UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 10
1st (1) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 1.42.48.2
2nd (3) Keith Cronin/Marshall Clarke (Citroen DS3R5) 1.43.37.8
3rd (8) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 1.51.10.9
4th (22) Stephen Wright/Mike Galvin (Peugeot R2) 1.52.41.3
5th (25) Cal McCarthy/Eamonn Dullea (Civic) 1.53.22.1
6th (34) Callum Devine/Paddy McCrudden (Fiesta R2) 1.54.08.5
7th (33) Martin Donnelly/Brian Doherty (Corolla WRC) 1.54.13.4
8th (27) Stephen Carey/Ella Ryan (Civic) 1.54.58.2
9th (16) Brian O`Keefe/Sean Hayde (Impreza N) 1.54.44.8
10th (45) Pauric Duffy/Kevin Glynn (Fiesta R5) 1.55.48.9
Through stages 9 and 10, Moll Carthys and Knockarnad, Daragh O`Riordan was again fastest from Keith Cronin. Cronin has no real answer to the Fiesta WRC in front and said at service. `I knew after the recce that these stages would be too fast for the car. It is an R5 not a WRC. But I have made a few changes to the car, I am trying a few different things to see what is what`. Daragh O`Riordan`s co driver Tony McDaid told us. `We are not pushing, but not hanging around either, taking no risks`.
Declan Gallagher, 3rd o/a and leading the National Rally by over 2m from Cal McCarthy, said. `We are still pushing fairly hard. It is good practice for next weekend`s Harvest Rally`. When quizzed about the story that they would be driving a Lancer next weekend, Declan`s co driver Ryan Moore, said. `Possibly. We will make a decision on Monday. The Starlet is going well`. Stephen Wright is holding his position as leader of class 2 and 3rd in the International section and he said. `We have no worries about the car but it is still a long way to go on this rally`. Kevin Eves was 3rd in R2 but his Peugeot went off a cylinder in stage 8.
Richard Tannahill gave Kevin spark plugs and sensors and he headed off to stage 9 and 10 but there is no sign of him here at service yet. Tannahill himself was in trouble with a bent rear beam on his Peugeot. His mechanics did some repairs but the car was far from right when he headed off to stage 9 and 10. Jason McSweeney/Mark Bowen were lying just outside the leaderboard but their Lancer is either running late or is stopped in stage 9 or 10 and have not appeared in service as yet.
Stephen McCann is running under Rally 2 rules but his Lancer is suffered some gearbox trouble that he hopes to get sorted at service.
Rob Duggan is also running under Rally 2 and he is setting competitive times and said. `It is very slippy out there, we are on a big learning curve, first run in this car`.
In the Junior section Andy Mahon/Sean Moynihan in their Escort were leading after their first stage today with Andrew Beamish/Lisa O`Dowd 2nd in a Nova and John O`Sullivan/Linda Curtin 3rd in a Civic.
On Rally France with 1 stage to go Latvala still leads from VW team mate Mikkelsen and Kris Meeke in his Citroen is 3rd. The top drivers seemed to hold station and Osberg was fastest in the stage.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (with thanks to Angus Sealy: Aidan Harper: Dougie Hughes & Zoe Patterson) *Follow RallyNews on Twitter @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
