Circuit of Munster (Limerick) - 4 Jun 06

Posted: June 9, 2006 12:53 PM

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Southern 4 Championship - ALL CHANGE AT THE TOP BUT STILL VERY CLOSE AFTER CIRCUIT OF MUNSTER.
Denis Cronin took the lead in the 023 Tiles Southern 4 Rally Championship at the Circuit Of Munster Rally, which was held on Sunday the 4th of June.

Not only was Denis the highest finisher of the Southern 4 registered competitors but along with Navigator Helen O Sullivan he also took the overall win on the event.

Denis has had two maximum point scores in the last two rounds, which more than makes up for the disappointment of his DNF on the first round, The Quality Hotels West Cork Rally.

West Cork Rally winner Melvyn Evans is in second place on 38 points, just three behind Denis, having missed the Killarney International Rally of the Lakes and finishing second overall to Denis on the Circuit of Munster.

The man leading the championship prior to the Circuit of Munster, Wesley Patterson, lies third in the championship standings in his Class 13 Mark 2 Ford Escort after a brilliant drive netted him seventh overall on the event and first place in class 13.Wesley lies just a further 3 points behind Melvyn Evans on 35 points.

George Cullen moves into fourth place with a third overall finish in Limerick to add to his fifth overall in West Cork, George is on 33 points after recording a DNF on the Rally of the Lakes.

Tadhg Linehan drove a blistering Circuit to record 5th overall and is now also fifth in the overall Championship standings.

In the class battles Tadhg Linehan leads class 4 from Mark Nangle with Pat Maguire in third while Kevin Kellehers run of bad luck continued with another DNF in the Circuit of Munster.

Darren McCarthy leads class 10 after two ten point finishes in Killarney and the Circuit of Limerick.

Class 13 is lead by Wesley Patterson with Liam Davis in second place,although 11 points behind after his engine expired on the West Cork Rally.

Among the navigators Sean Mullaly tops the table on 39 points with Helen O Sullivan second on 37, Llinos Jones-Edwards third on 34 points and Jakes Kelly fourth on 33.

So with just eight points dividing the top four drivers and just six points separating the top four navigators the championship is still wide open.

The next round of the championship will be hosted by Carrick-on-Suir Motor clubs Ravens Rock Rally which takes place on Sunday 25th of June.

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Group N Winners: Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey

Results
1 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 70m 47s,
2 Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) 71m 04s,
3 George Cullen/Jakes Kelly (Subaru Impreza WRC) 72m 36s,
4 Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Subaru Impreza N12) GpN 74m 58s,
5 Tadhg Linehan/Mark Kane (Subaru Impreza N11) GpN 75m 31s,
6 Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Toyota Corolla WRC) 75m 31s,
7 Wesley Patterson/Llinos Jones-Edwards (Escort Mk II) 75m 57s,
8 Daragh Raftery/Alan Keena (Subaru Impreza WRC) 76m 15s,
9 Eamon Daly/John Young (Mit. Lancer Evo 8) GpN 76m 19s,
10 James O’Sullivan/Adrian Deasy (Mit. Lancer Evo 7) GpN 77m 25s

Leaders After
SS1-2 Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3-8 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC)

Stagewinners
SS1 Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Bogey Time Beaten
& Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS5 Bogey Time Beaten
SS6 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS7 Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS8 Bogey Time Beaten
SS9 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Subaru Impreza WRC)

Full Results
rally.connect.ie (Angus Sealy)

Photos:
James Burkee Photography - www.jamesburkee.com
crspics.com - Counihan Rallysport Pictures

Limerick Motor Club

• 2006 Southern 4 Rally Championship
• 2006 West Coast Rally Championship

3rd Class 10 - Darren McCarthy/Steve Davis

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• MRallying: Munster Mission
• Summary Distance Schedule
• Southern 4 preview
• Entry List on line
• Regulations available

Dave Dooley, (coc) Niall Mullane (club president).
Ian Roche of the Roach Group (sponsor) and the manager of the Woodlands Hotel Adare at the Launch of the Circuit of Munster.
Photo: James Balfe Rallyshot

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MRallying: Munster Mission
A month after the disappointment of the Rally of the Lakes, MRallying duo of Colm Murphy and Ger Loughery are hoping to take to the stages this weekend on the Circuit of Munster to put their N12 Impreza through its paces in preparation for the fast approaching Shell Donegal rally.

