McNULTY WINS DUNLOP OPENER IN ABBEYLEIX - Report courtsey of Dunlop Proud Sponsors of the 2011 National Rally Championship
Posted: April 18, 2011 8:15 PM
LEADING from the start, Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) and co-driver, Paul Kiely won the Manor Hotel Abbeyleix Rally, the first round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship. They finished 59 seconds ahead of reigning Dunlop champions, Mel Evans/Patrick Walsh, also in Subaru WRC. Colm Murphy/Don Montgomery in a Group N Subaru were third. The Group N category, sponsored by Motorsport Safety Team, was won by Monaghan’s, Sam Moffett/James Reilly and the rally.ie two wheel drive category was won by Tommy Doyle/Liam Moynihan (Renault Clio R3).
McNulty was impressive on the opening stage and took a decisive 26 second lead over the Subaru WRC of Kevin Barrett with reigning Dunlop champion, Mel Evans a second further behind in third. Colm Murphy (Subaru) set a cracking pace in the Group N category that was strong enough to elevate him to fourth overall in a top six that also featured the Subaru pair of Niall Maguire and James Belton. Meanwhile, Wexford’s. James Stafford (Darrian) led the two wheel drive category, he was seventh in general classification. The remaining places in the top ten were taken by Steve Simpson (Subaru), Derek McGarrity (Mitsubishi) and late entry, Sam Moffett (Mitsubishi).
Barrett retired in the second stage with gearbox troubles with the time sheets reflecting Belton setting the fastest time – four seconds ahead of the two-wheel drive Escort of Wesley Patterson. In overall terms, McNulty led Belton by 26 seconds with Evans some six seconds further behind in third. Stafford moved into fourth ahead of Group N leader, Colm Murphy. Another Group N contender, Kevin Kelleher (Mitsubishi) retired with engine difficulties.
On the completion of the final stage of the opening loop, Evans set the pace to move into second trailing McNulty by 28 seconds with a flying Stafford in third place 34 seconds off the top.
Belton was fourth with Colm Murphy maintaining a dominant position in Group N, he was fifth overall followed by Liam McCarthy (Toyota Corolla WRC). At the service halt, the top ten was completed by Simpson, Patterson, Niall Maguire and Moffett. McGarrity was eleventh. Maguire lost some 25 seconds with an overshoot on the second stage.
Out on the second loop, McNulty stretched his advantage and even though the Meath ace and second place Evans both beat the bogey time on the sixth stage, McNulty led by 41 seconds at the final service halt in Rathdowney.
Neither driver reported any problems, Evans admitted he had little chance of catching his rival. Colm Murphy continued to set very quick times as he retained third and moved some 25 seconds ahead of Maguire. Simpson - on his second ever Irish rally - held fifth from an untroubled Liam McCarthy (Toyota Corolla WRC) and Wesley Patterson (Escort), who led the two wheel drive after Stafford crashed out on S.S. 4. Sam Moffett (Mitsubishi) was on the wrong tyres for the loop and lost time, particularly on S.S. 5; fellow Group N aces, Thomas Fitzmaurice and Shane Maguire (Subaru) completed the top ten. Fitzmaurice was concerned by a drop in fuel pressure through stages five and six.
Meanwhile, a puncture on S.S. 4 that cost substantial time dropped Derek McGarrity to 18th in general classification. Declan Boyle punctured on S.S. 4 while local hero, Aidan Bourke (Mitsubishi) was building up his confidence after losing some 13 minutes on the third stage with a broken rear differential.
On the remaining loop of three stages around Rathdowney, McNulty continued to dominate and emerged victorious by 59 seconds. Evans was content to have finished second and admitted McNulty’s opening stage performance was the decisive factor. Colm Murphy took a fine third.
Just as he appeared to have secured fourth, former champion, Niall Maguire (Subaru WRC) lost time with turbo troubles, he eventually finished seventeenth, one place behind Derek McGarrity (Mitsubishi). Manchester driver, Steve Simpson (Subaru WRC) was fourth followed by Monaghan’s, Sam Moffett (Mitsubishi), who won the Group N category, on the middle loop of stages, he admitted he had selected the wrong tyres. Liam McCarthy and Wesley Patterson were next in general classification. Ninth placed, Shane Maguire (Subaru) was the recipient of the Dunlop “Driver of the Day” award and Ian Barrett (Subaru) on his first rally in some three years, was tenth.
