RALLY NEWS NO.5 Service/Saturday 6pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 (END OF LEG 1)
1st (3) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Impreza WRC) 1.04.06.0
2nd (7) Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Lancer N) 1.04.20.0
3rd (5) John Dalton/Gwynfor Jones (Darrian) 1.05.15.4
4th (4) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 1.05.16.3
5th (15) Wesley Patterson/Ruth Guest (Escort) 1.06.38.2
6th (17) James Stafford/Frank Dwyer (Darrian) 1.06.48.8
7th (12) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Lancer N) 1.06.55.3
8th (24) Neil Williams/Eurig Davies (Escort) 1.07.10.8
9th (19) Gwyndaf Evans/Martin Henry (Escort) 1.07.26.0
10th (22) Conor Curley/Nigel Frazer (Escort) 1.07.28.7

Rally leader Donie O’Sullivan was looking forward to a real blast over the dry roads of today’s final 2 stages, Sam’s Cross and Rathbarry. It wasn’t to be though for Killarney man Donie as his Impreza lost 5th gear, and that was just the cog to be for many of the fast, wide sweeping bends of those beautiful roads. As it was Donie did well to hold on to his lead and was short shifting his Impreza from 4th to 6th on occasions, but mostly just holding on to 4th. He commented here at final Saturday service. “It was hindrance but we’re here. It is a pity as there was a real line through those stages. Overall the package is working fine and I’m hoping for the same again for tomorrow’s stages without the spins and stalls. I want to go home comfortable with the car in preparation for the Circuit of Kerry and then the Lakes”.

Liam McCarthy had a good run over the last couple of stages, but having said that they were a few seconds off the leader’s pace. Liam has had several 2nd and 3rd overall places on this rally over the years, but has never won it and he must be in with a real good chance this time.

John Dalton turned a fastest time overall through stage 8, his Darrian looking very quick on the dry roads, although he is having a small bit of throttle sticking trouble. Colm Murphy continues to lead the Mitsubishi Evo Irish Challenge brigade and his 2nd o/a position would appear to be fairly safe at the moment. Colm is driving well within himself. He equalled O’Sullivan’s time through stage 7 and was just a fraction slower through stage 8 so there is still plenty to play for there tomorrow.

It looks like there has been a change in the standings behind Colm in the Evos as Tom Curley has clipped a rock on stage 7 and is struggling through 8 to get here to service. Alan Carmichael has already arrived and his despite his co driver being sick during the day it looks as if he is up to 2nd in the Evos.

Further stories from the top 10 include Gwyndaf Evans getting back on the pace following a fairly rusty start. Neil Williams is going well in his Mk2 Escort despite a small scare when leaking oil from the gearbox caught fire on the exhaust manifold. James Stafford has lost the flat shift mechanism on his gearbox which has snookered the gear indicator.

Sean Flanagan & Brian Duggan, team mates to Alan Ring, are now setting a good pace having put their clutch problem behind them. Sean & Brian now just outside the top 10. Wesley Patterson has a cracked side tube on his Escort’s back axle and Wesley is taking it relatively easy over the jumps. He is still a very sound 5th but is losing a bit of ground to the Escorts & Darrians around him.

Phil Collins said he is back on song but not so much on the pace as the anger has gone a little now that he is outside the top 10. Sunday is however another very long day’s rallying and no doubt Phil will be into the top 10 before its over!

In the Citroen C2R2s Marty McCormack now has a slender 9s lead over Barry Evans. Paul Manton was 3rd but he rolled his example in stage 6, he’s trying to the car fixed for the 2nd Citroen header tomorrow. Sam Moffett is now into 3rd and Kelly is 4th. Martin Laverty reportedly stopped SS8.

More news in the morning: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (our thanks to May Murphy for the tea and buns!)

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