group N behind Cronin and he concentrated on keeping it neat and tidy. Damien Tourish is fighting hard to get ahead of Britton but his similar Lancer had an overshoot in the slippy conditions.
Emma McKinstry had a great run this morning, 4th fastest, while her team mate John McGaffin made his usual sleepy start and dropped 16s to Emma. Frank Kelly spun and stalled his Escort. Seamus O’Connell/Brian Duggan nearly slid into Enda McNulty’s stricken Lancer and Adrian Hetherington got the hammer down to record fastest Mk2 Escort time.
In the Fiesta Sporting Trophy Jonny Greer had an overnight lead of 23s on Alastair Fisher and was lying 22nd overall. Conor Harvey was over a minute back and Tadgh Buckley lost a mountain of time when his car slid off the road. On this morning’s opening test Fisher pulled 6.8s back from Greer. More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSONU www.rallynews.net
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