`The cream generally comes to the top` was the feeling at the end of the opening stage on this Acesigns Cork 20 Rally. Three times winner of this event, Daragh O`Riordan, was first through and recorded a time of 13.25, then it was Sam Moffett in his similar Fiesta WRC, and the Monaghan man admitted that he was struggling with a mechanical problems. Then it was |Keith Cronin, on his first rally for almost 12 months, and his first time in a Citroen Ds3R5 and he was fastest. Conditions were good but certainly not ideal. There was some watery sunshine but the narrow Musherabeg roads and lanes were damp and cold. Daragh O`Riordan told us that for the first few miles of the stage his Fiesta tyres just would not warm up and he was getting very little grip. Sam Moffett was in a real sweat when he reached stage finish, and told of a problem with his Fiesta WRC power steering, both last night and then on the stage today. This completely wrecked Sam`s confidence and he was trying to be careful.
Keith Cronin reported the stage to be very slippy and felt he could not push too hard. He has just taken delivery of his new car and has not had any real opportunity to set up the suspension. On a small test earlier in the week his father Danny told us that they tried to lower the suspension a little, but then it was bottoming out and they had to raise it again. Fourth on the road is Josh Moffett and he remarked at stage finish that he was being conservative, he needed to finish the rally for Tarmac Championship points. Unbeknown to Josh as he was telling us this, his championship rival, Stephen McCann, was in trouble. Word filtered through eventually that Stephen had an accident and his Lancer was blocking the stage.
Both Declan Gallagher and Wesley Patterson did get through before the blockage. When we asked Declan how he got on he replied. `Middling. Not a good run. I could not get into it and hit the chicane near the start of the stage`. Interestingly, Wesley Patterson told basically the same story of no grip from his Escort tyres and no confidence and clipped the chicane early in the stage.
News of some non-starters – Peadar Hurson, Frank Kelly, Eoin Doyle. Earlier withdrawals included Alan Ring and Sebastian Ling. Latest news from Rally France following 2 stages this morning is that Latvala has extended his lead slightly to 14s over his VW team mate Mikkelsen with Kris Meeke 35s off the lead. Sordo is 4th, Kubica 5th, Osberg 6th. Ogier is almost 9m off the lead following his Friday problems.
More news after stage 3: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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