RALLY NEWS NO.10                      Clonakilty Finish/Sunday 5.45
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 16 Shannonvale(last stage)
1st (3) Ken McKinstry/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 1.58.19.9
2nd (1) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 1.59.03.2
3rd (2) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 1.59.17.3
4th (8) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 1.59.47.0 **
5th (15) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 2.00.16.0**
6th (6) Steve Fleck/Andy Card (Impreza WRc) 2.00.50.5
7th (11) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 2.03.48.4
8th (17) Tony Davies/Wyn Thomas (Metro 6R4) 2.04.03.7
9th (23) Cathal Arthurs/Llinos J-Edwards (Celica) 2.04.55.7
10th (26) Damian Cole/Nicky Grist (Darrian) 2.05.15.8

**The positions for McCarthy and Gass could swop around whenever the stage times are checked.

Dramas continued right to the end of this West Cork Rally - Kenny McKinstry got his gearbox problem sorted to take the win. Eamonn Boland punctured a tyre on the last stage to allow last year's winner, Melvyn Evans, into runner up spot.

In the St. Patrick's weekend party atmosphere of this Clonakilty main street  it was a magnificent sight to see a string of World Rally Cars coming to a halt after 2 days of the fastest and toughest rallying in the country.  A smiling Kenny McKinstry commented "A super rally, brilliant stages, very very fast. We managed to replace the hose which was causing the gear selection trouble, and got through the last couple of stages OK, although we had many wee silly problems during the day". Kenny scored double points in the Get Connected championship for this weekend and hopefully will be able to continue with the series. Last year's winner, Melvyn Evans, said "Runner up spot did not look likely yesterday morning, but we've got used to the car now and it's good". Eamonn Boland explained "We cut a farmyard too tight and burst a rim, that's the way it goes. I'm getting used to the new car, found myself going down too many gears at junctions. Getting used to the car for the Circuit". 
One of the talking points of the rally was the speed of Maurice Gass today, and he said "Happy with the way it came together, the car went really well although the problems with the dash read-out held us back at times".  Liam McCarthy is the best of the local drivers and he went really well over the 2 days, just that stage 12 off road excursion spoiling a copybook performance.  Phil Collins takes best 2 wheel drive honours, and he said "Fantastic, we had our little dramas today of course including the battery going flat, and Mary from the hotel gave us the one from her car to get us through the last stage!" Group N looks to be the property of local man Kieran O'Callaghan, the Lancer finishing 40s ahead of the similar machine of Bob Fowden. There is a question mark over one of Kieran's time cards but no doubt that will be sorted out.
A last minute retirement from the top runners was Guy Woodcock who put his Escort Maxi off the road on the last stage.  Finally for now many thanks to all who helped and supported the RallyNews service and well done to Brian O'Connell and everyone involved with the rally. BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON