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| Monaghan Stages Rally |
| RALLY NEWS No.4 - After SS6 - Sunday @ 15:03:19 |
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RALLY NEWS NO.4 Monaghan/Service 3.05
UNOFFICIAL LEADERBOARD AFTER STAGE 6 Dunraymond
1st (1) Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 53.46
2nd (4) Adrian McElvaney/Paul Kelly (Impreza WRC) 54.13
3rd (2) Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 54.38
4th (5) Sean Gallagher/Marie-Claire Gallagher (Impreza WRC) 55.43
5th (6) Gary McPhillips/Mark Tierney (Escort) 56.12
6th (31) John & James Cairns (Impreza A) 56.45
7th (12) Danny & Rory McBride (Lancer N) 57.26
8th (10) Des Moore/Arthur Kierans (Escort) 57.29
9th (7) Maurice Moffett/Jason McKenna (Starlet) 57.43
10th (24) Jack Maguire/Paul Maguire (Esc.Cos) 57.48
Niall Maguire continued to dominate this Monaghan Rally through the middle loop of stages with a fastest time on stage 4 and stage 6 although in stage 5 he had a very big moment with a 100mph sideways drift and his time was equal to Kevin Barrett with Adrian McElvaney 1s slower than that Stranooden test. Maguire’s co driver Enda Sherry rolled his eyes skywards when he recounted their major moment and he said. “This might be a good day to do the Lotto!” Kevin Barrett was a lot happier with his performance through those 3 stages while Adrian McElvaney said. “The gearbox is still playing up but we’ll just have to live with it”. Sean Gallagher also had a better run through those stages as Sean and his co-driving daughter Marie-Claire found some of their old form following their layoff. Sean was just a few seconds adrift of the top times to hold on to 4th o/a.
Maurice Moffett had been 5th starting this middle loop of stages and also leading 2 wheel drive but on a 4 left Maurice was just a little too fast, his Starlet drifted wide, stepped out and went off backwards. There was a little damage to the wheel arches plus a punctured tyre and he lost the best part of 2m getting to the end of the stage. When he was struggling back on to the stage Maurice was passed by Adrian Hetherington but then his Escort broke a half shaft and the two cars were then passed by Des Moore. Hetherington’s co driver Gary Nolan said afterwards. “Des must have thought Christmas had come early!” Adrian wasn’t able to keep going. Another Mk2 Escort to have pulled out was Rodney Wilton’s. Rodney lost time on the first stage with a flat battery on his Escort but still managed to reach service after 3 stages in 12th o/a. However, he did not re-start.
John Cairns has speeded up over the last few stages as he becomes accustomed to his brother Martin’s GpA Impreza. Danny McBride continues to lead GpN and is 7th o/a despite his Lancer tyres going off the boil at the latter end of stage 6. Gary McElhinney in the Legacy was down in 44th place after 3 stages and he is being co-driven today by Damien Connolly. Damien will be celebrating his birthday tonight in the Hillgrove Hotel!! Raymond Conlon in the Corolla is lying just outside the leaderboard on 58.07 and he reckons he picked the wrong tyres on that last loop. Damien Hagan is on 59.14 and reports no problems. Anthony Hand is on 57.50 and unofficially leading class 11.
Jack Maguire’s Escort Cosworth seems to be handling a lot better now and he has now come on to the leaderboard on 57.48. Gary Cairns in the GpN Lancer has some 2nd gear problems but is still lying 2nd in the category. Noel O’Connell/Ronan Murrin bashed the side of their red Peugeot in stage 6 and are battling hard to stay in touch with Daniel Conaghan/Trevor Graham who lead cl.12. James McNulty pulled his Lancer out on stage 5 with an electrical problem.
In the Citroen Racing Trophy Sam Moffett leads after stage 5 with Martin Tynan 6s down and Adrian McElhinney closing in and just 8s off the lead. Stephen Baxter is running way back and he was 4th Citroen and we believe is on the pace to catch McElhinney and indeed it could be a grandstand finish for the Citroens.
On the Wexford Mini Stages James Stafford was leading with Alan Boggan and Mark Kennedy 2nd and 3rd in their Corsas. On Rally Argentina Loeb is leading from Sordo with Henning Solberg 3rd.
More news later: BRIAN & LIZ PATTERSON www.rallynews.net
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