Gareth MacHale was fastest through the narrow tough and bumpy stage 11, 6s quicker than Eugene Donnelly but perhaps more importantly just over 9s up on Eamonn Boland. This leaves the gap between Gareth and Eamonn at just 3s in the race for 2n place. In theory Eugene Donnelly is fairly comfortable in the lead with a 1m buffer to 2nd place but over these tough South Armagh stages with lots of rocks sticking out of the verges a puncture or a mishap is just a fraction away. Eugene commented at stage finish. “It felt good for most of the stage but then I clipped a couple of wheels just before the finish but it was no big drama”. Eamonn Boland said very little but seemed to have a decent run. Gareth MacHale said. “Kept it in the middle of the road”.
Behind the leading three Tim McNulty’s Subaru lost a bit of time because of an overshoot and Tim said. “I’m trying too hard I will have to settle down”. Darren Gass said at stage finish. “Glad to get that one over”. Kevin Barrett commented. “That was hard work”.
Alan Carmichael continues to lead GpN although Rory Byrne, also in a GpN Lancer, was faster through the stage. Carmichael was grimacing at stage finish and said. “I’ve hurt my neck, there’s a very big jump before a turn square right and I couldn’t have taken it much slower, but the car landed on its nose and I have jarred my back and neck”. Rory Byrne in the Modern Tyres Lancer lost a few seconds when he caught Paddy White’s Focus. Paddy had lost some time with an overshoot. Stanley Ballantine hurt his neck on the same jump as Carmichael. Liam Egan who flew in from New York to do the rally is lying just outside the top 15 but going well and really enjoying his Easter here on the Circuit of Ireland and he said. “We came through yesterday unscathed although we had a couple of spins in the rain on the last Saturday stage as we were on the wrong tyres and getting no grip”. Also still going strong is Christopher Boyce in the black Civic and he said. “I’m just footering about on the rally, no dramas. I have to leave this car back in mint condition”.
In the National A Melvyn Evans & Sean Mullally lead David Mann by 3 minutes. Melvyn said at the end of stage 11. “I thought we had a puncture in there and the intercom didn’t work but otherwise OK”. David Mann said. “Very difficult, very slippy, mud everywhere”. Third is David Kynaston in the Audi and he commented. “We took it very steady on the sharp bits”. Roger Donnan is 4th and he wanted a damage check at stage finish as he landed his Puma on its nose following a big jump. That stage 11 will be the first on today’s menu for the National B runners where Kenny McKinstry leads from Wesley Patterson with Adrian Hetherington 3rd: Seamus Leonard 4th: Denis Biggerstaff 5th and Emma McKinstry 6th just ahead of Neil McCance.
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