UNOFFICIAL NAT/ L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 9
1st (24) Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan (Escort) 1.18.39..9
2nd (15) Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Fiesta R5) 1.18.44.1
3rd (22) Adrian Hetherington/Gary Nolan (Escort) 1.19.24.3
4th (39) Vincent McSweeney/Michael Kearney (Civic) 1.20.03.7
5th (23) Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Escort) 1.20.14.6
6th (34) Andy Mahon/Eamonn Hayes (Escort) 1.20.24.9
Warm sunshine bathed the beautiful West Cork countryside as the drivers headed into the opening Sunday stage, Shanaway. Rally leader Donagh Kelly was fastest by 5s from Keith Cronin. Donagh did report a major moment on a 5 left long over gravel and he said. `We were very lucky to get away with that` Keith Cronin reckoned he was on the wrong tyres, too soft a compound, and the car was moving around affecting his confidence. Garry Jennings is now on a tyre testing exercise in preparation for the Donegal International in June, and he was happy with his run. Josh & Sam Moffett were more or less level pegging on time through the stage and both happy enough. Roy White was not happy and said he felt he had not driven well.
Daragh O`Riordan`s Fiesta WRC was covered in mud at stage finish, and Daragh recounted a major moment when his Fiesta landed in a ditch after a big jump. He also told us that the engine management system in the car did not seem quite right yesterday. It has been re-mapped and feels better. Joe McGonigle was another driver to have a moment at a big jump, his Skoda landing in the middle of a tight left hander, and he does not quite know how he got away with it. Adrian Hetherington said he felt that he had driven with too much caution in the stage, whereas Frank Kelly, who is trying different tyres today, said. `Having a ball`. We have an unconfirmed report that Patrick McHugh has crashed his Escort and held up the following cars. Reports are that Patrick and his co driver Pauric O`Donnell are both OK.
Overnight class leaders include – young William Creighton (Peugeot) is leading class 1 by 34s from Callum Devine in his Opel Adam. Richard Whelan in his Citroen DS3 is leading cl.3 from David Carney in a similar Citroen. David has had turbo problems from the start. David Guest continues to lead Group N from Brian O`Keefe (Subaru) with Pat Kearney 3rd in his Sepam Lancer. John Bonner (Vincie`s wee boy) overcame some early niggly problems to lead cl.13 in his Mk2 Escort. Kyle McGettigan tops cl.11R in his Corolla. James O`Mahony led the Historics overnight from Wyn Hughes with Phillip Wylie 3rd, Duncan Williams 4th and Alan Watkins 5th to make it a Escort benefit at the front. John Coyle is 6th in his Sunbeam. Finally for now, we extend our sincere sympathy to the Rory Kennedy family circle on the death of Rory`s brother-in-law yesterday following illness.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ & MICHAEL & ZOE PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
