With just 2 stages to go now Eugene Donnelly leads by 59s from Eamonn Boland.
Tim McNulty in 3rd is over a minute back. Gareth MacHale has lipped to 4th a further 12s behind McNulty. Gareth was challenging hard for 2nd place but received two setbacks. One was a road penalty for an alleged jump start on stage 9 this morning. The other problem was a recurrence of the hydraulic oil leak which affects the gearbox and differentials. No such problems for rally leader Eugene Donnelly who said after stage 12. “We took absolutely no chances in there. The slightest wee movement at all and you will get a puncture. It is a fantastic road for this car though. It is so narrow, so many rocks, very challenging and different. Some of the pictures of the car over the jumps should be fantastic” Eamonn Boland set fastest time through that stage 12. He thought that Gareth was just seconds away but that has now receded. Eamonn did lose a few seconds when he stalled at a junction but otherwise he had a good run.
Gareth MacHale told us after the stage. “The marshal told me there was oil leaking and sure enough the car wouldn’t take off from the start line, wouldn’t change gear. I had to go on to manual change.” When queried on the jump start Gareth said. “We’re going to have to check. If it was a jump start it was miniscule” Interestingly there is now some debate about whether the penalty should be one minute or ten seconds. It definitely states in the regulations for the rally that a penalty for a jump start is 1m. But under International regulations the penalty should be 10s. There could be some debate about this!!
Tim McNulty’s co driver David Moynihan reckoned they were keeping it safe, perhaps over cautious in places. Darren Gass also said he was playing his safe although his co driver Diarmuid Falvey said. “I beg to differ!” Alan Carmichael is still leading group N but lost a few seconds in stage 12 when something broke on his Lancer’s suspension. Rory Byrne in the Modern Tyres Lancer was fastest in group N through that stage. Paddy White had yet another puncture so he continues to support the tyre industry!! Daragh O’Riordan in the Clio feels his suspension is too low for these bumpy roads. The Cork crew said “We might have to rise it a bit!” Eugene Meegan’s progress was halted for 7 minutes when he stuffed the front of his Honda. He got water and eggs from a farm to repair the radiator and has managed to get to service. Liam Egan just managed to make it into service also although he dropped 2m in the stage with a blown turbo on his Lancer.
On the National B Rally Kenny McKinstry still leads from Wesley Patterson with Denis Biggerstaff now 3rd and Neil McCance 4th, John McGlaughlin 5th and Manus Kelly got past Camillus Bradley for 6th. Seamus Leonard dropped out of 4th, his Subaru reportedly up a slip road with smoke coming from under the bonnet. Emma McKinstry had been 6th but her Subaru is unfortunately in a field 20 feet below the road and no way back on to the tarmac. First reports suggest the car, although it went through a hedge, is undamaged. Fastest 2 wd through the stage was Manus Kelly who made a charge. Adrian Hetherington dropped many minutes when he went over a big rock and went into the ditch. Melvyn Evans continues to lead the National A by many minutes from David Mann.
MOONRAKER RALLY: Peter McCullagh leads by 1s from Harding with James Murphy 3rd, John Reid 4th, Pat O’Connell 5th, Frank Kelly 6th, Martin Cairns 7th just ahead of Mark Sheehan. (thanks to Martin Brady for forestry info).
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (with thanks to Michael & Zoe Patterson): *For SMS results text RALLY ITC to 53030 (Irl) or 60066 (UK): Text STOP to switch off. Cost 30c/25p
