RALLY NEWS NO.6
Finish-Adare-Sunday 7.30pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 (final stage)
1st (4) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Impreza WRC) 1.11.06
2nd (2) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.12.11
3rd (1) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.12.13
4th (7) Maurice Gass/Ger McMonagle (Impreza WRC) 1.13.47
5th (5) Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Impreza) 1.14.37
6th (156) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRc) 1.15.11
7th (9) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (BMW M3) 1.15.35
8th Sean Gallagher/Paul Nagle (Esc Cos) 1.16.29
9th David McNulty/Martin McGarrity (Esc Cos) 1.17.44
10th (21) Aidan Walsh/Frankie Sweeney (Escort) 1.18.15
Seldom has a more dominant display been seen on a Dunlop National Championshp
Rally as Eugene Donnelly put up today, over 1minute ahead at the finish.
There was quite a race as well over the last few stages between Michael Barrable
and Tim McNulty. McNulty recounted he reckons he fell asleep on the penultimate
stage, while Michael Barrable really got the hammer down. McNulty tried to
make up for lost time on the final stage and set quickest stage time, but he was
just pipped on the post by 2s for 2nd place. Barrable admitted that he
stepped up the pace and really took the crests very hard towards the end.
Maurice Gass was disappointed to only finish 4th but it was still a good run for
the Armagh man. His cause was not helped by the fact that his Impreza WRC had no
reverse gear towards the end and of course Maurice was being very cautious at
junctions in case he had an overshoot. Ollie O'Donovan drove on the door
handles to bring his older model car into 5th, while Liam McCarthy rounded off
the top half dozen in his Corolla WRC.
Eugene Donnelly commented here at the Woodlands Hotel finish…"Delighted,
absolutely delighted. I felt it was a struggle all day, fast stages but
very tough. There was so much fast stuff that it could catch you very easily,
but it was good experience on different type of terrain. It was the first time
we've had a full day on dry roads with this car and that was good as well to
test the limit of the tyres. We had one big moment when I slid wide at a
junction and on to the grass, I think it was the penultimate stage. There were
plenty of spectators there to witness it! The stages were so fast that I had to
have my ears turned up to full volume to hear Paddy on the notes".
Eugene's victory does not move him into the lead of the Dunlop Championship.
Michael Barrable is still well ahead on points, although Eugene has one rally up
his sleeve - one dropped score.
The rally is also a round of the 023 Tiles Championship and Maurice Gass
reinforces his lead on that one. In Group N today 023 Tiles supremo James
O'Sullivan had a very close run thing with Willie Fannin/Brian Duggan, the two
separated by a hair's breadth, with Fannin just taking it in the end, the pair,
in their respective Lancers, finishing just outside the top ten. Eoin
Doyle from Co. Kilkenny was debuting his new Prodrive Impreza today, but got
caught out by gravel thrown out by someone else's accident, put the car in a
ditch and broke a wishbone. We are still waiting for times for the later cars -
John Kearney/Sean Moriarty were running very close to Aidan Walsh in their
Flaherty Concrete Escort for class 13 honours and a slot just outside the top
10. Garry Jennings recovered well from his gear selection problem and although
he had no chance of recovering to his earlier top ten position, the young
Ballinamallard man brought his Peugeot back to 16th place. Sean Gallagher
dropped one place on the leaderboard at the finish when it was discovered he had
road penalties, through a jumped start. David McNulty/Martin McGarrity had a
good run towards the end from a late start number to come into the top ten.
In the Ford Ireland Focus Championship John Foley won from Oliver Stanley with
Gerry Keyes 3rd. Foley now leads the Focus Championship. Finally for
now - many thanks to all from the Limerick MC and to everyone who supported the
RallyNews service. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON (with thanks to Ciara
Conlon and Dougie Hughes and Joseph & Tony)
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