RALLY NEWS NO.5 (A)                       Service/Ardara/Saturday 3.15  (updated 3.45)
 
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Glen O’Glenties
1st (1) Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 42.00
2nd (5) Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty (Impreza WRC) 42.32
3rd (4) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 42.38
4th (6) PJ McDermott/Paddy Robinson (Impreza WRC) 43.11
5th (14) Stuart Darcy/Enda Sherry (Impreza) 43.47
6th (18) Danny & Rory McBride (Lancer N) 44.08
7th (10) Gary McPhillips/Mark Tierney (Escort) 44.18
8th (37) Casimer Magill/Brian Boyle (Escort) 44.18
9th (28) Frank Wray/Joe McNulty (Lancer N) 44.40
10th (8) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Lancer N) 44.41
11th John & James Cairns (Impreza): 12th Joe & Dermot McHugh (Esc.Cos):
 
The above times have now been amended to show a scratch time for all competitors in stage 4 following Kevin Lynch’s accident.
 
Through stages 5 and 6 Patrick Elliott and Kevin Barrett had equal fastest times through stage 5 and then on stage 6 Elliott was 12s up on Barrett.  On both those stages Barrett was slightly faster than Seamus Leonard so there is still a big race between these 2 for 2nd and 3rd. Elliott reported that he had a slight overshoot in stage 5, not in the same place as the first time through, but a similar type of incident so it would look as if that is not Elliott’s stage.  Kevin Barrett reported a big moment over the flying finish of stage 6 (we have it in the notes as “Caution jump bridge unseen”.  Otherwise the Triton Showers man is going really well.  Seamus Leonard reckons that stage 6, Glen O’Glenties does not suit his older model Impreza, that it just does not have the legs of the newer cars. Consequently he is driving his eye balls out to make up time on the “tight stuff”.  PJ McDermott said he is just having a bad day, another overshoot not helping his times. 
 
Stuart Darcy has zoomed up the leaderboard and he’s now just a few seconds behind PJ in the race for “best Donegal driver” honours.  Stuart is another one who had a big moment over the flying finish of stage 6.  Shaun Gallagher is either running very late or has stopped, there was no sign of his Citroen amongst the top cars here at service. We did hear that Shaun’s Citroen feel off the road at a tricky tight square left and there were loads of spectators trying to get the Letterkenny man going again. 
 
Alan Ring still hangs on to 2nd in group N and with a weather eye out for the top group N award in the Dunlop series Alan said. “I am driving in the middle of the road, it’s nearly harder in a way”.  Danny McBride continues to lead group N and he explained about the body damage on the right hand rear quarter panel of his Lancer. “It got away from me on the gravel on a 5 left in stage 6. We really lost it. It was a big moment”.  We speculated on the last Rally News as to the whereabouts of Sean Flanagan – Sean and co driver Brian Duggan are still going but dropped at least 9 minutes in stage 4 when they rolled their Impreza several times.  The roof of the car is damaged and the windscreen is severely cracked but they are still going. Paul Gallagher is lying just outside the top 10 on a total of 38.35, his co driver Karl Reid reported a slipping clutch but otherwise OK.  Trevor Mulligan is on a total of 48.47 and Damien Gallagher is keeping it all tight and together, his total 48.35.  Martin McGee lost time earlier with a puncture and suspension trouble and his total is 49.09. Camillus Bradley is still going well and we have unofficially 2nd two wheel drive to Gary McPhillips. Camillus’ total 47.59. Mark Sheahan in his Clio leads cl.6 and is still on course for the McAree Border title.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net

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