Stonethrowers Rally - 10 Aug 03

Posted: August 14, 2003 6:36 PM

Peadar Hurson set a scintillating pace on the first stage, Lisnamuck where his Subaru was seven seconds quicker than that of Eugene Donnelly. Michael Barrable, despite an overshoot, slotted his Subaru WRC into third some four seconds behind Harrison. Maurice Gass continued the dominance of the Subaru WRC mode, he was fifth followed by Niall Maguire, Adrian McElvaney and J.J. Fleming. Sean Gallagher in an Escort Cosworth finished the first stage in ninth place with Patrick Elliott (Subaru WRC) in tenth place.

Hurson crashed on the second stager, Lavally, as Donnelly posted the fastest time and duly took the lead - 17 seconds ahead of Barrable. Both drivers remarked on the very fast nature of the stages with Barrable adding that his tyres didn't have the grip due to the dust. Overseas driver, Jim Harrison filled the remaining place in the top three - 20 seconds behind. Defending Dunlop champion, Niall Maguire, on his first rally in several months, held fourth ahead of Maurice Gass. Aside from Hurson, others that failed to finish the stage included Adrian McElvaney and J.J. Fleming.

Ray Breen, in a Metro, picked up the pace on the second stage and moved to sixth as Patrick Elliott made cautious start to claim seventh from the Escort Cosworth of Trevor Harding. Local Clonmel driver, Kieran Molloy, in a Mitsubishi Lancer, led the Group N category from Willie Fannin and Derek Jobb. Molloy was ninth in general classification with Tommy Kiely, completing the top ten and heading the rear wheel drive contingent.

Following stages three, four and five, the crews headed for the Rosegreen service halt with Donnelly leading by eighteen seconds - the Derry driver beat the bogey time on stage six. Barrable was some 50 seconds ahead of Harrison with Gass leapfrogging Niall Maguire in the race for fourth. The first non-Subaru WRC was the Metro 6R4 of Ray Breen - he was sixth as he gained increasing confidence. Elliott was seventh with Sean Gallagher, who stopped at the Hurson accident - eighth - some 59 seconds ahead of the similar Escort Cosworth of Trevor Harding. Tommy Kiely (Escort) rounded off the top ten. Kieran Molloy retired his Mitsubishi on the third stage and Eoin Doyle (Subaru) took over the initiative in the showroom category.

Donnelly completed S.S. 6 with a clutch problem but maintained a lead of 14 seconds as the top duo set almost identical times. On S.S. 7 and 8, Donnelly added two seconds per stage and entered the final stage with an 18 second advantage. Harrison, who carried some 50 litres of fuel on board to counteract the fuel problem, was still a comfortable margin ahead of Maguire. The Londoner set the fastest time on the stage. Maguire reeled in Gass and eked four seconds ahead in that particular duel. Ray Breen continued to hold sixth. There was little change elsewhere with Patrick Elliott, Sean Gallagher, Tommy Kiely and Kevin Barrett completing the top ten. Gallagher overshot twice on stage six due to a sticking throttle.

On the final two stages, Donnelly punched in the fastest times and went on to win by 22 seconds. The only change in the top ten saw Kevin Barrett move ahead of Tommy Kiely in the race for ninth. The Group N category was won by Eoin Doyle (Subaru).

1 Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.10.12
2 Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.10.34
3 Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.11.33
4 Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.12.12
5 Maurice Gass/Andrew Cullen (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.12.20
6 Ray Breen/John Purcell (Metro 6R4) 1.13.39
7 Patrick Elliott/Martin Cahill (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.14.00
8 Sean Gallagher/Sean Moriarty (Escort RS Cosworth) 1.15.08
9 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.1.16.17
10 Tommy Kiely/Michael Cuddihy (Escort 2.0) 1.16.22

• Full Results and Times in Excel Format
• RallyNews by Brian & Liz Patterson from the Stonethrowers
• Photo by Seamus Counihan
• Photo by Ger Leahy