Gareth MacHale and his co driver Brian Murphy in their Focus WRC have scored a start to finish win on this Cork 20 International Rally. Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner in their Fabia WRC played the percentage game throughout and were content to let Gareth MacHale clock up fastest time after fastest time while they concentrated on keeping out of trouble and taking 2nd place which was enough to clinch the Tarmac Championship title. For Eugene this is his 5th Tarmac title and for co driver Paddy Toner his first. Alastair Fisher/Barry McNulty overcame a major mechanical glitch with their Lancer this morning, dropped back from their 4th place and eventually finished 10th which was just enough to clinch 3rd o/a in the Tarmac C/ship and win Class 4. Denis Cronin had an untroubled run to 3rd o/a and that will bring him back into contention on the Thomond Crystal Southern 4 C/ship. Darren O’Riordan/Tony McDaid had a very good rally to take 4th o/a in their Clio S1600 and this earns Daragh 4th o/a in the Tarmac C/ship plus a class 6A win.
Owen Murphy & James O’Brien have won Group N today with their newly acquired Lancer and Ger O’Donovan/Sean Hayde round off the top 6 and are 2nd GpN on the rally and have won the GpN category of the Tarmac C/ship. West Cork man John Buttimer has done his chances in the Southern 4 series no harm at all with 7th o/a. Eugene Meegan in 8th has won cl.3. 29 year old Gareth MacHale said at the Rochestown Park Hotel finish. “I’m delighted with the result. We did all we could. This was 2 wins out of 3 rallies”. Eugene Donnelly said. “This was a bit special for me, to have Paddy co-driving. We won the NI C/ship together a long time ago. The entire crew has done a great job. And to bring the Skoda in and make it so reliable and so fast was pretty special. A big thanks to all our sponsors as well when money is so tight.” Tarmac C/ship GpN winner Alastair Fisher explained that his mechanical problem was down to a broken seal in the fuel pump. He was lucky to make it through and at one point about 20 spectators had to push to the car up a hill to keep it going.
Anthony Neville/Brian Synott were 7th o/a starting the final loop but we have no times as yet for them. Washington James/Anthony O’Connell were 3rd o/a in the Nationals but they retired their Darrian with a broken CV joint, trying to cut a final stage corner getting past Barry Meade’s Escort, Barry having stalled the car at a chicane. On Le Touquet Rally in France Marty McCormack overcame another electrical hitch with his Citroen C2R2 to record 3rd fastest on the last stage and hopefully move into the top 10 o/a and 2nd best Citroen C2R2. He next outing is Rally Antibes.
Finally for now many congratulations to Colman Hegarty and his hard-working Munster MC team for putting on such an excellent event. Our thanks to all who supported and helped with the RallyNews service. Our thanks also to Angus Sealy (Results): Dougie Hughes and Aidan Harper (RallyNews distribution): Daphne Millar & Mossy O’Connell: Raymond Moore for Le Touquet Citroen news: Don Wilmont (Tarmac c/ship Manager):
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