James Belton (Subaru WRC) was a late retirement duo to turbo issues.
Driver/Navigator (Car Details) [Class]
1 Melvyn Evans/Patrick Walsh (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
2 Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
3 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
4 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
5 Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10) [4]
6 Colm Murphy/Don Montgomery (Subaru Impreza N12B) [4]
7 Liam McCarthy/Denis O'Mahony (Toyoto Corolla WRC) [15]
8 Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
9 Wesley Patterson/Martin McGarrity (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
10 James Stafford/Frank Dwyer (Darrian T90 GTR) [14]
11 James Belton/Eurig Evans (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
12 Steve Simpson/Frank Curtin (Subaru Impreza WRC) [8]
14 Kevin Kelliher/Gerard Conway (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
15 Aidan Bourke/John Kinahan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
16 Tommy Doyle/Tony McDaid (Renault Clio R3) [7]
17 Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
18 Camillus Bradley/Crawford Henderson (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
19 Sean Flanagan/Brian Duggan (Subaru Impreza N12) [4]
20 Pat Kirk/Peter Ward (Mitsubshi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
21 Pat Donegan/Andy Donoghue (Ford Escort MK2) [14]
22 Neil Williams/Eurig Davies (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
23 Washington James/Llinos Jones Davis (Darrian T90 GTR) [14]
24 Trevor Mulligan/Declan Smith (Ford Escort MK 2) [14]
25 Michael Conlon/TBA (Ford Escort Mk 2) [14]
26 Maurice Moffett/TBA (Toyota Starlet) [13]
27 Shane Maguire/Charlie McEnery (Subaru Impreza N11) [4]
28 Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
29 Stephen Cullen/Seamus O`Grady (Subaru Impreza N12B) [4]
30 Iain Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Subaru Impreza N12B) [4]
31 David Condell/Enda Kennedy (Ford Escort) [14]
32 Rodney White/Sorcha Kelly (Talbot Sunbeam) [13]
33 Lloyd Hutchinson/Kevin Flanagan (Mini Cooper) [9]
34 Mark Nangle/Nollaig Breen (Subaru Impreza N12) [4]
35 Pat Kelly/John Conneely (Subaru Impreza WRX) [8]
36 David Percy/Pat Nolan (Ford Escort Maxi) [13]
37 James Cassidy/John Norris (Ford Escort MK 2) [12]
38 Joe Connolly/John Connolly (Ford Escort RS) [14]
39 Eamon Dervan/Keith Gardiner (Ford Mk2 Escort) [13]
40 Timmy England /Eoghan Fogarty (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 4) [4]
41 Pat Price/Stephen Price (Subaru Impreza N12B) [4]
42 Richard Burke/John Burke (Subaru Impreza WRX) [15]
43 Mike O`Connor Jnr./Sinead O`Connor (Subaru Impreza WRX) [15]
44 Neil Pierce/Enda O'Leary (Honda Civic) [11]
45 Benny Kennedy/Brendan Ryan (Honda Civic) [11]
46 Anthony Collins/Donal Falvey (Honda Civic ) [11]
47 Luke McCarthy/Patrick McCarthy (Honda Civic) [11]
48 Mark Geraghty/TBA (Vauxhall Nova) [11]
49 Kieran Daly/Darragh Mullen (Citroen C2 R2) [6]
50 Keith Power/Colin O`Toole (Opel Corsa Super 1600) [6]
51 Pat Aherne/Mike Cleary (Ford Escort) [13]
52 Gene Callan/Sean Brunton (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
53 Larry Brady/Anthony Brady (Ford Escort MK 2) [13]
