The above times are provisional. Stage 2 has been stopped. It is believed that Phil Collins/Diarmuid Falvey have crashed their Escort.
On stage 1 Donagh Kelly was fastest from Sam Moffett with Daragh O`Riordan 3rd fastest, just 9s separating the top 3. Unfortunately current Tarmac Champion Declan Boyle did not come through stage 1 as his Subaru has again encountered some sort of mechanical/electrical problem. Declan`s engineer, Robbie McGurk, is tearing his hair out trying to find out what this problem is. It is related to what happened on the Galway Rally. The car was perfect on a test yesterday and then started to misbehave at scrutineering last night. Robbie is even working closely with the Prodrive engineer who built the car, but a solution to this just cannot be found as yet.
Last year`s West Cork winner Donagh Kelly has taken the rally very much in his stride, but at the same time by the scruff of the neck. Sam Moffett has worn out a set of tyres already on the opening 2 stages and is going to fit a slightly harder compound Pirelli for the next loop. He said that at location 17 in stage 2 he had a real worrying moment with spectators in his line of sight. Daragh O`Riordan seems to be in absolute top form and indeed West Cork is one of his favourite rallies, as this is where he made his rally debut quite a few years ago. He is taking a little time to settle in and clipped a back wheel on a 6 right don`t cut corner. Happily there was no damage and little time lost.
Melvyn Evans in 4th place had a half spin on the opening stage. The Welshman admitted before the rally started that he would be a bit rusty here. One of his service crew joked that they were going to give him a good spray of WD40 to loosen him up for the next loop of stages. Josh Moffett is still on a learning curve with his Fiesta WRC. Co-driver John Rowan said. `We are finding the Fiesta deals with things that would be a drama in the Evo!` Declan Gallagher reported a good run so far but he said it was hairy enough on a few patches of standing water, but he is taking no chances. Stephen Wright in his Fiesta R5 told us here at service. `There is time left in the car but I am nice and comfortable in it. It is more capable than I am`. Jonny Greer in the Citroen DS3R5 seemed to slow slightly towards the end of the 2nd stage, and we have an unconfirmed report that the car`s pop-off valve is giving problems.
Some more stores include. Joe McGonigle has retired with damaged suspension on his Fabia S2000. Southern 4 Champion Stephen Carey`s Civic has stopped with a broken drive shaft. At Bishopscourt Derek McGarrity in his new Impreza WRC S14 leads from Kenny McKinstry. Jon Armstrong has moved into the R2 lead from Kyle White.
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