RALLY NEWS NO.4                    Service - Tullatreada - Saturday 1.45pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 4 LOUGH ALLUA
1st (3) Eamonn Boland/Damian Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 32.13
2nd (1) Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 32.29
3rd (2) Austin MacHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 32.39
4th (11) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Impreza WRC) 33.21
5th (8) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 33.38
6th (7) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Impreza WRC) 33.47
7th (6) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 33.59
8th (10) Maurice Gass/Andrew Cullen (Impreza WRC) 34.11
9th (18) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 34.21
10th (17) Seamus Leonard/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza N) 34.26
11th (22) JJ Fleming/Jakes Kelly (Impreza WRC) 34.33
12th (15) Tommy Graham/Bob Kelly (Impreza WRC) 34.35

Eamonn Boland was fastest through stage 3, Fuhiry, by 4s from Austin MacHale with Derek McGarrity a further 2 back. Then in stage 4 it was Derek McGarrity shown as fastest on 8.36, Eamonn  Boland 8.37 and MacHale 8.49. The battle for the lead is now between these 3 with Boland looking the more comfortable over these classic stages.  Melvyn Evans was 4th but seems to have gone off the boil a little to let the hard charging McNulty ahead. Derek McGarrity was saying that he picked the wrong compound of Pirelli tyre for these stages, the road surfaces are very abrasive and grippy. The tyres are running quite hot and his Impreza is moving about a fair bit on the road.      Donie O'Sullivan spun his Impreza WRC in the Fuhiry stage and lost quite a few seconds but managed to hold on to his position.  Liam McCarthy has jumped up quite a few spots over the last 2 stages, his Corolla going much better than earlier, the temperature now controlled.  Noel Redmond has put his Hyundai WRC off the road on the Lough Allua stage and doesn't look like he will get going, although seemingly there is no big damage. Tommy Graham's good run was thwarted slightly in stage 4 when his Impreza power steering pump bracket broke, making life difficult for the Prosperous man.

In Group N the massive battle between Roy White and Seamus Leonard continues - Leonard pushed his Subaru 4s faster than the White Lancer through Fuhiry. White responded through stage 4 by being 2s quicker than Leonard.  Aaron MacHale is making no impression on the two in front, Aaron saying "We're going hard but getting hammered, the car seems sluggish, I don't know".  Willie Fannin seemed a bit slow through that 4th stage in his new GpN Impreza, whereas both Eoin Doyle and Eddie Garry had good runs in their new Series 9 Imprezas.  Roy White was calling for the front of his Lancer to be checked over at service as he thumped the bank on the right hand side at the tight left hairpin over bump at the top of Fuhiry. 

Just outside the leaderboard is Denis Cronin on a total of 34.42 in his BMW M3 and John Moynihan, also in class 12, is on 35.20.  As Moynihan checked his tyres while waiting to go into service he beamed up from underneath his Mk2 Escort and said "Its great to be back rallying, especially on the Cork 20 in October with no rain!" James O'Sullivan continues to set good times in his Mk2, his total now 35.59, and possibly leading class 11. In the Ford Ireland Focus championship part of the rally Colm Murphy has built up a handy 32s lead after 3 stages over John Foley with series leader Oliver Stanley 3rd another 34s in arrears.
In the WRC round in San Remo Loeb continues to lead with Martin now 2nd and Gronholm 3rd. Kris Meeke (Corsa) is second Junior behind Baldacci and 15th overall.
More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON   www.rallynews.net