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| West Cork Rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.8 - Clonakilty - Sunday @ 14:10:23 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.8 Service/Sunday
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13
1st (4) Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly (Skoda S2000) 1.38.29.7
2nd (145) Colm Murphy/Don Montgomery (Impreza N) 1.38.42.8
3rd (2) Daragh O'Riordan/Tony McDaid (Impreza WRC) 1.38.44.9
4th (152) Danny Barry/Brian Duggan (Lancer N) 1.41.10.5
5th (8) Damien McCarthy/Eamonn Hayes (Civic) 1.41.27.9
6th (7) Trevor Mulligan/Sean Hayde (Escort) 1.43.32.7
7th (11) Leonard Downey/Mark Murphy (Escort) 1.45.15.2
8th (6) Peter Lloyd/Martin Brady (Impreza WRC) 1.45.34.8
9th (15) Fergus O'Meara/Liam Brennan (Escort) 1.46.23.8
10th (30) Jason & Ruth McSweeney (Civic) 1.46.29.9
Just 5 stages to go on this Quality Hotels West Cork Rally and jut 15s separate the top 3 cars. It certainly has all the makings of a very close and exciting finish. Colm Murphy did lead through the first few stages this morning but then he was slowed when his Impreza manifold broke. At the same time Robert Barrable really got his act together and set fastest times through stages 12 and 13 to move into the lead. Robert’s father Michael, who won the rally here in 2007, kept a very close eye on the team as the Skoda got refettled in preparation for one last push. The suspension has been tweaked a couple of notches harder and new tyres were fitted.
Colm Murphy on the other hand told us. “I’m having to make the best of the situation, damage limitation really, the car is slow out of the junctions and we’re having to make time on the fast stuff. The boys have borrowed a MIG welder and they are trying to fix the manifold.” It was expected that Daragh O’Riordan would make a real charge over the last couple of stages but it just didn’t work out that way for the young Midleton man and he told us. “I’m not making it easy for myself. We had a pin in stage 12 and I couldn’t get reverse. I am my own worst enemy. I want to make the push but I’m thinking about it too much”. Danny Barry in 4th place was another to move on to harder compound tyres for this afternoon’s stages.
Damien McCarthy/Eamonn Hayes in 5th are continuing to set stunning times in their Civic. The car is starting to jump out of first gear so it’s a matter now for the boys to just try and keep it all going. Peter Lloyd has moved up a few places on the leaderboard and his co driver Martin Brady said. “Peter is getting the confidence now, on the flat out stuff, he’s flat out!” Tomas Davies is lying outside the top 10 and he’s pushing hard today having lost time yesterday with broken wipers. John Hendy/Alan White are withdrawing their twin cam Corolla from the rally after stage 13 and John said. “We have a brand new engine in and it was overheating. We changed the radiator but something is not right and we don’t want to risk it”.
Kieran Daly continues to lead the Citroen contenders and is 13s ahead of Scott McElhinney with Joe McGonigle a further 6s back. In the Historic section Mark Falvey continues to lead from Denis Moynihan with Jeremiah O’Flynn 3rd.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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