RALLY NEWS NO.5                     Kilheffernan/Service/Sunday  4pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8
1st (4) Brian Murphy/Joe Downey (Impreza 555)  38.26
2nd (3) Kevin Lynch/Francis Regan (Impreza WRC) 38.31
3rd (26) Pat Norris/Declan Tumilty (Impreza 555) 38.53
4th (2) Kevin O'Kane/Martin Hanna (Impreza WRC) 39.11
5th (6) Paul Barrett/Dermot Colgan (Lancer N)  40.07
6th (12) Paul Mulcahy/Karl Baumawn (Starlet) 41.35
7th (25) Brian Lawlor/Peter Kavanagh (Escort) 41.43
8th (45) Bob Scanlon/Peter Keohane (Lancer N) 41.57
9th (8) Patrick Elliott/Sean Moriarty (Lancer N) 42.31
10th (15) James Coleman/Eoin O'Neill (Escort) 42.54

Kevin Lynch was fastest through stages 7 and 8 in the fast Gurteen complex. In stage 7 Lynch was 3s faster than Kevin O'Kane and Pat Norris with Brian Murphy 1s back. Then on stage 8 Lynch was 3s faster than Brian Murphy with Kevin O'Kane a further 2 back.  We mentioned on the last RallyNews that Lynch was worried about his Subaru rear differential which is screaming its head off.    He says it has got worse but he is determined to try to finish the rally, if possible, first. Brian Murphy admits he was trying really hard through stages 7 and 8, and this is really shaping up to be a grandstand finish.  Kevin O'Kane said "We had a good run, but it was very slippy".  Pat Norris admitted to trying hard but there is nothing he can do about the 2 cars in front.

Paul Barrett's brilliant run continues, but the gpN leader feels that his Lancer was slightly down on power through stages 7 and 8, but then that could be as much to do with the fast nature of the stages.  Bob Scanlon continues to hold 2nd in gpN and reports no problems. Patrick Elliott and James Cribben were having a big battle for 3rd in the gpN category and after stage 6 were only a few seconds apart, but Elliott really got the finger out through stages 7 and 8 to open up a gap. Cribben admitted to being too cautious. The reason for Aaron MacHale's retirement out of the gpN battle was a broken clutch. Eddie Garry is still motoring on in his hired Lancer, now on a total of 45.30, having lost a bit of time in stage 8 when he spun the car and nearly clipped a spectating Austin MacHale.

Other stories include - Michael Tynan losing a few seconds at the end of 8 with a broken intercom. John Reid had a puncture halfway through stage 7 and lost a few seconds, his total 42.55, just 1s outside the leaderboard. Ray Benskin was running late on the road after 6 having broken the alternator belt on his Escort.  Lloyd Hutchinson was delayed in stage 8 with 2 further punctures and a bent steering rack, but his Mini is still leading its class on a total of 43.54.

More news after stage 10: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON  
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