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RALLY NEWS NO.4 Service/Saturday 2.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 Clogher Bridge 2
1st (6) Tim McNulty/Eugene O'Donnell (Impreza WRC) 28.23
2nd (5) Paul Harris/John McCafferty (Impreza) 29.39
3rd (7) Cahal Arthurs/Jakes Kelly (Accent WRC) 29.58
4th (2) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 30.01
5th (16) Sean Devine/John McElhinney (Impreza WRC) 30.11
6th (15) Ivan Stewart/Joe Friel (Esc.Cos) 30.21
7th (8) Hugh M Doherty/Michael McBride (Impreza WRC) 30.24
8th (12) Sean Gallagher/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 30.28
9th (20) Willie Fannin/Mick Courtney (Impreza N) 30.29
(25) Brendan Kelly/Derek Brannigan (Lancer N) 30.29
11th (18) Andrew Stewart/Fabian McShane (Lancer N) 30.32
(33) Michael Curran/Killian Duffy (Lancer N) 30.32
At the halfway point on this Donegal Harvest Rally Tim McNulty and co driver
Eugene O'Donnell would appear to be very solidly in the lead, over a minute
ahead of Paul Harris in his older model Subaru. Cahal Arthurs had a good loop
of stages that time to move ahead of Niall Maguire, the latter incurring
intercom problems.
Tim McNulty commented. "I'm really enjoying it, no bother, having a good
cut". Paul Harris recounted spinning his Subaru over gravel at a tight junction,
couldn't get gears, and couldn't get the car turned as the seconds ticked
away. His stage 4 time consequently 27s down on McNulty. Niall Maguire's co
driver Paul McLaughlin climbed out of their Subaru here at service coughing and
spluttering, having to shout the pacenotes the whole way through stage 3 when the
intercom broke. All in all Dunlop championship leader Niall is having a hard
time getting his confidence back following his accidents in Waterford and
Clonmel. Niall content at the moment to keep a good pace without going crazy.
Sean Devine spun his Subaru at a square right on stage 4, his co driver John
McElhinney reckoned the concentration slackened for just a moment, anyway
Sean is doing well to hold 5th. Ivan Stewart is driving his Escort Cosworth as
hard as it will go, although he isn't running any anti lag because of a small
electrical fault. Ivan has dropped from 3rd to 6th since stage 1.
Outside the leaderboard Patrick Elliott is on a total of 31.17, Patrick 2nd
fastest through stage 4, not quite so good in stage 3. Co driver David
Moynihan feeling that perhaps since it is so long since they had a dry rally that the
utmost commitment on the real fast bits of road has still to come. At the
rate Elliott is going he should very shortly come on to the leaderboard. The
same can't be said for Jim Harrison. He is having a very fraught time - after
losing 9 minutes in stage with his accident, he had a pretty good time in 3, 2nd
fastest in fact, but in stage 4 it all went wrong again. The intercom failed
on the start line, Jim had to switch off the anti lag system because the
exhaust was breaking following the earlier accident, and then he slid the Subaru
into a ditch at a junction and it wouldn't reverse out. He lost at least another
minute, his total now 39.08. In the course of being stuck in the ditch Jim
held up James Gillen for the 2nd time on the rally. Otherwise Gillen is going
well, was 6th after 1, but is having a battle to get back into the top 10
following his delays. His total now 30.44.
In Group N there is a massive battle going on with Willie Fannin and Brendan
Kelly tying at the front. Brendan carrying a lot of speed through the corners
with his lancer. Mike Curran really got going through 3 and 4, over 30s faster
than his first loop, and is now tying with Andrew Stewart, the pair just 3s
behind Fannin & Kelly. James O'Sullivan has dropped out of the picture
slightly, his total now 31.06, his Lancer seemingly not handling too well. Gabriel
Martin is a further 21s back, and admitting he is not on the pace today, still
getting over his last accident.
In the battle of the 2 wheel drive brigade Damian Gallagher and Camillus
Bradley were tying going into stage 4. Damian was 2s faster, his total now 31.04.
Bradley on 31.06, and was a bit annoyed at the end of stage 4, telling us he
slowed at an accident, but the competitor did not have the OK board displayed.
More later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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