54 Kieran Guinan/Alan Higgins (Ford Escort) [12]
55 Vincent Collins/Fintan Kilroe (Ford Escort) [12]
56 Donagh O`Sullivan/Paul Collins (Ford Escort MK 2) [11]
57 Francis Kelly/Charlotte Egan (Opel Corsa GSI) [12]
58 Fergus Kelly/Michael Doherty (Peugeot 205 RWD) [13]
59 Andrew Slattery/Shaun Forde (Subaru Impreza) [4]
60 David Forde/John Rookie Nolan (Subaru Impreza) [8]
61 Christopher Lloyd/Gerwyn Barry (Ford Escort) [13]
62 Jack Newman/Donal Balfe (Honda Civic) [11]
63 Paul Curley/Jason Ollerenshaw (Honda Civi EK4) [6]
64 Paul O'Brien/TBA (Honda Civic) [11]
65 Stephen Carey/Mark Lee (Honda Civic) [3]
66 Pa Bellew/Andres Reid (Ford Escort Mk2) [9]
67 James John Wall/Willie Fitzpatrick (Citroen C1) [9]
68 Colin Byrne/Brian Quinlan (Ford Puma) [9]
69 Frank Byrnes/Dave Ray (Peugeot 206) [6]
70 Marc McDermott/Damian Flanagan (Honda Civic) [13]
71 Alan Fair/Jarlath Conneely (Honda Civic) [6]
72 Simon Reid/Sarah Whelan (Honda Civic ) [11]
73 Chris Campbell/Sean Campbell (Honda Civic) [11]
74 Billy Coogan/John Smithwick (BMW M3) [14]
75 Ian Gunning/Francis Holmes (Ford Escort) [13]
76 Tom Ryan/Ciara O`Connell (Opel Corsa) [9]
77 Brian Kirwan/Fonnuala Moloney (Peugeot 206) [13]
78 John Coughlan/Mark Parsons (Ford Escort Mk1) [12]
79 Barry Mahon/TBA (Honda Civic) [2]
80 Michael Fitzgibbon/Ronan Shanahan (Honda Civic) [11]
81 Andrew McCormick/Chris McSherry (Vauxhall Chevette) [13]
82 Paudie Casey/Tony McCarthy (Toyota Corolla) [13]
83 Keith Naughton/Kenneth Hynes (Vauxhall Astra ) [13]
84 Scott McElhinney/Karl Reid (Citroen C2 Max) [7]
85 Neil Tohill/Gerard Tohill (Mitsubishi Evo) [4]
86 Michael Conneely/Michael Ward (Honda Civic) [6]
87 Justin Comer/Shane Reidy (Honda Civic) [6]
88 Michael Dennehy/Michael Greaney (Ford Sierra) [14]
89 Mike Costello/Paddy Costello (Ford Escort) [11]
90 Gerard McQuaid/Gareth Quinlan (Ford Escort MK2) [11]
91 John O`Sullivan/TBA (Citroen C2) [11]
92 Joe Baker/Vicky Baker (Honda Civic) [11]
93 Chris Dineen/Alan Mulligan (Honda Civic) [11]
94 Ger Lyons/Stephen O`Brien (Honda Civic) [11]
95 Niall O`Sullivan/TBA (Toyota Corolla) [13]
96 Jeremiah O'Callaghan/Jonathan O'Callaghan (Vauxhall Nova) [12]
97 Paul Doyle/Philip Duggan (Ford Escort MK2) [12]
98 Edward Kelly /Paul Kelly (Peugeot 106 GTI) [6]
99 Christy Kelly/TBA (Suzuki Swift) [9]
100 Stephen Bradley/Johnny Gallagher (Honda Civic) [2]
101 Joe McCarthy/Noel Spencer (Honda Civic) [2]
102 Conor Foley/Damien McKenna (Ford Escort Mk 1) [10]
103 Chris Molloy/Adam Coffey (Peugeot 206) [6]
104 Mike Dolan/Darren Delaney (Honda Civic) [2]
105 Paul Lacey/Arthur Walshe (Ford Escort G3) [13]
106 Dermot Ryan/Sean Hegarty (Vauxhall Nova) [9]
107 Daniel Gorman/Eoin Gorman (Ford Escort MK 2) [13]
108 Anthony Masterson/Andrew Browne (Honda Integra) [7]
109 Declan Gannon/Alan Leonard (Honda Civic Type R) [3]
110 Martin McLaughlin/Danny McLaughlin (Ford Escort Mk 2) [11]
111 Steven McCabe/Carrie Moroney (Ford Fiesta RWD) [11]
112 Mike Garahy/Niall Keane (Ford Escort Mk2) [10]
113 John O`Donnell/Brendan Furlong (Toyota Starlet) [10]
114 Eamon McCafferty/Geoffrey Case (Ford Puma) [5]
115 Niall McKenna/Martin McCann (Peugeot 106 GTI) [6]
116 John Murphy/Martin O`Connor (Subaru Impreza) [8]
117 Donald Powell/TBA (Honda Civic) [2]
118 George Whelan/Noel McMahon (Honda Civic) [11]
119 Kenneth Treacy/Martin Comerford (Seat Leon) [4]
120 Brian Ward/Declan Stafford (Peugeot 206) [13]
121 Kieran O`Connell/Gerard Buckley (Honda Civic) [7]
122 Eoin Neville/Andy Hayes (Cirtroen Saxo) [2]
123 Mark Kirwan/Brendan McCullagh (Suzuki Swift GTI) [9]
124 Liam Bergin/John Fogarty (Honda Civic) [11]
125 Timothy Lowry/James Lowry (Honda Civic) [11]
126 Niall Whitty/Michelle Stafford (Toyota Corolla GT) [11]
127 Barry Foyle/Tommy Kelly (Vauxhall Nova) [9]
128 Jason Roycroft/Shane Kenneally (Honda Civic EK4) [2]
129 Shane Timony/Jeffrey Case (Ford Puma) [5]
130 Declan O`Regan/Joe Dunne (Peugeot 205 GTI) [10]
131 Brendan Hearns/Stephen Hearns (Vauxhall Nova) [9]
132 John O'Keeffe/TBA (Ford Escort MK 2) [10]
133 Tadhg O`Connell/Peter McDonnell (Ford Escort RS) [11]
134 Sinead Canny-Ruddy/Richard Ruddy (Citroen Saxo) [2]
135 Francis Kelly/Lisa McMahon (Honda Civic EK4) [2]
136 Paul Rowley/Gerard Rowley (Honda Civic) [2]
137 Richard Dalton/Gary Yeates (Honda Civic ) [2]
138 Raymond O`Brien/Nicky Egan (Mini Cooper) [9]
139 Anthony Breen/James Kelly (Toyota Corolla) [11]
Junior
J1 Cal McCarthy/Eamon Dullea (Honda Civic) [16]
J2 Christopher Snow/Tom Melia (Honda Civic ) [16]
J3 David Moffett/TBA (Toyota Starlet) [16]
J4 David Carmody/TBA (Honda Civic) [16]
J5 Darren Young/Kenneth Quirke (Honda Civic) [16]
J6 Mark O`Connor/Brian Turner (Citroen Saxo VTS) [16]
J7 Jason Frahill/James Frahill (Honda Civic) [16]
J8 Shane O'Sullivan/David Darcy (Peugeot 206) [16]
J9 Gary Dineen/Damien Fleming (Ford Escort MK2) [16]
J10 George Condell/Seamus Curran (Ford Escort) [16]
Historic
H1 Gerard McCarthy/Tommy Commane Jnr. (Triumph TR7) [17]
H2 Brian Lawlor/Peter Kavanagh (Ford Lotus Cortina MK 1) [17]
H3 Philip McKibbin/Andrew McKibbin (Ford Cortina) [17]
H4 David Dee/Rita Dee (Mini Cooper) [17]
H5 Whitby Moynan/TBA (Morris Mini) [17]
Unseeded List of Entries Received (Updated 14/2/11)
Posted: February 9, 2011 10:23 PM
Driver/Navigator (Car Details) [Class]
Barry Mahon/TBA (Honda Civic) [2]
Donald Powell/TBA (Honda Civic) [2]
Eoin Neville/Andy Hayes (Cirtroen Saxo) [2]
Sinead Canny-Ruddy/Richard Ruddy (Citroen Saxo) [2]
Stephen Bradley/Johnny Gallagher (Honda Civic) [2]
Jason Roycroft/Shane Kenneally (Honda Civic EK4) [2]
Francis Kelly/Lisa McMahon (Honda Civic EK4) [2]
Richard Dalton/Gary Yeates (Honda Civic ) [2]
Joe McCarthy/Noel Spencer (Honda Civic) [2]
Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Mitsubishi Evo 10) [3]
Neil Tohill/Gerard Tohill (Mitsubishi Evo) [4]
Pat Price/Stephen Price (Subaru N12B) [4]
Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Mitsubishi Evo 9) [4]
Stephen Cullen/Seamus O`Grady (Subaru Impreza) [4]
Colm Murphy/Don Montgomery (Subaru Impreza N12B) [4]
Andrew Slattery/Shaun Forde (Subaru Impreza) [4]
Kenneth Treacy/Martin Comerford (Seat Leon) [4]
Kevin Kelliher/Gerard Conway (Mitsubishi Evo 9) [4]
Sean Flanagan/Brian Duggan (Subaru Impreza N12) [4]
Iain Barrett/Eoin O'Flaherty (Subaru Impreza) [4]
Mark Nangle/Nollaig Breen (Subaru Impreza N12) [4]
Shane Maguire/Charlie McEnery (Subaru Impreza N11) [4]
Timmy England /Eoghan Fogarty (Mitsubishi Evo 4) [4]
Shane Timony/Jeffrey Case (Ford Puma) [5]
Eamon McCafferty/Geoffrey Case (Ford Puma) [5]
Chris Molloy/Adam Coffey (Peugeot 206) [6]
Frank Byrnes/Dave Ray (Peugeot 206) [6]
Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts (Ford Fiesta R2) [6]
Keith Power/Colin O`Toole (Opel Corsa Super 1600) [6]
Michael Conneely/Padraic Callanann (Honda Civic) [6]
Alan Fair/Jarlath Conneely (Honda Civic) [6]
Paul Curley/Jason Ollerenshaw (Honda Civi EK4) [6]
Niall McKenna/Martin McCann (Peugeot 106 GTI) [6]
Kieran Daly/Darragh Mullen (Citroen C2 R2) [6]
Kieran O`Connell/Gerard Buckley (Honda Civic) [7]
Scott McElhinney/Karl Reid (Citroen C2 Max) [7]
Anthony Masterson/Andrew Browne (Honda Integra) [7]
Tommy Doyle/Tony McDaid (Renault Clio R3) [7]
John Murphy/Martin O`Connor (Subaru Impreza) [8]
Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru WRC S11) [8]
Melvyn Evans/Patrick Walsh (Subaru Impreza WRC S12B) [8]
Tim McNulty/Paul Kiely (Subaru WRC S12) [8]
Steve Simpson/Frank Curtin (Subaru Impreza S12) [8]
James Belton/Eurig Evans (Subaru WRC S7 ) [8]
Raymond O`Brien/Nicky Egan (Mini Cooper) [9]
Pa Bellew/Andres Reid (Ford Escort Mk2) [9]
Lloyd Hutchinson/Kevin Flanagan (Mini Cooper) [9]
Tom Ryan/Ciara O`Connell (Opel Corsa) [9]
Mark Kirwan/Brendan McCullagh (Suzuki Swift GTI) [9]
Brendan Hearns/Stephen Hearns (Vauxhall Nova) [9]
James John Wall/Willie Fitzpatrick (Citroen C1) [9]
Colin Byrne/Brian Quinlan (Ford Puma) [9]
Dermot Ryan/Sean Hegarty (Vauxhall Nova) [9]
Mike Garahy/Niall Keane (Ford Escort Mk2) [10]
John O`Donnell/Brendan Furlong (Toyota Starlet) [10]
Conor Foley/Damien McKenna (Ford Escort Mk 1) [10]
Declan O`Regan/Joe Dunne (Peugeot 205 GTI) [10]
John O'Keeffe/TBA (Ford Escort MK 2) [10]
Mark Geraghty/TBA (Vauxhall Nova) [11]
Gerard McQuaid/Gareth Quinlan (Ford Escort MK2) [11]
Mike Costello/Paddy Costello (Ford Escort) [11]
Jack Newman/Donal Balfe (Honda Civic) [11]
Ger Lyons/Stephen O`Brien (Honda Civic) [11]
Luke McCarthy/Patrick McCarthy (Honda Civic) [11]
Benny Kennedy/Brendan Ryan (Honda Civic) [11]
Tadhg O`Connell/Peter McDonnell (Ford Escort RS) [11]
Timothy Lowry/James Lowry (Honda Civic) [11]
Michael Fitzgibbon/Ronan Shanahan (Honda Civic) [11]
George Whelan/Noel McMahon (Honda Civic) [11]
Chris Dineen/Alan Mulligan (Honda Civic) [11]
John O`Sullivan/TBA (Citroen C2) [11]
Anthony Breen/James Kelly (Toyota Corolla) [11]
Martin McLaughlin/Danny McLaughlin (Ford Escort Mk 2) [11]
Simon Reid/Sarah Whelan (Honda Civic ) [11]
Chris Campbell/Sean Campbell (Honda Civic) [11]
Donagh O`Sullivan/Paul Collins (Ford Escort MK 2) [11]
Niall Whitty/Michelle Stafford (Toyota Corolla GT) [11]
Kieran Guinan/Alan Higgins (Ford Escort) [12]
John Coughlan/Mark Parsons (Ford Escort Mk1) [12]
Vincent Collins/Fintan Kilroe (Ford Escort) [12]
Gene Callan/Sean Brunton (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
Francis Kelly/Charlotte Egan (Opel Corsa GSI) [12]
Jeremiah O'Callaghan/Jonathan O'Callaghan (Vauxhall Nova) [12]
James Cassidy/John Norris (Ford Escort MK 2) [12]
Ian Gunning/Francis Holmes (Ford Escort) [13]
Neil Williams/Eurig Davies (Ford Escort) [13]
Paul Lacey/Arthur Walshe (Ford Escort G3) [13]
Niall O`Sullivan/TBA (Toyota Corolla) [13]
Keith Naughton/Kenneth Hynes (Vauxhall Astra ) [13]
Maurice Moffett/TBA (Toyota Starlet) [13]
