RALLY NEWS NO.11                   Castlelyons/Service/Sunday 4pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 13 bALLYNO
1st (3) Eamonn Boland/Damian Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.47.47
2nd (1) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 1.47.57
3rd (2) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 1.49.17
4th (11) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 1.49.42
5th (8) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 1.50.37
6th (10) Maurice Gass/Andrew Cullen (Impreza WRC) 1.51.49
7th (6) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 1.52.06
8th (15) Tommy Graham/Bob Kelly (Impreza WRC) 1.53.07
9th (12) Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (BMW M3) 1.53.09
10th (17) Seamus Leonard/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza N) 1.53.33
11th (22) JJ Fleming/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 1.53.44
12th (18) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 1.54.22

It is down to the wire on this Cork 20 for the final stage with just 10s separating Eamonn Boland and Derek McGarrity in the battle for victory. Austin MacHale looked earlier today as if he would enter the winner's equation, but the 5 times Tarmac Champion has had some problems with his Impreza over the last few stages, and indeed dropped a minute in stage 13 when a power steering/hydraulic problem raised its head. 

Donie O'Sullivan turned in a fastest time through stage 11 but then in stage 12 the car started to cut out at the end of the stage, and in fact it stopped on the road section to stage 13, Ballynoe, and it looks like Donie and co driver Paul Nagle have retired the Bio-Clear Subaru.

In Group N Roy White is playing it very very cool, letting Seamus Leonard set fastest gpN times, Roy determined not to get involved in the battle, and just get the car to the finish in its current position, enough to take the category in the Tarmac championship.

Returning to the situation at the front of the rally - McGarrity was 3s faster than Boland through stage 13, neither driver reporting any major problems with their cars so it really will be a grandstand finish.

Denis Cronin remains the best 2 wheel drive entry, Denis saying he is clicking the BMW into top gear now and letting it do the work, and his times do not seem to be suffering at all.  Guy Woodcock is unofficially in 13th and leading class 7. Guy's only real worry is a touch of toothache!  John Moynihan is 2nd in class to Cronin and really enjoying the event. James O'Sullivan is inside the top 20 just behind Peter Lloyd. O'Sullivan in the 023 Tiles car leading class 11. Aaron MacHale is still 3rd in gpN and also running inside the top 20.
LATEST NEWS…Donie O'Sullivan has got the car going and slotted in ahead of the Historics and completed stage 13 in a time of 8.48, which would put him 5th overall, but we don't know how he stands on road penalties…
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON   www.rallynews.net