With a blown turbo and broken output shaft cutting their weekend in Killarney decidedly short, the Limerick pairing will be hoping for better luck on their home event. However, as always seems to be the case in rallying, time is pushing the team to the limit and it will be touch and go if the car even makes it to the start line! With the engine and gearbox returning from the UK this week, little time will be left for Colm Grant and his TTEC preparation team to ready the car for Munster.

The Circuit of Munster holds mixed memories for the Shell sponsored duo – a convincing GroupN victory in 2004 was followed with their worst crash on the rain sodden first stage of the 2005 event. Both driver and co-driver were unharmed but the whole episode was particularly unwelcome with the Donegal rally just around the corner.

This year Colm will be hoping to repay the great support shown to him by his local sponsors – Transplant Trailers, Track Care Engineering, The Gables Bar and Vanity Case Beauticians all located in the vicinity of the stages.

Co-driver Ger, a member of the Limerick club and winner of the highest placed club member award in 2004, will also be looking for a good result this weekend to add to the ever growing trophy cabinet the pair have recently been adding to. Following a win in Galway and a second on the Circuit of Ireland, a good result on their home event would put the team into buoyant mood heading into the Donegal round of the international championship.

Colm and Ger would also like to thank all their sponsors; with out them it would not be possible to compete: Shell, Pirelli, Heat Link, Thermia, Track Care Engineering, Transplant, MSP, Speedline Corse, Remax, The Gables Bar Athea, The Connemara Gateway Hotel, Murray Motor Sport, Eddie Garry Car Sales, Advance Surveys, Sign X and Vanity Case Beauticians.

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Saturday 3rd June
Mechanical Scrunity

2.30pm-8pm Limerick NCT Centre, Ballysimon Road (Tipperary Road), Limerick.

Sunday 4th June

FCD START RAMP( WOODLANDS HOUSE HOTEL)   9.10AM  

LOOP 1  -- HQ TO SERV IN
54KM ROAD  AND 50KM STAGE

LOOP 2  -- SERV OUT TO SERV IN 
45KM ROAD  AND 50 KM STAGE

LOOP 3  --   SERV OUT TO FIN RAMP
.60KM ROAD  AND 50KM STAGE

  FCD FINISH RAMP ( WOODLANDS HOUSE HOTEL)  17.50

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Southern 4 preview

This weekends Circuit of Munster Rally marks a very welcome return of the event to the 023 Tiles Southern 4 rally Championship.  

                 The increase from five to six rounds will have obvious benefits for competitors,the main one being that it will ease the pressure somewhat on competitors in the modified classes,some of whom struggled to get entries in the two Internationals, the Killarney International Rally of the Lakes and the Cork “20” International, because of the high profile of these events.   

                             This effectively reduced their opportunity to take full advantage of the “dropped score” rule, thus the inclusion of the Circuit of Munster means that ALL competitors in the championship have the same chance of victory in their respective classes.

                              Since it’s inception the championship has gone from strength to strength and this year is no exception.106 crews have already registered for 2006 and the Circuit of Munster is the last round on which competitors can sign on,so there is still one more chance for registration.

                             Round 1,The Quality Hotels West Cork Rally saw last years winners Denis Cronin/Helen O Sullivan, retire their Impreza WRC on Stage 1 with prop shaft failure and Liam McCarthy’s Corolla WRC succumbed to engine problems not long after.

                          Melvyn Evans took full advantage of this and took a lead that he was not to relinquish for the remainder of the weekend,despite major attempts from Michael Barrable who took a number of fastest stage times on Sunday before sadly retiring on the final stage.Denis O Donovan held on for a brilliant second place finish in his ageing Celica ST 205 and John Dalton took third.

                               In round 2,The Killarney International Rally Of The Lakes, Denis Cronin made up for the disappointment of his retirement on Round 1 by taking full points with an excellent 7th overall despite overheating problems on day 1.

                             Alan Ring,who missed round one took the opportunity to register in Killarney and earned himself 16 championship points for being third overall among the registered competitors,Alan,with Brian Duggan on the notes finished 12th overall on the “Lakes” and took a well earned second in Group N.

                             Melvyn Evans took the win in West Cork but did not enter the rally of the lakes and, as a consequence, drops to 4th overall in the championship having been the table topper after West Cork.

                              Nigel Hicklin also made amends for his West Cork DNF by taking the 18 points with a 9th place overall finish having switched back to Subaru in preference to the Corolla he used in West Cork.

                               Wesley Patterson takes over the championship lead having earned 12 points in Killarney to add to the eleven he accumulated in West Cork.

