RALLY NEWS NO.2                       End of stage 1 - Sunday 11.30am
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (2) Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Impreza WRC) 6.39
2nd (4) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 6.40
3rd (1) Niall Maguire/Paul McLoughlin (Impreza WRC) 6.45
4th (14) Ivan Stewart/Joe Friel (Escort Cos) 6.49
5th (3) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort WRC) 6.53
6th (7) Charlie Donnelly/John Conway (Celica) 6.54
      (15) Seamus Leonard/Gerry McVeigh (Impreza N) 6.54
8th (5) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC) 6.57
     (9) James Gillen/Victor Carruthers (Escort Cos) 6.57
10th (10) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Goodman (Impreza WRC) 6.59

Thankfully the roads dried out somewhat for the first cars on this Mayo Stages Rally (Ballina).  Former Donegal International winner, James Cullen, is driving one of the O cars, the Honda Civic, and he thought that the drivers who were brave and fitted slick tyres would score the fastest times. It was interesting then that Eugene Donnelly picked a full wet racing tyre, and was fastest.  Eugene said that, yes, it was dry in places, but where it was wet it was very tricky indeed.  Defending Champion Niall Maguire picked an intermediate compound tyre, and said "Very mucky in places".  Eugene Donnelly commented "I felt we had a very respectable run".  David Armstrong was 3rd on the road in his ex Melvyn Evans Escort WRC, and he was very frustrated at stage finish, the Ford's windscreen well misted up.  Michael Barrable was 2nd fastest through the stage, and seemed quite surprised at setting such a good time, commenting "The car is fine, brilliant, but I feel very rusty".  Michael's co driver Dermot O'Gorman whispered "Don't be surprised if I fall asleep half way through the day, I left Cloneen after Frank Meagher's memorial service at 5 o'clock this morning". 

Further stories include - Jim Harrison spinning the McKinstry 2000 spec Impreza WRC. Charlie Donnelly commented about his brother Eugene's Celica at stage finish "This car's a pure animal".  Kieran Shaw was another of the Escort drivers to suffer a misted up screen, but philosophically observed "Not to worry, we're still here and it's a long way to go"  When Adrian McElvaney finished the stage, Kenny McKinstry was over to the side window like a clucking mother hen, telling Adrian, on his first run in a WRC Subaru.."Give that knob half a turn, put that switch down, put that one up..etc. etc.".  Adrian was totally bemused as Kenny went on to explain the best differential settings for these mixed settings, but didn't young Adrian do really well on his first run in a car of this nature down a proper stage - 10th fastest.

Glenn Allen recorded a time of 7.11, reporting his Escort WRC to be seemingly on 3 cylinders. Kieran Shaw was on 7.13. Aaron McHale was on 7.05, 11s down on his gpn opponent Seamus Leonard, but some of those 11s would be accounted for by having to pass Andrew Stewart's struggling Lancer. The Letterkenny man's Lancer was suffering two flat tyres having been in the ditch. Worse news was to follow - Stuart Darcy crashed his Lancer heavily and the stage was stopped. Rescue seervices were quickly on the scene, reportedly co driver Diarmuid Falvey has a broken leg, Stuart suffering from shock.  BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON     
, moves up from 34 to 29.  BRIAN AND LIZ  PATTERSON