RALLY NEWS NO.9 Newry Service/Saturday 4.30

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 11 Black Hill
1st (4) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.53.19.6
2nd (1) Gareth MacHale/Craig Parry (Focus WRC) 1.54.09.5
3rd (3) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.54.59.2
4th (5) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 1.57.44.9
5th (12) John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson (Lancer N) 2.02.39.2
6th (16) Brendan Cumiskey/Conor Foley (Lancer N) 2.06.24.8
7th (11) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 2.09.46.5
8th (8) Denis Biggerstaff/Alastair Wylie (Impreza WRC) 2.10.03.9
9th (40) David & Suzanne Wright (Lancer N) 2.10.38.6
10th (24) Tommy Doyle/Tony McDaid (Clio) 2.13.20.1
11th (34) Toni Kelly/Joe Hunter (Civic) 2.18.41.9
12th (32) Joseph McGonagle/Robert Power (Civic) 2.24.11.3

Fastest through stage 10, Drumbunion, was Gareth MacHale by 3s from Eamonn Boland. Then in stage 11 it was Eamonn’s turn to be fastest and he was 6s up on Gareth after the tricky 9.11 mile stage. That’s the story really this afternoon, these two swapping times and Eamonn doing a great job of holding on to his lead. Tim McNulty lost quite a few seconds in stage 11 when he got caught out on the tight narrow chicanes. Although he is still in contention he cannot afford to relax at all. When Boland came into service he reported all well, said he had a good tidy run. While Gareth described the stage as pretty muddy and dirty through the farmyards, very tight and tricky. Tim McNulty, following his small problems with the chicanes, said. “I stalled the car as well, just can’t afford to do it, but that’s the way it goes”. Aaron MacHale also lost a bit of time through the tight sections of that stage 11. He recounted. “There was a square right that tightened and I just had to stop, go down the gears and start again. There was also a left hander and I could see this fence coming and I slid into the ditch. My head’s wrecked in that stage. Overall though I’m enjoying this, I picked a harder compound tyre which mostly worked well”.

There have been no big changes in group N throughout the day – John McGlaughlin still leads despite a banging from something around the engine, could be the sump guard or the exhaust. His co driver Crawford Henderson said. “We’re not coasting but taking no chances, its difficult to know the pace”. Brendan Cumiskey is also going at a nice pace to hold 2nd gpN from Kevin Kelleher. Kevin said. “I’m enjoying this but if I had known about that stage 10 I would have been scared!”

Tommy Doyle reported earlier that a bit of his Clio’s under body protection was scraping the ground. Whatever part of the sump guard it was it has fallen off now and everything’s fine! Tommy is finding that the very tight bumpy sections of the stages don’t really suit his car. There was a bit of a problem at the start of stage 9. Because of a delay competitors were lined up from the arrival control and Toni Kelly came over a very big sharp crest on her way into the arrival, and drove slap bang into Joe McMonagle’s Civic. The crews were well shaken up but happily no real injuries and Toni’s Civic is still going strong despite a damaged front mud guard, but we hear that Joe is struggling to get to service, his Honda rear suspension damaged. Unofficially we have 13 cars still in the International and if we lose Donegal man Joe it will be down to a round dozen!

NATIONAL RALLY
Unofficial leaderboard after stage 10 (4th stage for Nationals)
1st (102) Sean Devine/Damien Duffin (Impreza WRC) 32.08.1
2nd (101) Glenn Allen/Damien Connolly (Corolla WRC) 32.25.3
3rd (103) Connor McCloskey/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 32.37.2
4th (107) Neil McCance/Sean Ferris (Lancer N) 32.39.1
5th (106) Sean McArdle/Ger McMonagle (Corolla WRC) 33.10.5
6th (120) Colm McFall/Donal Lennon (Esc Cos) 33.49.3
7th (104) George Robinson/Francis Kenny (Impreza WRC) 33.56.7
8th (155) Michael Conlon/Aidan Boyle (Escort) 34.18.0
9th (126) Rory Byrne/Jeremy Patterson (Lancer N) 34.19.5
10th (116) Wm Carey/Jimmy Graham (Escort) 34.24.6

Glenn Allen is still struggling with the brakes on his Corolla but has closed up slightly on Sean Devine. Connor McCloskey is really getting to grips with his new KBB Doors Subaru and is giving Glenn Allen little respite. Neil McCance continues to lead GpN from the Modern Tyres Lancer or Rory Byrne/Jeremy Patterson. Wm Carey is now the best of the Escorts. Fintan McGrady having dropped out.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
(with thanks to Michael Patterson & Bernard & Ro Lee from North East Rally Results: Thanks also to Libby and Stan Harper Motorsport):
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