RALLY NEWS NO,10 End of SS12/Newry Service/Saturday 6.45

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 12 Annaseeragh
1st (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.59.13.6
2nd (1) Gareth MacHale/Craig Parry (Focus WRC) 1.59.59.4
3rd (3) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 2.00.58.5
4th (5) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 2.03.53.9
5th (12) John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson (Lancer N) 2.09.10.5
6th (16) Brendan Cumiskey/Conor Foley (Lancer N) 2.12.51.7
7th (11) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 2.16.08.7
8th (8) Denis Biggerstaff/Alastair Wylie (Impreza WRC) 2.16.27.3
9th (40) David & Suzanne Wright (Lancer N) 2.17.17.2
10th (24) Tommy Doyle/Tony McDaid (Clio) 2.20.14.8
11th (34) Toni Kelly/Joe Hunter (Civic) 2.25.50.5
12th (29) Martin O’Donnell/Leona O’Donnell (Civic) 2.30.57.3

It is still nip and tuck between the top 2 drivers Eamonn Boland and Gareth MacHale and although Tim McNulty is mostly turning in good times the lead is ever so slightly slipping away from him. Gareth MacHale was fastest through stage 12, 5s up on Eamonn Boland. McNulty was a further 5s back. All these seconds definitely add up and the gap between the leading 2 is 45s, between McNulty and Boland its now 1m44s. Aaron MacHale in 4th place is in a bit of a no man’s land time wise as he’s 3m behind McNulty and 5m ahead of John McGlaughlin who is 5th o/a and leads group N.

When Eamonn Boland finished stage 12, dusk was falling and the temperature was tightening up very slightly, having been cold anyway, but Eamonn said. “Not a bother, went well”. Gareth MacHale felt that the stage had been shortened just too much, that he hadn’t really got into his stride, but anyway it went well. Tim McNulty reported losing anything up to 7s on the start line of the stage when his Subaru launch control failed. Aaron MacHale picked a softer compound tyre and got through the stage with no problems.

Group N leader John McGlaughlin reported that his earlier noise from under the bonnet transpired to be a broken bolt in the gearbox mounting. That is now sorted and John is just trying to maintain a respectable pace to keep his position. Brendan Cumiskey, 2nd in GpN, observed. “We’re still going on, pushing, but being careful”. Kevin Kelleher held on to his 3rd Group N with a fastest GpN time although Kevin picked completely the wrong tyre, a wet, in the expectation that it might rain, but still had a good run and is getting his confidence up. Tommy Doyle reckons he also made a mistake in the tyre department. He’s had the same rubber on his Clio all day, feels now they’re just about worn out and it was a mistake not to fit new ones. Denis Biggerstaff is having a clean run now, his times roughly comparable to the GpN men.

Toni Kelly continues to hold 2nd in class to Tommy Doyle. Toni found that stage to be pretty bumpy, didn’t suit her Honda Civic type R and was pleased to clear the stage. Martin O’Donnell is now 12th o/a, having dropped a lot of time in stage 11 but seems to be back on course with a respectable time in stage 12.

NATIONAL RALLY
Unofficial leaderboard after stage 12 (National 6th stage)
1st (102) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC) 48.02.5
2nd (101) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 48.23.0
3rd (103) Connor McCloskey/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 48.46.5
4th (107) Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Lancer N) 48.54.9
5th (106) Sean McArdle/Ger McMonagle (Corolla WRC) 49.39.6

Sean Devine was again fastest of the National runners, his Subaru 5s up on Glenn Allen’s Corolla through stage 12 with Connor McCloskey 3rd fastest a further 6s down on Allen. Sean seemed to have no problems in the stage, just his Subaru brakes running quite hot at the stage stop control. Glenn Allen also had a good run, Glenn went on to the brake pads he had fitted this morning and seemed to be happy enough.

With the darkness coming on and rain starting to appear Connor McCloskey brought his KBB Doors Subaru in and reported no problems, still getting used to the car. Similarly Sean McArdle reported no problems and Neil McCance said. “I can’t go much harder without sticking my neck out and what for?” Normal front runner James Walker retired his Lancer at service. Rodney White rolled his Sunbeam on the first visit to that Annaseeragh stage. Alan Carmichael’s lancer is showing reduced turbo boost. Fintan McGrady continued to lead cl.7. Wm Carey was best 2 wheel drive and led cl.8: Alan Nesbitt was 2nd gpN despite a broken brake calliper on his Subaru earlier.

More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (with thanks to Michael Patterson)
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