UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 2 Desmonds Grave

1^st (7) Donie O'Sullivan/Paul Nagle (Impreza WRC) 16.46

2^nd (2) Austin McHale/Brian Murphy (Impreza WRC) 16.50

3^rd (4) Tim McNulty/Anthony Nester (Impreza WRC) 17.26

(5) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Impreza WRC) 17.26

5^th (18) Noel Redmond/David Doyle (Impreza WRC) 17.43

6^th (17) Paddy White/Frank Sweeney (Impreza) 18.01

7^th (44) Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Impreza WRC) 18.03

8^th (11) Aaron McHale/Damien Connolly (Lancer N) 18.10

9^th (31) Aidan Walsh/Jim Casey (Escort) 18.17

10^th (12) Roy White/Greg Shinnors (Lancer N) 18.19

Donie O'Sullivan was 6s faster than Austin McHale on the first stage, Smearla River, while on the 2^nd stage, Desmonds Grave, this Circuit of Kerry rally hotted up when Austin McHale pulled 2s back from Donie. McHale commented here at the bustling Tralee service "Very good car, great over the bumps, I didn't have the brakes properly bedded in for the first stage, but it's starting to come good". Killarney man Donie O'Sullivan said "I'm happy with that, I didn't think we were pushing particularly hard. On the 2^nd stage we sort of caught up with Patrick Elliott, not right up, but we maybe lost a couple of seconds and a bit of concentration".

As can be seen above Tim McNulty and Patrick Elliott are tied after those first 2 stages, Tim saying "Quite happy to settle in to the new car". Patrick Elliott telling us "Just bedding myself in".

In Group N Aaron McHale, his Lancer backed this weekend by Murphy Motors of Killarney, leads, and that is despite getting used to the new dog gearbox. Second in GpN, Roy White, said "We are not taking any risks, getting into the swing of things". Gerry McKiernan was on the GpN pace on stage 1, but on stage 2 his Lancer broke away on a 5 right and went into a ditch briefly. Gerry's total now 18.38.

Young Gareth Jones had a good run through the first 2 stages on his first visit to an Irish tarmac rally. The Welsh youngster is on a total of 18.23. Other totals include - John Spain 18.26. Richard Casey 18.44. Mick McQuaid 19.00, having caught behind John Hickey's Legacy which was suffering an engine problem and emitting lots of smoke. It looks like John has retired, as has Stephen Carway who pulled over at the start of the first stage.

Tony Kearns in the GpN Lancer had intercom problems, his total 18.48. James O'Sullivan is in a rented 2 litre Escort today, and despite going over the finish line of stage 2 backwards, is on a nice total of 18.36. John Rooney in another Mk2 Escort is on 18.37. Doc Halliday has 18.50 following brake problems. Ed O'Callaghan in the Manta 18.26 having been off the road at a hairpin. More News Later, Brian & Liz Patterson.