2003 Circuit of Munster (Limerick MC) - 1 Jun 03

Posted: June 3, 2003 3:22 AM

DONNELLY DOMINATES CIRCUIT OF MUNSTER TO TAKE THIRD VICTORY IN DUNLOP NATIONAL RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

Derry's, Eugene Donnelly and co-driver, Paddy Toner, won the Woodland's House Hotel Circuit of Munster, round five of the Dunlop National Rally Championship. Driving a Subaru WRC, they finished the eight stage Adare based event one minute and five seconds ahead of Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman, also in a Subaru WRC. They secured second by just two seconds from the Subaru WRC of Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor.

Last year's Circuit of Munster winner and top seed, Tim McNulty topped the time sheets at the end of the eleven-mile Ramhorn Lime stage near Dromcolliher. Maurice Gass in a similar WRC was some four seconds in arrears with reigning Dunlop National Rally Championship leader, Michael Barrable occupying third - two seconds further adrift. Cavan rally winner, Eugene Donnelly made a cautious start to slot into fourth - ten seconds off the leading pace. David Armstrong, having finished the stage in equal fifth - with Ollie O'Donovan (Subaru Impreza) - crashed out on the second stage. Another driver to retire was Adrian McElvaney, his Subaru WRC lapsed on to three cylinders and the young Monaghan driver was forced out on the same stage.

Donnelly turned in a star performance over the remaining three stages of the loop. His performances shattered the opposition and having taken a six second lead over McNulty after the second stage, he stretched his advantage to 48 seconds by the fourth stage. Out on stage four, as he tried to stay the pace with Donnelly, Tim NcNulty spun his Subaru WRC and lost precious seconds. That allowed Maurice Gass close to within two seconds, although he too lost time when he caught the Subaru Impreza of Ollie O'Donovan, who had endured a time consuming spin.

Gass was also under pressure from Dunlop championship leader, Michael Barrable, another driver to overshoot - special stage three was his location, nevertheless, he was only two seconds behind Gass. Elsewhere, Ollie O'Donovan, who was losing time due to water injection problems, held fifth place from the similar car of Nigel Hicklin - his feat was all the more noteworthy considering he was using partially worn tyres. Denis Cronin, in his BMW M3, led the rear wheel drive category and also held seventh place, one place ahead of fellow Cork driver, Liam McCarthy (Toyota Corolla WRC), who lost time with tyre choice and a few spins. The top ten was completed by Sean Gallagher (Escort Cosworth) and Garry Jennings, in the nimble Peugeot 106. In Group N. James O'Sullivan led the similar Mitsubishi of Willie Fannin by a mere two seconds with Eoin Doyle (Subaru) third in the showroom category.

Continuing to dominate, Donnelly pressed hard although he wasn't taking any chances, he led by a minute at the final service. McNulty opined that he was "reasonably happy" and just wanted to secure second. Barrable was within seven seconds of that second place as he regained some of his early season confidence. Maurice Gass lost time when the cable device snapped and he couldn't select reverse gear at one junction and had to rely on the spectators to get him out of trouble. He was fourth in a top six that included Ollie O'Donovan and Liam McCarthy. The former continued to have water injection problems in his Subaru that was down on power. Having fixed the anti roll bar, Liam McCarthy's Toyota Corolla WRC was handling much better. The BMW M3 of Denis Cronin occupied seventh from the Escort Cosworth of Sean Gallagher that blew a turbo. Nigel Hicklin crashed out on S.S. 6 near the location that brought about the demise of David Armstrong. Garry Jennings dropped outside the top ten when his Peugeot 106 jammed in fourth gear in the fifth and sixth stages - he eventually finished sixteenth overall.

On the final two stages, the only major change came when Barrable edged out McNulty for second place by some two seconds, the latter had an off road excursion on the penultimate stage. The remaining places in the top eight were unaltered with David McNulty (Escort Cosworth) finishing ninth and Class 13 winner, Aidan Walsh, driving a Mk., 2 Ford Escort claiming the final place in the top ten.

In Group N, Willie Fannin (Mitsubishi) claimed victory by the narrowest of margins ahead of the similar car of James O'Sullivan. Derek Jobb, also in a Mitsubishi, was third in the showroom category. Donnelly's win was his third in the current Dunlop National Rally Championship - adding to his previous victories in Mayo and Cavan. Barrable, winner in Monaghan and Carlow leads the Dunlop National Rally Championship at the half way mark by twelve points.

Non starters included Niall Maguire, Peadar Hurson, Patrick Elliott and J.J. Fleming.

 1 Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.11.06
 2 Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.12.11
 3 Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.12.13
 4 Maurice Gass/Ger McMonagle (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.13.47
 5 Ollie O'Donovan/David Moynihan (Subaru Impreza 555) 1.14.37
 6 Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Toyota Corolla WRC) 1.15.11
 7 Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (BMW M3) 1.15.35
 8 Sean Gallagher/Paul Nagle (Escort RS Cosworth) 1.16.29
 9 David McNulty/Martin McGarrity (Escort RS Cosworth) 1.17.44
10 Aidan Walsh/Frankie Sweeney (Escort 2.0) 1.18.15
11 Willie Fannin/Brian Duggan (Mit. Lancer EVO 6) 1.18.45
12 James O'Sullivan/Rebecca Walsh (Mit. Lancer EVO 6) 1.18.46
13 John Kearney/Sean Moriarty (Escort 2.0) 1.18.55
14 Sean Lyons/John Devine (Escort RWD) 1.19.15
15 Derrick Jobb/Killian Duffy (Mit. Lancer EVO 6) 1.19.48
16 Garry Jennings/Derek Brannigan (Peugoet 106) 1.20.07
17 Anthony O'Halloran/Timmy Horan (Opel Manta 2.0) 1.20.22
18 Dan Mulcahy/Con Mulcahy (Escort RS Cosworth) 1.20.24
19 Andrew Purcell/Adrian Deasy (Honda Civic) 1.20.41
20 Mark Courtney/Michael Courtney (Mit. Lancer EVO 7) 1.20.52

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