UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 8 End of Day 1
1st (1) Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Focus WRC) 1.01.52.0
2nd (4) Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Fiesta WRC) 1.02.40.2
3rd (3) Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid (Fiesta WRC) 1.03.35.9
4th (5) Melvyn Evans/Mark Glennerster (Impreza WRC) 1.04.57.8
5th (9) Stephen Wright/Mikey Galvin (Fiesta R5) 1.05.06.8
6th (10) Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore (Starlet) 1.05.54.3
7th (8) Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen DS3R5) 1.06.47.8
8th (53) John Bonnar/Leon Jordan (Escort) 1.07.36.4
9th (40) Vincent McSweeney/Michael Kearney (Civic) 1.07.43.3
10th (22) Mark Straker/Mike Coady (Darrian) 1.07.44.1
At the overnight halt of this West Cork Rally Donagh Kelly & Kevin Flanagan in their Focus WRC have a lead of 48s over Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson in their Fiesta WRC. Daragh O`Riordan/Tony McDaid were faster through the 2nd loop of stages today, but are still lying in 3rd place and the gap between Daragh and Sam Moffett is 59s. The Sunday stages are very demanding so the rally is far from over although the weather conditions are forecast to be as fine as they were today.
Through stages 7 and 8 this afternoon Donagh Kelly managed to extend his lead by a few seconds, although the fastest car on the road was Declan Boyle in his Subaru. Reigning Tarmac Champion Boyle is running well down the order following the mechanical problems this morning that relegated his Impreza into Rally 2. Owen Murphy was holding a strong 5tth place in his Lancer but a spin and a damaged radiator sidelined his Mitsubishi in stage 7. Josh Moffett was in 4th position starting SS7 but then his Fiesta WRC developed a misfire and he dropped quite a few seconds. The misfire got a lot worse in stage 8 and Josh could well be over lateness by the time he reaches service.
Sam Moffett thought his rally was over in stage 7 when after a square left corner into a crest his Fiesta WRC slithered into a ditch and Sam has no idea how he got it out of the ditch. He did, and lost little time but two of the wheels were full of mud that caused a massive vibration to stage finish. Daragh O`Riordan commented here at final Saturday service. `We are racing ourselves now, at least on every stage we are faster than on our previous one`. Rory Byrne in the Modern Tyres Lancer Evo 10 has had big ignition problems with the car and his mechanics have been struggling to keep it going. Previous winner of this rally, Geoff Kitney, has retired. His Mitsubishi sidelined with first a broken shaft and then the centre differential let go.
Declan Gallagher continues to lead the Modified category from John Bonnar while Vincent McSweeney is 3rd in the Modifieds and leads the hotly contested class 11F from Cal McCarthy. In the Group N section Brendan Cumiskey in his Impreza leads overnight from Aaron MacHale. Early leader Brian O`Keefe has dropped several minutes and lies 3rd. David Guest is 4th. In the Historic Rally Rob Smith leads from Denis Moynihan with Gareth Lloyd 3rd and Ernie Graham 4th – all in Escorts.
More news in the morning: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net (With thanks to Michael Patterson & Dougie Hughes): *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
