Irish
Notes 7th August ’06.
Derek McGarrity had an operation in Noble’s
hospital in the Isle of Man on Saturday night to
pin his broken arm and shoulder and was expected
home to Glengormley early this week. Seamus
Leonard got himself home pretty sharpish
following his Manx accident last Friday evening.
A subsequent check up revealed a broken bone in
his hand, not as bad as the earlier feared
broken wrist.
Martin
Doherty and his co-driver Andrew Cullen took
their Impreza WRC to victory on last Sundays’
ALMC stages rally, based near Virginia, Cavan.
James Foley pushed very hard and got his Lancer
into 2nd, well ahead of Jack Sleator (Impreza
WRC).
Former
British GpN Champion Trevor Cathers had his
first rally outing for three years on the ALMC
event. In a GpN Lancer built by his son, Trevor
got reasonably well on the pace towards the end
of the 9 stages and 7th o/a, just behind Willie
Fannin. Trevor intends to mark his ‘60’ next
year by competing in the full Tarmac series.
Donegal
man Brendan Kelly, with Derek Brannigan on the
pace notes, finished 10th on the ALMC in a new
David Greer Motorsport built Evo 9, and intends
to use the same car on the 20th August
Birr Forestry, next round of the McCauley
Trailers series.
Eamonn
Power, co-driven Adrian Cullen, took his Peugeot
106 to victory on the Junior section of the ALMC
Rally, ahead of JP Logue (Civic) and Richard
Price (Civic V Ti).
Eugene
Donnelly’s Manx winning Corolla WRC was back
into Derek McGeehans workshop by Sunday
lunchtime for another thorough checkover as this
weekend promises to be a bit busy for the
Toyota. Eugene plans to drive it on the Saturday
in Lurgan Park, and then Charlie Donnelly will
use it on the Sunday where he is No.1 seed on
the Tipperary Stonethrowers.
The
Stonethrowers event, 7th round of the Dunlop
National series has points leader Patrick
Elliot seeded at 2, with Aaron MacHale, still
hungry for his first National win, at 3 in the
family ‘03 Focus WRC, while Gareth drives the
’05 example in Germany.
Alan
Ring and Willie Fannin, both in Impreza N12’s,
as well as Gabriel Martin (Lancer N) are all
seeded in the Stonethrowers top ten, as they
resume their quest for Dunlop Championship GpN
honours. The rally has a new HQ this weekend,
the new Clonmel Park Hotel.
Alister
McRae has had a problem with his own Mk2 Escort,
and will now drive Seamus O’Connell’s Escort
on this weekend’s Lurgan Park event. Seamus
finished ‘best 2 wheel drive’ on the recent
Cork Forestry event.
Brian Patterson.
