RALLY NEWS NO.10 End of stage 14/Sunday 4.15

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 14 – FINAL STAGE
1st (3) Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 1.43.49.5
2nd (5) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 1.44.00.2
3rd (6) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.47.26.1
4th (7) Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Focus WRC) 1.48.31.1
5th (23) Kevin & Martin Kelleher (Lancer N) 1.52.11.8
6th (24) John McGlaughlin/Crawford Henderson (Lancer N) 1.53.33.2
7th (18) Garry Jennings/Damien Connelly (Lancer N) 1.53.45.8
8th (32) Jonny Greer/Jonny Hart (Lancer N) 1.53.59.5
9th (25) Roy White/Stephen McAuley (MG S2000) 1.54.22.7
10th (50) Brendan Comiskey/Peter O’Toole (Lancer N) 154.50.3

Mark Higgins and his co driver Rory Kennedy went into the last stage of this Safety Direct Galway International Rally just under 2s behind Tim McNulty and came out just over 9s ahead to score a memorable victory. Tim McNulty put up a terrific driver in his slightly older model Subaru. Higgins’ car is the S12B. Tim’s Pierse backed example is a S11. Mark, who got his choice of Pirelli just right for his final charge, commented here at stage finish. “We had to push hard, it was great to win for the Global Group here on their home territory. That small problem with the windscreen earlier caused me a very big problem so I’m delighted to have won”. Tim McNulty said. “I didn’t have the legs of Mark at the end, but before the rally I would have settled for a top 3 place. We can build up on this for the Tarmac championship, its been a good weekend for us”. Eamonn Boland’s 3rd place nearly went out the window on the last stage when his Subaru broke its gear lever. Aaron MacHale had a few dramatic moments including a spin into a farmyard today but it all came good in the end.

Eugene Donnelly had been 4th but lost a lot of time when his Subaru broke its gearbox and he was forced to pull out before the last stage. Ironically the Sleator team tried to change the box at Ballinasloe service because the actuator was broken. They got the old box out of the car and then discovered there was no spare so had to put the old box back in again. To put the cap on a bad day for the team Tommy Doyle crashed his Clio on stage 11. Another late retirement was Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally. Their Subaru caught fire in stage 13 and the marshals at one of the junctions put the fire out with the rally extinguishers. The car was saved but Kevin’s fine 7th place was gone.

Kevin Kelleher and his brother Martin have won group N in their Lancer. A fabulous result for the Clonakilty men who pushed really hard through the Saturday stages and then through the first stage this morning to keep the pressure on Colm Murphy who then went out of the rally when his Lancer broke its gearbox. John McGlaughlin and his co driver Crawford Henderson also had a great run to 6th o/a and 2nd GpN. Garry Jennings survived a couple of punctures in his Lancer to take 3rd GpN, just ahead of Jonny Greer who was 4th GpN in his Lancer and 8th o/a. Roy White & Stephen McAuley in their new MG S2000 set fastest Group N time on the final stage to finish 9th o/a, while Brendan Comiskey in 10th was top Evo Challenge contender.

In the National rally Martin McGee came through to win. He survived a couple of spins in his Escort and got ahead of Wesley Patterson’s similar car when Wesley had some differential trouble. Paul Gallagher was 3rd in his Corolla. Looking back a couple of stages Alastair Fisher was leading the Fiesta Sporting Trophy by 36s from Elfyn Evans with Tadgh Buckley 3rd. Sam Moffett led the Juniors in his C2R2 ahead of Patrick Tully in a Civic. Gerard McQuaid was 3rd in his Mk2 Escort. In the Historic Rally Richard Hall in his Escort led from Derek Boyd (Porsche) with Denis Moynihan 3rd and Adrian Kermode 4th.


Finally for now well done to new Clerk of the Course Gary Leonard and all his hard working team for keeping the rally going through what was a very difficult weekend. Our thanks to all who helped and supported the Rally News service.

BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net