RALLY NEWS NO.6                    Rose Green - Service - Sunday 4pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 COLMAN
1st (2) Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Impreza WRC)  46.48
2nd (4) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 47.07
3rd (7) Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Impreza WRC) 48.02
4th (11) Maurice Gass/Andrew Cullen (Impreza WRC) 48.23
5th (8) Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Impreza WRC) 48.26
6th (15) Ray Breen/John Purceell (6R4) 49.26
7th (12) Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Impreza WRC) 49.37
8th (6) Sean Gallagher/Sean Moriarty (Esc.Cos) 50.07
9th (32) Trevor Harding/Charlie Boland (Esc.Cos) 51.06
10th (24) Tommy Kiely/Michael Cuddihy (Escort) 51.13
11th (16) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 51.15
12th (22) Noel Redmond/David Doyle (Impreza WRC) 51.27

Eugene Donnelly was fastest through stage 6, Colman, by a second from Michael Barrable with Jim Harrison a further 5s back, which seems to be the pattern the rally has settled into at the front. Harrison is carrying a huge extra fuel load to try to compensate for the fuel starvation problem which occurred earlier. Harrison's co driver Harvey Bell said "Its an extra 50 litres which is the equivalent of having 2 more people in the car".  Eugene Donnelly is experiencing slight clutch problems with his Impreza WRC, the Maghera man hopeful that the unit will hold out. Michael Barrable certainly hasn't relaxed on the chances of a win, and is determined to "have a cut" over the final 3 stages.    Maurice Gass in 4th set 4th fastest time through stage 6, 4 slower than Harrison 2 up on Maguire. Ray Breen is happy to hold a place in the top 6.  Sean Gallagher is another to have some clutch troubles and he had 2 overshoots in stage 6 because of the clutch sticking. Mac McKenna is happy with the handling of his rwd Peugeot now, and is starting to beat Tommy Kiely's times.

James Coleman was badly hurt on Thursday when his Old English Sheepdog bit his face very severely in a fit of jealousy over his new baby, and James''Escort is now struggling with no 6th gear, and he can't engage 2nd going down the box.

Eoin Doyle continues to lead gpN on a total of 52.21 with Mark Courtney now going slightly faster and on a total of 52.36.  Willie Fannin now 3rd in gpN on a total of 52.37.

In the Ford Ireland Ka Championship the positions remain much the same with Kenneth Mulvaney leading from Keith Lyons. Kieran Daly 3rd Ian Chadwick 4th.

News from earlier includes - Thomas O'Rourke crashing his Astra out of the rally and Jack Sleator/Fulton Grant crashed their Lancer when they slid on a huge oil slick deposited from Paddy O'Reilly's burst sump. Oh dear oh dear!  More news later. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON  www.rallynews.net