                                 Kevin O Donoghue is lying second in the drivers championship but also on 23 points.Denis Cronin is third with 21 points,Melvyn Evans fourth on 20 and Nigel Hicklin fifth on 19.

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Entry List on line
No Driver/Navigator (Car) [Class]
1 DENIS CRONIN/HELEN O SULLIVAN (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
2 MELVYN EVANS/SEAN MULLALLY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
3 GEORGE CULLEN/JAKES KELLY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
4 LIAM MC CARTHY/KIERAN MURPHY (TOYOTA COROLLA WRC) [8]
5 OLLIE O DONOVAN/D MOYNIHAN (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
6 PAUL HARRIS/EUGENE O DONNELL (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
7 JACK SLEATOR/ANDREW PURCELL (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
8 COLM MURPHY/GER LOUGHREY (SUBARU IMPREZA N12) [4]
9 KEVIN KELLEHER/MARTIN KELLEHER (MIT. LANCER EVO 9) [4]
10 JOHNNY O SULLIVAN/PAT CASHMAN (FORD ESCORT WRC) [15]
11 MARK COURTNEY/PAUL KELLY (TOYOTA CELICA GT-FOUR) [15]
12 DARAGH RAFFERTY/ALAN KENNA (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
14 EAMON DALY/JOHN YOUNG (MIT. LANCER EVO 8) [4]
15 JAMES O SULLIVAN/ADRIAN DEASY (MIT. LANCER EVO 7) [4]
16 ENDA KEENAN/ENDA SHERRY (ESCORT) [14]
17 AIDAN WALSH/JIM CASEY (ESCORT) [13]
18 EDWARD O CALLAGHAN/JOHN SHIELS (MANTA) [13]
19 MIKE QUINN/SEAN ENRIGHT (ESCORT) [14]
20 ED SYNAN/KIERAN CUSACK (ESCORT) [13]
21 WESLEY PATTERSON/LLINOS JONES-EDWARDS (ESCORT) [13]
22 KEVIN O DONOGHUE/JOE O LEARY (EVO 9) [4]
23 DAMIEN FINNERAN/FRANCIS KENNY (SUBARU IMPREZA WRC) [8]
24 NIALL O CONNELL/TBA (SUBARU ) [8]
25 SEAN LYONS/JOHN DEVINE (ESCORT) [14]
26 TIM O DONOVAN/SEAN HAYDE (COROLLA) [11]
27 CHARLIE HICKEY/JOHNNY HICKEY (ESCORT RS) [13]
28 JOHN DANAGHER/PATK NAUGHTON (ESCORT) [14]
29 MARK NANGLE/SEAN FLANAGAN (SUBARU) [4]
30 IAN ROCHE/PAUL ROCHE (PEUG 206) [6]
31 FRANK SWEENEY/SEAMUS O CONNOR (ESCORT) [13]
32 JOHN QUIN/ALICE QUIN (CHEVETTE) [13]
33 GARY REIDY/STEVEN REIDY (ESCORT) [13]
34 PAT RYAN/DERRY COLLINS (ESCORT) [9]
35 ROLAND DOHERTY/PJ O DOWD (CORSA) [9]
36 MIKEY O CONNOR/SINEAD O KEEFE (ESCORT) [9]
37 KEITH CRONIN/ANTHONY O CONNELL (PEUG 206) [6]
38 STEPHEN CARWAY/JP KILMURRAY (EVO 8.5) [4]
39 DAVID RANDLES/CON DUGGAN (ALMERA) [7]
40 WALTER DICK/KEITH MORIARTY (ESCORT) [12]
41 LIAM DAVIS/BILLY KELLEHER (ESCORT) [13]
42 NEIL PIERCE/ENDA O LEARY (CIVIC) [11]
43 NIALL DOHERTY/FRANK CURTIN (PEUG 206) [6]
44 JASON MC SWEENEY/ML O FARRELL (CIVIC) [11]
45 CHRISTY CAREY/RICHARD TALBOT (SUBARU) [8]
46 PADRAIG EGAN/RORY MOLONEY (ESCORT) [13]
47 ML O CONNOR/TEDDY O CONNOR (EVO 8) [4]
48 ALAN KANE/GREG O REILLY (ESCORT) [11]
49 DD MURPHY/JOHN MURPHY (ESCORT) [12]
50 MIKE WALSH/GER RYAN (ESCORT) [12]
51 SHANE MANGAN/DONNACHA O CALLAGHAN (ESCORT) [12]
52 LIAM MULCAIRE/SHANE MEADE (ESCORTH) [12]
53 WM CAVANAGH/DOROTHY CAVANAGH (ESCORT) [12]
54 PAT BARRY/S O CONNELL (SIERRA) [14]
55 KIERAN DALY/RUTH GUEST (FOCUS) [7]
56 NIALL GUINEVAN/LESLIE STANLEY (PEUG 206) [6]
57 EAMON LEE/PETER HOWLEY (ESCORT) [13]
58 THOMAS FITZMAURICE/KEITH MC CARTHY (ESC COSWORTH) [15]
59 COLM CRONIN/BRIAN DOHERTY (PEUG 206) [6]
