UNOFFICIAL NAT. L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 7
1st (15) Daniel McKenna/Arthur Kierans (Escort) 43.56.3
2nd (14) Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan (Escort) 44.15.8
3rd (16) Manus Kelly/Donal Barrett (Escort) 44.27.9
4th (32) Conor Harvey/Ger Callaghan (Escort) 45.03.1
5th (22) Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan (Escort) 45.32.8
6th (19) Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Escort) 45.53.3
Sam Moffett was fastest through the opening Garrygort stage this morning to move ahead of overnight leader Declan Boyle. Boyle had a 5s lead leaving service but Moffett was 8s faster through the stage. Interestingly Donagh Kelly was 2nd fastest, just a couple of seconds down on Moffett. Darren Gass was 3rd quickest. At stage finish Moffett commented that he had had a good run while Declan Boyle said. `It was a bit dusty and gravelly and not a lot of grip`. Despite setting such a good time Gass reported 2 stalls in the stage, one of them at a hairpin. When Donagh Kelly was asked how he was so much faster today than yesterday he said. `I just put my head in gear`. Garry Jennings reported his Subaru all over the place, possibly down to the tyres. Derek McGarrity also reported his Subaru moving around a lot which hurt his confidence.
In the National Rally Daniel McKenna was fastest but reckoned that as they had come straight out of service into the stage the tyre pressures had then soared. This made his Escort a bit wayward. Gary McPhillips felt unwell but still set a decent time. Manus Kelly also had a good run and Conor Harvey, who is looking more and more confident on his first drive in a 2.5 litre Escort. Mark Alcorn was 6th overall in the Nationals starting today, but has crashed his Corolla and is out of the rally. Mark and his co driver Kevin McCafferty are reportedly uninjured. Several of the following competitors stopped to make sure they were all OK which may affect the times.
In the International Rally Josh Moffett has taken over the group N lead and is 7th o/a with Pat Kirk 2nd GpN and 8th o/a just ahead of Eugene Meegan.
On the Ypres ERC Rally in Belgium the overnight leader was Kevin Abbring in the Peugeot 208 T16. His team-mate Craig Breen was 7th o/a, having been 3rd and then delayed with a puncture and a broken brake pipe. Neil Simpson is 9th in his Skoda. Freddy Loix was 2nd in a similar Skoda. Stephen & Susanne Wright were still going well but down in 39th place in their Peugeot 208 R2.
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