RALLY NEWS NO.10 Service/Mallow/Sunday
UNOFFICIAL L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 14 CASTLE MAGNIER 2
1st (1) Daragh ORiordan/Tony McDaid (Impreza WRC) 2.04.40.2
2nd (5) Declan & Brian Boyle (Impreza WRC) 2.08.46.2
3rd (4) Denis Cronin/Coleman Hurley (Impreza WRC) 2.11.59.9
4th (11) Owen Murphy/James OBrien (Lancer N) 2.12.05.3
5th (8) Sam Moffett/James OReilly (Lancer N) 2.12.12.5
6th (25) Kieran Daly/Keith Moriarty (C2R2) 2.22.24.5
7th David Carney 8th Kevin OConnor
UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 14
1st (10) Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Escort) 2.14.31.9
2nd (28) Ken ONeill/Ronald Riordan (Puma) 2.22.56.4
3rd (32) Ian Chadwick/Stephen Quinn (Civic) 2.24.51.4
4th (35) Eamonn OConnell/Mark Linehan (Civic) 2.25.18.9
Middleton’s Daragh O’Riordan, co-driven by Tony McDaid, in his Subaru Impreza WRC S12B, has driven an immaculate rally here this weekend in Co. Cork to win by 4m from Donegal men Declan and Brian Boyle in a similar Subaru. There was a great battle towards the end for 3rd place between Owen Murphy and Sam Moffett in their respective group N Lancers, as well as Denis Cronin in his Subaru WRC. Cronin really speeded up towards the end to move from 5th to 3rd proving there is life in the old dog yet. Owen Murphy fumbled the ball a little at the start of the penultimate stage when he stalled his Lancer, but hung on to finish top GpN, 4th o/a 7s ahead of Sam Moffett.
Newly crowned Group N Tarmac Champion Moffett started the day 51s behind Murphy. Daragh O’Riordan commented when he brought his beautiful Subaru in final service. “It was a good rally, just like the weather. We enjoyed it but when Darren Gass went out the pressure was off”. Daragh would not commit himself about next year and said. “We will be doing the Fastnet Rally in a couple of weeks but as regards 2013 we will see who is doing what”. Declan Boyle scored a fastest time through SS13 and said at the end. “We enjoyed the rally although we had some intercom problems. This is our first Cork 20 Rally and the stages were all new to us. We have learned a lot about the car, the 4 wheel drive and left foot braking and hopefully it will work well next week on the Harvest”.
In the National Rally Frank Kelly and his co-driver Liam Brennan put on a massive display and their famous blue Escort has finished almost 8m ahead of Ken O’Neill/Ronald Riordan in their Puma. Frank commented at the finish. “We were complete idiots over the last couple of stages. There are twigs sticking out of the bonnet catches where we were cutting corners at 130mph. They were great stages”.
In the Citroen Racing Trophy Kieran Daly came out on top today while Kevin O’Connor and his co driver Gerard Conway are the new Citroen Champions.
With just one stage to go Wesley Patterson in his K classification Ford Escort had a very big lead over Ray Cunningham in his Mini Cooper. Ray struggled a little today because of the very fast nature of the stages that didn’t really suit his Mini. Brendan McAree overcame some gearbox worries with his Porsche 911 to finished 3rd just ahead of the similar Porsche of John Spiers. Alan Jardine was 5th in his Escort. On the Sunday Run John Hickey was heading for a win from Brian O’Keefe with Paul Brown coming into 3rd in his Civic. In the Junior category Robert Duggan had a 17s lead with 2 stages to go over the similar Civic of Jack Newman with Andy Mahon 3rd in his Escort. Craig McCarthy was 4th and Daniel Cronin/Sean Duggan were out in a newly acquired Civic and holding 5th.
On WRC Rally de France Sebastien Loeb in his Citroen has taken victory and earned his 9th World Rally title. Craig Breen and Paul Nagle have won the SWRC in their Fiesta S2000.
Finally for now very well done to Clerk of the Course Kevin O’Riordan and all his Munster MC team for doing such a tremendous job in organising this 2012 Cork 20 Rally. Our thanks to everyone that supported and helped with our RallyNews service including Dougie, Daphne & Mossie and Aidan Harper.
BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
