UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 16

1^st (1) Marcus Gronholm/Timo Rautiainen (Focus WRC) 1.47.38.1

2^nd (2) Gareth MacHale/Paul Nagle (Focus WRC) 1.50.18.6

3^rd (3) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 1.51.06.1

4^th (4) Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Focus WRC) 1.51.12.1

5^th (8) Kevin Lynch/Gordon Noble (Focus WRC) 1.52.21.1

6^th (14) Stephen Murphy/MJ Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.52.24.1

7^th (11) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 1.53.13.8

8^th (12) Ray Breen/Damien Morrissey (Focus WRC) 1.53.18.3

9^th (16) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Focus WRC) 1.53.31.4

10^th (6) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Focus WRC) 1.53.34.9

11^th (9) Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (Focus WRC) 1.54.37.6

12^th (26) James Foley/Paddy Robinson (Lancer N) 1.57.07.1

Eugene Donnelly’s dream of winning this Galway International all fell apart in stage 16 when his Subaru reportedly under steered into a ditch and got stuck. Marcus Gronholm had turned in a stunning time on stage 14 and was just over a second behind Eugene starting that Eglish test. Initial reports that Gronholm’s Focus had also gone off proved to be incorrect and in fact the Finnish driver turned in a fantastic time 17s up on Mark Higgins.  We were told earlier that Marcus wasn’t very happy with the revised suspension set up on his Focus but as it transpired he was perfectly comfortable and found the car so much better.

Mark Higgins’ late surge has promoted him to 3^rd place which will almost certainly mean maximum Tarmac Championship points as neither Gronholm or Gareth MacHale registered for the series.

In Group N James Foley leads from Kevin O’Donoghue with Kevin Kelleher 3^rd.

In the National part of the rally with 1 stage remaining Brian Brogan and Joe Friel led in their Escort from Manus Kelly in his Lancer and Tom Holton 3^rd in his Celica.

Young Tadgh Buckley led the Fiesta Sporting Trophy contenders from Jonny Greer with Alastair Fisher 3^rd.

Martin McCormick continued to lead the Historics in his Escort from Martin Leonard with Niall Creighton 3^rd.

More news after last stage

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net