Kieran Graffin hired a Focus WRC from Derek McGarrity to win last Sunday’s Lough Neagh Marshals Club Stage Rally. Derek McGeehan normally prepares Eugene Donelly’s Toyota and this time he drove it to finish 2^nd. John McGlaughlin was 3^rd in a Lancer.

Kevin Lynch has obtained an entry for this weekend’s Swansea Bay Rally, driving his Impreza WRC S9, and plans to use the event for some experience of the Rally GB stages.

Ollie O’Donovan has at last discovered that his Impreza WRC handling problems was down to a fault in the wiring loom to the gearbox electronics. He now plans to compete on the BHV Rally in Holland and then the Manx.

Kenny McKinstry has entered the Manx. He has won the National several times but not the International, although he has finished 2^nd twice. His entry in his Impreza WRC S9 would seem to preclude Andrew Nesbitt doing the event. Nesbitt is entering the Ulster and then Rally Deutschland.

Kieran Shaw has entered his Impreza WRC on the 24^th/25^th Cork Forestry, penultimate round of the McCauley Trailers Championship.

Eamonn Boland is forsaking his Lancer WRC and will run the ex JJ Fleming Impreza WRC S9 on the Manx.

Sean Devine, 3^rd on last weekend’s Sligo Stages with his Impreza WRC, is top seed on this weekend’s Maiden City MC Lark in the Park Rally. Hugh Martin Doherty is making a return in the ex Bertie Fisher Impreza 555 and will run at 2, Cahal Rogers at 3 in his Lancer.

Jim Harrison was ready to start his Sligo Rally reconnaissance when he received a message that his wife Cathy had gone into labour back in Macclesfield. Jim’s co-driver Harvey Bell had a plane on standby at Knock airport and they were back in England by lunchtime in time for the birth of a fine baby boy, to be called Stan.

Marko Martin is to share Austin McHale’s Focus WRC on the forthcoming Punchestown Rally Experience event, while Freddy Loix will share George Tracey’s Peugeot 206 WRC. Juha Kankunnan is also tipped to appear, insisting on driving a Subaru.

Galway’s Paul Dempsey has acquired Seamu Leonard’s Impreza N9 and managed a top twenty finish on his first outing in Sligo.

Enniskillen Motor Club is holding a rally time trial at St Angelo Airport on Saturday 24^th July. Well known co-driver Martin McGarrity is the man to contact for details on 07968 3057969. 

 Brian Patterson.