Paudie Casey/Tony McCarthy (Toyota Corolla) [13]
Christopher Lloyd/Gerwyn Barry (Ford Escort) [13]
Brian Ward/Declan Stafford (Peugeot 206) [13]
Eamon Dervan/Keith Gardiner (Ford Mk2 Escort) [13]
Rodney White/Sorcha Kelly (Talbot Sunbeam) [13]
Andrew McCormick/Chris McSherry (Vauxhall Chevette) [13]
Pat Aherne/Mike Cleary (Ford Escort) [13]
Larry Brady/Anthony Brady (Ford Escort MK 2) [13]
Joe Connolly/John Connolly (Ford Escort RS) [14]
Washington James/Llinos Jones Davis (Darrian T90 GTR) [14]
Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
Pat Donegan/Andy Donoghue (Ford Escort MK2) [14]
Camillus Bradley/Crawford Henderson (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
Wesley Patterson/Martin McGarrity (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
Michael Dennehy/Michael Greaney (Ford Sierra) [14]
Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery (Ford Escort) [14]
Billy Coogan/John Smithwick (BMW M3) [14]
James Stafford/TBA (Darrian T90 GTR) [14]
Mike O`Connor Jnr./Sinead O`Connor (Subaru Impreza) [15]
Richard Burke/John Burke (Subaru Impreza) [15]
David Carmody/TBA (Honda Civic) [16]
David Moffett/TBA (Toyota Starlet) [16]
Shane O'Sullivan/David Darcy (Peugeot 206) [16]
Darren Young/Kenneth Quirke (Honda Civic) [16]
Mark O`Connor/Brian Turner (Citroen Saxo VTS) [16]
Jason Frahill/James Frahill (Honda Civic) [16]
Christopher Snow/Tom Melia (Honda Civic ) [16]
Cal McCarthy/Eamon Dullea (Honda Civic) [16]
Philip McKibbin/Andrew McKibbin (Ford Cortina) [17]
Gerard McCarthy/Tommy Commane Jnr. (Triumph TR7) [17]
David Dee/Rita Dee (Mini Cooper) [17]
Whitby Moynan/TBA (Morris Mini) [17]
Rally Launch in association with Laois Branch of the Alzheimers Society of Ireland - Saturday 12th February
Posted: February 7, 2011 7:37 PM
The official launch of the 2011 Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Stages Rally will be held in the Abbeyleix Manor hotel on Saturday 12th February from 7pm.
The night will coincide with a fund raising event in aid of the Laois Branch of the Alzheimers Society of Ireland. There will be a number of activities including a sponsored beard shave, various raffles and auctions, live music and compare on the evening will be RTE celebrity Michael Lyster.
Club Stalwarts Bill Ryan and Pat Horan, whom between them have been sporting a beard for 70 years, are kindly going to say farewell to their whiskers. Borris in Ossory’s Frank Dwyer, Skibbereen’s Ger Hayes and Midlands Cyrill Rollins and are also for shaving along with local man Carden Kent. There will also be a few legs and chests for waxing which is sure to be good for a laugh.
The items for the auction and the raffle include, team shirts signed by World Championship Drivers, various motorsport memorabelia including jackets, mechanics overalls, umbrellas and gear bags, meal vouchers (including for the Dáil restaurant!), hampers, hurl signed by the Kilkenny senior team, Tipperary jersey signed by the senior team. Former Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Eugene Donnelly will also be along.
Entries are still available for the Rally which takes place on Sunday 27th February in the Rathdowney and Borris in Ossory Areas. So far over 80 Entries have been received.