Through stages 2 and 3 Clogagh and Ballinascarthy, the pace has been hot and heavy. Donagh Kelly followed up his fastest time on the opening stage with another quickest time on stage 2. Then in stage 3 Denis Cronin got into his stride and really set the roads alight with a time quite a few seconds faster than either Kelly or O`Riordan. Apart from his Focus WRC having slightly the wrong tyre pressures earlier on rally leader Donagh Kelly reports no problems. Daragh O`Riordan also had a clean run over those opening s3 stages. Denis Cronin admitted that on the first couple of stages he was, as usual, slow to settle.
There was a major disappointment when Robert Barrable retired his Fiesta R5 on stage 2 because of a worry over the steering rack. Owen Murphy pulled his Lancer out of the rally after stage 2 due to an overheating issue. The reason for Melvyn Evans` retirement has been given as a broken drive shaft on his Subaru.
James Stafford is still going strong in his Darrian to lead the Modified category and that was despite the rear tyres losing their grip because of the heat in stage 3. Kevin Kelleher has had a fraught rally so far, what with clutch slip on the first stage and then a turbo pipe coming loose in stage 2. However, his time in stage 3 gives rise for a sense of optimism and all is not lost. Declan Gallagher, as ever, is setting very impressive times in his Starlet and holding the Escorts at bay. Pat Donegan is best of the Escorts at the minute, but his Escort is having gearbox problems. Frank Kelly had a minor problem with the handbrake sticking on in his Escort, but he has settled down to the new car very well. Adrian Hetherington found the suspension on his Escort set very hard. He has dropped it back a few clicks and his times have improved accordingly. Phil Collins has had a clean run so far and is another right in the hunt. Jason Ryan was 14th o/a after stage 1 but has dropped back following an overshoot in stage 2. He is still going OK.
Mark Nangle`s Impreza clipped a bank on a square left over gravel, there was very little damage and he is going well again. Damien McCarthy retired on the first stage and then found the likely problem was a cam shaft sensor. He has got it fixed and is hoping to run in Rally 2. David Guest is having his first run in 4 wheel drive and despite the brake pedal going to the floor a couple of times is having a ball. Mark Straker had one small overshoot in his Darrian that cost a few seconds but otherwise the
Surrey man is revelling in the lovely clean stages here in West Cork. Stephen Carey has slight intercom problems in his GpN Civic but is going well. Local man Philip Cross was slowed slightly when a screwdriver found its way under the pedals in his GpN Impreza.
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