60 ANTHONY HAND/RODNEY PERKINS (ESCORT) [11]
61 RAY HILLARD/SENAN RAGGETT (ESCORT) [11]
62 ML KELLEHER/PATRICIA O CONNELL (ESCORT) [10]
63 MARTIN SHEEHAN/PADDY DRAKE (STARLET) [9]
64 JEROME HENNESSY/MARTIN MULCAHY (ESCORT) [10]
65 DARREN MC CARTHY/STEVE DAVIS (CORSA) [10]
66 KENNETH HOGAN/CLAIR HOGAN (NOVA) [10]
67 GERRY O MAHONY/WILLIE BUCHANAN (ESCORT) [10]
68 ML DILLON/AMBY MCNAMARA (ESCORT) [11]
69 TOM GORMALLY/CHRISTOPHER CROWE (CIVIC) [2]
70 ALAN JAMES DOHERTY/COLM DOHERTY (CORSA) [13]
71 MAURICE MESKELL/PODGE DOODY (COROLLA) [11]
72 ML MEADE/BRIAN O CONNOR (ESCORT) [11]
73 DECLAN GROGAN/RACHEL CONNEELY (CIVIC) [11]
74 PAT AHERN/NOEL HANLEY (ESCORT) [13]
75 AIDAN NEVILLE/JOE CROWLEY (CIVIC) [11]
76 KIERAN MARSHALL/DAVID FLEMING (CIVIC) [7]
77 JOHN CORRIGAN/KIERAN DOHERTY (SEAT IBIZA) [7]
78 PAUL CLOKE/LIAM O LEARY (ASTRA) [7]
79 EMMET CALLAN/DAVID O HALLORAN (PEUG 106) [6]
80 JOHN SPILLANE/SEAN HURLEY (PEUG 106) [6]
81 ANTHONY COLLINS/JOE MC CARTHY (CIVIC) [11]
82 EAMON HANLEY/TBA (PEUG 106) [6]
83 ML AHERN/JOHN SHIELS (ESCORT) [11]
84 PHILIP CONNEELY/MICHELLE CONNEELY (CIVIC) [11]
85 TOMMY DOYLE/ANDY O DONOGHUE (ESCORT) [13]
86 WILLIE SINNOTT/WAYNE HAYES (PEUG 205) [12]
87 BRIAN TURNER/GARETH TURNER (PEUG 106) [6]
88 JOHN MORRIS/DECLAN SYLVER (ESC COSWORTH) [15]
89 ML DELANEY/JIM MURPHY (ESCORT) [13]
90 TOM CAHILL/DES SHERLOCK (INTEGRA) [3]
91 DAVID ENRIGHT/ADRIAN O GORMAN (CELICA ) [13]
92 KIERAN GUINAN/ALAN HIGGINS (ESCORT) [12]
93 MATTHEW MURPHY/BARRY O DONNELL (COROLLA) [11]
94 JOHN CAPLIS/SEAN KENNEDY (SWIFT) [1]
95 TOM DUNNE/CHRISTINE O LEARY (PEUG 106) [2]
96 BRIAN WILSON/CARLOW KEANE (CORSA) [2]
97 LIAM DELANEY/ALBERT DALTON (CIVIC) [2]
98 OWAIN DROUGHT/PADRAIG RYAN (CIVIC) [2]
99 JOHN O SHEA/PAT O SULLIVAN (INTEGRA) [3]
100 DAVID QUIGLEY/JASON OLLERENSHAW (SUZUKI) [1]
101 DERMOT HORAN/PJ SHEEHY (PEUG 205) [10]
102 ANTHONY WHELTON/JOANNE MURPHY (ESCORT) [10]
103 TOM CURLEY/JOHN BURKE (CIVIC) [3]
104 PAT CALLANAN/KENNETH SHIEL (CIVIC) [3]
105 PATK MAGUIRE/JOE FITZGIBBON (SUBARU N10) [4]
106 ANDREW FANNING/ALAN MC CORMACK (PUMA) [5]
107 COLIN FLANAGAN/TBA (PUMA) [5]
108 FERGAL HENEY/RAYMOND HENEY (COROLLA) [11]
109 PATK CULHANE/EDDIE KELLY (PEUG 205) [10]
110 TOM MCDERMOTT/OWEN O REILLY (ESCORT) [12]
111 JASON O CONNOR/HUGH MC MAHON (ESCORT) [11]
112 SEAN MORAN/KEVIN O CONNOR (COROLLA) [11]
113 BATT DINNEEN/GAVIN BUTTIMER (ESCORT) [10]
114 MARK O DONOVAN/TOMMY O CONNOR (ESCORT) [10]
115 CON MULCAHY/JOHNATHAN KEANE (SUNBEAM) [11]
116 RICHARD WHITE/TBA (PEUG 205) [10]
117 TOM WHITE/SHANE MC AULIFFE (STARLET) [10]
118 VICTOR BEAMISH/SUSAN BEAMISH (CORSA) [9]
119 KEITH MC MULLAN/DAMIEN RYAN (UNO) [9]
120 DAVID GUEST/ELAINE SALTER (PEUG 205) [10]
121 TIM ENRIGHT/STEPHEN BUCKLEY (PEUG 205) [10]
122 NIALL SHORTEN/TBA (CIVIC) [2]
123 KIERAN O CONNELL/GER BUCKLEY (CORSA) [10]
124 JOHN O CONNOR JNR/NATALIE O CONNOR (STARLET) [11]
125 GERARD QUINN/NEILL QUINN (COROLLA) [11]
126 KEN HEAPHY/PJ WILMOTT (COROLLA) [11]
127 JASON CAREY/JAMES RYAN (COROLLA) [11]
128 KEVIN GUINANE/ML COTT (PEUG 205) [10]
129 JUNE FITZGIBBON/KELLY REIDY (FORD KA) [5]
130 RAY GAVIN/PAUL WALSH (PEUG 309) [10]
131 MARK SHEEHAN/TBA (FORD KA) [5]
132 PAUL FOOTE/OLIVIA COEN (ESCORT) [10]

