UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 3 Mullaghanish
1st (3) Keith Cronin/Marshall Clarke (Citroen DS3R5) 33.18.9
2nd (1) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 33.20.4
3rd (2) Sam Moffett/James O`Reilly (Fiesta WRC) 34.14.7
4th (5) Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Lancer N) 35.28.0
5th (18) Rob Duggan/Noel O`Sullivan (Lancer N) 35.31.6
6th (8) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet rwd) 35.50.7
7th (36) Enda McCormack/Colin Fitzgerald (Accent WRC) 36.07.3
8th (22) Stephen Wright/Mike Galvin (208 R2) 36.16.1
9th (34) Callum Devine/Paddy McCrudden (Fiesta) 36.19.6
10th (27) Stephen Carey/Ella Ryan (Civic) 36.25.7
Through stages 2 and 3 of this Cork 20 Rally the situation at the top stayed very close with Daragh O`Riordan moving in front on stage 2 and then Keith Cronin clawing back a few seconds to retake the lead after stage 3. Keith related that his new Citroen DS3R5 was a little bit skittery over the bumps in stage 2 and he backed off a little, dropping 9s to O`Riordan. Three times Cork 20 winner Daragh made a slightly slow start to the day but got into the groove well through stages 2 and 3, and reports his Fiesta WRC to be running well. Sam Moffett is still trying to get his confidence back following the power steering problems with his Fiesta. Sam said. `I am dreading every corner just in case the power steering will not work and I get caught out`.
Josh Moffett in 4th place leads group N by a few seconds from Rob Duggan. Josh felt he was a bit slow through stage 3, that his Lancer was moving about a bit and he was not totally happy. Interestingly, it would appear that Josh, even if he does not finish this rally, has clinched the Group N category on the Clonakilty Blackpudding Tarmac Championship. The only driver who could have deprived Josh is Stephen McCann. However, Stephen had an accident on the opening stage and although he may get going under Rally 2 rules, he is no longer eligible to score points.
21 year old Rob Duggan, with Noel O`Sullivan on the notes, is having his first run in a group N Lancer and has certainly switched on to the car extremely well and was a few seconds faster than Josh Moffett through stage 3, Mullaghanish. Declan Gallagher is the fastest so far in the National part of the rally, even though the intercom in his Starlet has been giving trouble. Declan stopped at a shop and bought a couple of batteries but said that is does not seem much better.
Brian O`Keefe in the GpN Impreza lost a few seconds when he caught Wesley Patterson in stage 2. Wesley`s Escort had a spin on a high speed wide fast road in the middle of stage 2 and banged hard into a wall. Wesley managed to get the car to the end of the stage. Following a few small repairs he has driven into service and has retired from the rally. Stephen Wright in his R2 208 said he has had a middling enough run so far and finds it difficult to get into the rhythm, but his times are still pretty good. Alan Treacy in the rwd Corolla is searching for grip all the time and spinning the rear wheels but still going well. Charlie Hickey is on his first outing since the Lakes and has settled down well over the opening stages.
Jason McSweeney/Mark Bowen stopped at the Stephen McCann accident on SS1 and found their Lancer over-heating. They discovered that the plug to the electric cooling fan had pulled out.
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