UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STASGE 6 Mullaghanish
1st (1) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 1.06.02.0
2nd (3) Keith Cronin/Marshall Clarke (Citroen DS3R5) 1.06.48.9
3rd (2) Sam Moffett/James O`Reilly (Fiesta WRC) 1.07.12.1
4th (5) Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Lancer N) 1.10.02.6
5th (8) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 1.11.28.1
6th (22) Stephen Wright/Mike Galvin (Peugeot 208 R2) `1.11.48.7
7th (27) Stephen Carey/Ella Ryan (Civic) 1.12.06.3
8th (25) Cal McCarthy/Eamonn Dullea (Civic) 1.12.49.1
9th (34) Callum Devine/Paddy McCrudden (Fiesta R2) 1.12.51.9
10th (29) Kevin Eves/Chris Melly (Peugeot 208 R2) 1.13.16.1
On stage 6, the second run over Mullaghanish Keith Cronin was fastest by 2s from Daragh O`Riordan with Sam Moffett 3rd, a further 4s in arrears. O`Riordan`s co driver Tony McDaid reckons that they went on a softer compound tyre and it was a case of six or two threes – the tyres were brilliant t the start of the stage but lost their edge towards the end. The lead pairing in their Fiesta WRC had a lucky escape in that a tyre deflated on the road section at the end of the stage. Tony went on to say that he was looking forward to this last stage of the day, but it can be a very tricky test, and they did have a massive 6th gear slide on that Musherabeg stage the last time through.
We reported on our last RallyNews that Keith Cronin lost time on stage 4 when his new Citroen incurred a puncture. That was true enough, but what we did not know was that it was probably down to a pin coming out of the gear linkage, something to do with the device that drops the revs when Keith changes gear. All of a sudden Keith was in the wrong gear and spun and that was when he punctured. He then had another spin and mishap on stage 5 that accounted for the time loss there. It has to be remembered that Keith is not match rally fit and this is a brand new car, so there has to be a learning curve. Engineer Colm Grant was doing some adjustments to the suspension here at service.
Another engineer (Tom Gahan) was studying Sam Moffett`s Fiesta WRC very carefully, as Sam has detected a rattle in a differential and the intention is to get through this last stage of the day and then do an assessment of the best course of action. Josh Moffett continues to drive his own rally, leading group N and 4th o/a, he is under no impression from behind and cannot really catch the cars in front. We reported earlier that Stephen McCann who was Josh Moffett`s main rival for GpN Tarmac Championship honours, retired because of an accident. It transpires that the car suffered a broken steering ball join before the accident and Stephen was a passenger into a corner. He has re-joined under Rally 2 rules but the fire of competition has dimmed.
Stephen Wright is leading class 2 in his Peugeot and the Billy Coleman Award winner reports plenty of grip on the stages and is really enjoying it. Young Callum Devine in his R2 Fiesta is lying 2nd in that class 2. Kevin Eves has speeded up and is into 3rd in class and is 8th o/a in the International. Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore continue to lead the National Rally in their Starlet and Declan has put this morning`s nerves behind him and is going like a train. Cal McCarthy is 2nd in the National and Martin Donnelly 3rd.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (Our thanks to Angus Sealy/Aidan Harper/Zoe Patterson *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
