UNOFFICIAL INT/ L/BOARD AFTER SS1 The Ring
1st (1) Donagh Kelly/Conor Foley (Focus WRC) 7.26.7
2nd (5) Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly (Hyundai R5) 7.27.1
3rd (3) Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Fiesta R5) 7.27.4
4th (4) Josh Moffett/James Fulton (Fiesta R5) 7.32.4
5th (7) Kevin Kelleher/Gwynfor Jones (Impreza WRC) 7.35.7
6th (2) Alastair Fisher/Gordon Noble (Fiesta R5) 7.42.0
UNOFFICIAL NAT/ L/BOARD AFTER STAGE 1
1st (20) Kevin Eves/William Lynch (Corolla) 7.59.3
2nd (15) Damien Tourish/Domhnall McAlaney (Escort) 8.00.5
3rd (12) Gary Kiernan/Ryan Moore (Escort) 8.00.8
4th (11) Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan (Escort RS) 8.03.3
5th (18) Eugene Meegan/Sarah Whelan (BMW M1) 8.06.0
6th (25) Patrick McHugh/Pauric O’Donnell (Escort) 8.11.7
When Donagh Kelly finished the classic opening stage, Ring, he said that he reckoned his Focus WRC was fitted with too soft a tyre and he had some lurid slides. We did not get speaking to Rob Barrable who was 2nd fastest in his new Hyundai but his co driver Damien Connolly gave the thumbs up sign. Sam Moffett was also very hot out of the box and he said. ‘I am very happy with that’. His brother Josh commented. ‘Did not get into the groove’.
Further stories included: Stephen Wright was unable to get the tyres on his Fiesta to heat up. Kevin Kelleher was happy enough with his time as it is 6 months since he was in a rally car and 12 months since his co-driver Gwynfor Jones was on the stages. Joe McGonigle reported a very big slide which knocked his confidence. Brendan Cumiskey found the front of his Fiesta R5 very choppy. Aaron MacHale reckons he needs to get his confidence up following his Galway accident.
The top drivers in the National Rally were all within seconds of each other with Kevin Eves fastest, the Corolla man said. ‘We went hard’. Gary Kiernan felt the brakes on his Escort were not working the best. Adrian Hetherington reckoned the stage was very greasy, a sentiment echoed by some of the drivers in the International as well.
Non-starter: Jason McSweeney worked most of the night to get his Lancer differential sorted but to no avail. On a different tack John Coyne has switched from the Historic Rally to the Main Field and has forsaken his Lotus Sunbeam for a Citroen DS3 R5.
On the Border Counties Rally after 4 stages Tom Cave led from Fredrik Ahlin with David Bogie 3rd just 17s separated the top 3. Keith Cronin was 5th over a minute back from the leader. Desi Henry was 7th and Jonny Greer 10th. Although setting top 6 times Marty McCormack was back in 14th having been unable to avoid a 2nd stage boulder that smashed a wheel. Other positions William Creighton 16th: Dean Rafferty 17th and Callum Devine 19th.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ & MICHAEL & ZOE PATTERSON www.rallynews.net *Follow RallyNews on Twitter & Facebook @Pacenotes or @Real_RallyNews