JUNIORS
No Driver/Navigator (Car) [Class]
J1 BARRY MEADE/COLIN FITZGERALD (ESCORT) [16]
J2 JASON RYAN/TBA (CIVIC) [16]
J3 PATK CUNNINGHAM/SHANE O BRIEN (CIVIC) [16]
J4 NOEL KELLEHER/DANIEL LUCEY (COROLLA) [16]
J5 JASON O MAHONY/JOHNATHAN O MAHONY (CIVIC) [16]
J6 JACK O SHEA/SHANE DEVANE (MINI) [16]
J7 MARK LANE/KEVIN KEARNEY (PEUG 106) [16]
J8 RICHARD PRICE/STEPHEN COONEY (CIVIC) [16]
J9 JAMES BRETT/PATK CROTTY (CIVIC) [16]
J10 DANIEL O LEARY/MIKE FITZGERALD (CIVIC) [16]
J11 DANIEL O LEARY/COLM LENIHAN (CIVIC) [16]
J12 MARTIN HORGAN/THOMAS FLAHIVE (HONDA CRX) [16]
J14 DAVID POWER/KEVIN POWER (CIVIC) [16]
J15 AIDEN O KEEFE/JAMES O KEEFE (ESCORT) [16]
J16 FINBARR CAHILLANE/JAMES FLYNN (COROLLA) [16]

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05/05/06
The June bank holiday weekend brings with it the Woodlands House Hotel, Circuit of Munster Stages Rally,in assocation with Roche Group. This year the event will be a counting round of the ‘Top Part’ West Coast Championship and the 023 tiles Southern 4 Championship and with a 3 stage loop set in the hills of west limerick it promises to be a tough challenge for all concerned.

The event this year falls into the capable hands of Dave Dooley who is well under way with the task in hand and with his more than capable crew have set out some lovely stages to please all competitors.

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02/05/06

Download Regulations in Word Format

Limerick Motor Club

• 2006 Southern 4 Rally Championship
• 2006 West Coast Rally Championship