RALLY  NEWS NO.4                        Clonakilty service/Saturday 4pm

UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 5 Ring
1st (7) Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Impreza WRC) 36.55.7
2ND (3) Ken McKinstry/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 36.56.7
3RD (1) Melvyn Evans/Marc Jones (Impreza WRC) 37.12.5
4TH (2) Eamonn Boland/Damien Morrissey (Impreza WRC) 37.13.1
5TH (8) Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Corolla WRC) 37.16.9
6th (6) Steve Fleck/Mark Aspinall (Impreza WRC) 37.50.0
7th (15) Maurice Gass/Geoffrey Orr (Impreza WRC) 37.53.9
8th (16) David Armstrong/Herbie Blackburn (Escort WRC) 37.57.2
9th (4) Donal O'Donovan/Pat Lordan (Celica) 38.12.8
10th (11) Phil Collins/Howard Davies (Escort) 38.21.0

On the 2nd visit to the Ring stage Eamonn Boland set the fastest time, with Michael Barrable 2nd quickest, Kenny McKinstry 3rd and Melvyn Evans 4th. Barrable was 2s faster than McKinstry which puts him into the lead of the rally.  Boland had a revised set up on his Impreza WRC from his first loop of stages, and that could account for the new turn of speed. Barrable's performance was all the more remarkable as he caught Bob Fowden in the stage which must have cost a few seconds. Fowden had some small problem in the engine bay and we have not got his time as yet. McKinstry and Barrable each reported no problems, Melvyn Evans said "It's better now".  David Armstrong reckoned he was slowed for the first few miles of the stage as he had not bedded in his new tyres.

Just outside the leaderboard Denis Cronin is11th on a total of 38.31.1 and following a slow start was 7s faster than Phil Collins through that 5th stage.  These two are battling for class 14 honours. Tony Davies is in 12th place in his Metro 6R4, Tony getting used to a new co driver this weekend, and gradually upping the pace.  Unofficially we have Kieran O'Callaghan 2nd in gpN, driving a Lancer hired from Richard Hogg, and if Bob Fowden does have engine problems, this could open the door for the local man. 

Continuing to look just outside the top 10 - JJ Fleming is on 39.04.4. Nigel Hicklin on 39.07.6. Cathal Arthurs in the Celica on 39.08.7. Tommy Graham 39.40.0. All very close.  Looking back ever so slightly there is a great battle in class 6, where Liam & Noel Brady in their Proton Kit Car were just over 40s ahead of Alan Ring/Brian Duggan in their Peugeot 206 after 4 stages. Kieran Marshall/Sean Duggan were 3rd, a further minute back in the Civic, the Killarney men hampered by a plug lead coming adrift on the first 2 stages.  This is the first time the Duggan brothers from Kerry have competed against each other. Emly O'Mahony was going well in her Ford Ka at service after stage 4, despite tyre pressures being a bit off. Tim O'Donovan's yellow Corolla stopped for approx. 20 mins. In stage 4 which will surely mean Tim being over maximum lateness, quite a shame as he reckoned he was leading the class going into the stage.
Looking North briefly to the NI Championship rally at Bishopscourt - Derek McGarrity was leading after the first few stages from Denis Biggerstaff, with Eugene Donnelly 3rd. More news after stage 8. BRIAN AND LIZ PATTERSON                                 (with thanks to Martin Walsh).