RALLY NEWS NO.13 Milford/Service/Sunday
UNOFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 19 ATLANTIC DR.
1st (3) Garry Jennings/Neil Doherty (Impreza WRC) 2.00.14.5
2nd (8) Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty (Impreza WRC) 2.01.44.3
3rd (5) Derek McGarrity/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 2.03.14.0
4th (7) Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Impreza WRC) 2.03.29.6
5th (1) Darren Gass/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 2.04.13.7
6th (6) Niall Maguire/Conor Foley (Impreza WRC) 2.04.57.1
7th (17) Sam Moffett/James O'Reilly (Lancer N) 2.08.12.7
8th (133) Josh Moffett/Jason McKenna (Lancer N) 2.08.20.2
9th (139) Martin Doherty/Damien McAuley (Lancer N) 2.10.40.0
10th (25) Pat Kirk/Peter Ward (Lancer N) 2.14.14.5
UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 19 ATLANTICE DRIVE
1st (14) Manus Kelly/Donal Barrett (Escort) 2.06.59.6
2nd (12) Declan & Brian Boyle (Escort) 2.07.02.3
3rd (22) Martin McGee/Denis O'Mahony (Escort) 2.08.34.7
4th (26) Paul Barrett/John McElhinney (Escort) 2.11.05.6
5th (16) Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan (Escort) 2.11.13.6
6th (146) Ed O’Callaghan/Raymond Scott (Escort) 2.11.47.4
7th Sam Kelso 8th Daniel Conaghan 9th Robbie Peoples 10th Wm McFadden
Stage 18, the tortuous 17.3km Port Lake stage, changed the face of this Topaz Donegal Rally when Cork man Darragh O’Riordan slid his Subaru into the undergrowth. O’Riordan had pressurised rally leader Garry Jennings throughout Saturday, but then Jennings started the Sunday with a tremendous flourish and was 14s faster than O’Riordan through the Glen stage. O’Riordan pushed hard then on the following stage, Port lake, but just over-cooked it. There was no damage to Darragh’s car and he eventually got out of the ditch after 7m., He was then lying 9th overall but decided not to continue. This left Jennings very much in the clear with well over a minute advantage on the next car, Seamus Leonard. Through the classic but very tough Atlantic Drive stage Garry adopted a very safe attitude and was happy enough to drop 9s to Leonard. At service in Milford Garry commented., “There’s no point in pushing now. I will drive to a pace”.
Fastest man through Atlantic Drive was Derek McGarrity. He said here at service. “Its going much better now. We have harder tyres fitted and have adjusted the suspension. The car was set up forTim McNulty and he drives in a much more aggressive manner than I do"” Seamus Leonard has well over a minute advantage on McGarrity. Seamus had an intercom problem through Atlantic Drive but otherwise his 2nd place looks reasonably comfortable. Darren Gass has been pushing hard since yesterday morning to regain time lost through road penalties. He did set some quickest stage times yesterday afternoon but has made no real impression today as he made a mistake in his tyre choice, too soft a rubber. Niall Maguire looks steady in 6th and the Monaghan man said. “I’m really enjoying this. That Port Lake is some stage. Its goes on and on, its brilliant”.
In the battle for Group N honours Sam Moffett now leads his brother Josh by 1s. At service Josh said. “On the first and second stages this morning it felt good but Sam took 6s on the 2nd one. On the 3rd stage, Atlantic, I never really got into it. I’m happy enough just to finish now. Sam is doing the Tarmac Championship. I’m not”.
In the National Rally Declan Boyle has led from the start but on Atlantic Drive, about half way through, he cut a left hand corner over a crest too tight. His Escort clipped a stone and damaged the steering and possibly the strut as well. Declan dropped 30s in the stage to the hard charging Manus Kelly and now trails Manus by 2s for the National lead. Adrian Hetherington retired from 7th place in the National when his Escort’s rear axle broke on Port Lake. Conor Harvey’s retirement on SS17, Glen, was down to a damaged turbo pipe when his Lancer slid into the scenery. He had been 3rd GpN. Kevin O’Connor is now up to 11th and leads the Citroen Racing Trophy from Kieran Daly. Joe McGonigle is up to 12th o/a in his Clio R3. More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON & MICHAEL www.rallynews.net With thanks to Kelly McCarter: Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @pacenotes or Real_RallyNews
