RALLY NEWS NO.5    Service/Nr.Knocknaskagh Xrds/Sunday 4pm
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 SCART MOUNTAIN
1st (2) Eddie Kinirons/Greg Shinnors (Celica) 30.24
2nd (3) Kevin O'Kane/Francis Regan (Impreza) 30.36
3rd (10) Kevin Lynch/Martin McNicholl (Impreza WRC) 30.40
4th (4) John Donnelly/Joe McAleese (Escort WRC) 30.59
5th (7) James Murphy/Con Mulcahy (Esc.Cos) 31.01
6th (6) John Shanahan/David Moynihan (Impreza N) 31.24
7th (19) John Reid/Brendan Green (Escort) 32.32
8th (9) John McGaffin/Alan Russell (Legacy) 32.39
9th (15) Brian Lawlor/Peter Kavanagh (Escort) 32.46
10th (27)  Tom Kiely/M Cuddihy (Escort) 32.59

Through stages 7 and 8, Collator Wood and Scart Mountain , dodging between monumental rain showers it was all very close between the top drivers on this Moonraker Rally.  Eddie Kinirons was fastest through stage 7, Kevin Lynch stunningly fast through stage 8.  There was a suspicion that an earlier time of Eddie Kinirons would not stand, but at the moment it does, and Eddie is 12s ahead of Kevin O'Kane.  Kevin was 5s faster than the Celica driver through stage 8, but dropped 6 on stage 7 so it is really no change there. Kinirons said "Those stages suited the Celica better, the car is good on the fast stuff and over the flowing jumps".  O'Kane reported no problems. John Donnelly, his Escort WRC slightly off song following the water splash earlier, said "The car's going great again, we had a good run on that last one". 

Kevin Lynch said "We didn't just take our brains out in stage 8, we scattered them all over the place!" 

Group N leader John Shanahan had a slightly off the pace stage 8 time, and he said "I just wasn't right within myself for that last one".  James Murphy had a very respectable time in stage 8, maybe not so fantastic in stage 7, but he recounted a huge moment where he was in the ditch for 50 yards plus, and lucky to get away with it. Alan Treacey was another to report a very big moment in that stage 7, his was after a big crest and his Escort got away from him and it was swinging from ditch to ditch, hedge to hedge.

Michael Tynan reported a spin in stage 8 and he had to go back to go forwards.  Denis Cronin has started to settle down in the Escort, his young nephew is getting into the way of the notes, and Denis says he is getting used to the forests now and would like to do some more.  Colin Walsh in the gpN Impreza at No.23 had a bad first stage time, but has been nicely on the pace all day, not as quick as John Shanahan, but very respectable nonetheless.  Colin is still getting used to a new box.

Just outside the top 10 by a few seconds is Billy O'Connell in his Escort. Alan Treacey isn't so far away either on 33.11. Some other times include - Ray Benskin on 34.27, as is John Hickey in the Celica.  Denis Cronin is on 34.15. Michael Tynan and Colin Walsh both on 34.25. More news after stage 10. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON (www.rallynews.net)