Tim McNulty took the lead of this Killarney Rally of the Lakes on stage 3, Tim Healy Pass, and held it through to stage 6, but then after second service at Castletownbere the Cod’s Head stage caught Tim out and his Pierse backed Subaru was to go no further on this rally. This allowed Eamonn Boland back into the lead, but Eamonn is getting harried all the way by Gareth MacHale, the two swapping seconds on every stage. Also Donie O’Sullivan is starting to come into the picture, Donie fastest through stage 8, Ardgroom. Derek McGarrity dropped several places when his Subaru dropped 2 minutes in stage 7 when he stopped to make sure that Tim McNulty & Eugene O’Donnell were OK. The severity of the accident shook Derek & Diarmuid somewhat and they took it easy until the end of the stage.
With just over 20s separating the top 3 drivers the Sunday leg promises to be fast and furious. Local man Donie O’Sullivan certainly is going to give it a big blast tomorrow and he’s hoping the small niggly problems that he had with the Subaru today are behind him. Interestingly whenever the engineers checked the data card of the Subaru it transpired it was a slow puncture on the first stage, that Donie hadn’t clipped a stone and of course that puncture cost Donie 13s. Once again Kris Meeke was a big talking point for the spectators as he fairly flung the little black Clio down the stages. Kris commented here at parc ferme. “It’s an awesome wee car, I just love it. That Cod’s Head is unbelievable, it is the best bit of road God invented. I was frustrated as well when I caught Derek, but it wasn’t his fault, he had stopped to check Tim’s accident and there was nowhere to pass.”
Although Derek is shown as 7th o/a above he will probably get a time allowance for having stopped at that accident which will probably move him into the top 6 which means he will also be right in the hunt tomorrow. Johnny O’Sullivan still has gearbox troubles, is in 14th and hoping his Subaru box can be changed in the morning.
In Group N Colm Murphy is forging away from his closest pursuer Kevin Kelleher. Alan Ring holds 3rd in GpN. Thomas Fitzmaurice is up to 4th and then it is John McGlaughlin in 5th. Damien Tourish is in 6th place in his Lancer, good to see him back following his work accident earlier this year.
In the National Rally James Stafford continued to hold a solid lead, his Darrian 44s up on Martin McGee in his Mk2 Escort. An uncharacteristically subdued Phil Collins was 3rd in his Escort with Fergus O’Meara 4th, Dave Slattery 5th, both in Escorts, then Willie Power 6th in his Darrian. In the Historics after 7 stages Ed Murphy is his Mk1 Escort held a 10s lead over Richard Hall (Escort). Joe Connolly in his Ford BDA was 3rd and Derek Boyd 4th in his Porsche. Tommy Mason & Denis Moynihan (both in Escorts) were 5th and 6th. Adrian Kermode/Maurice Beckett retired their Porsche 50 yards into stage 6, their first stage of the day, when a drive shaft broke.
More later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallkynews.net
(Our thanks to Alan & Ray Verso: Dougie Hughes: Barry Meeke)
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