Maguire/McLaughlin win close Munster rally
In a closely fought encounter, Niall Maguire/Paul McLaughlin won the Adare based Circuit of Munster Rally, the fourth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.
At the end of the day’s eight stages, they were 6.29 seconds ahead of Subaru WRC of Jim Harrison/Harvey Bell with early leaders, Patrick Elliott/David Moynihan completing a Subaru 1-2-3, some 30 seconds behind.
The Group N category was won by the local Limerick crew of Colm Murphy/Ger Loughrey (Subaru).
On the penultimate stage, Harrison eclipsed Fleming and moved into second – trailing Maguire by some nine seconds and 3.6 seconds ahead of Fleming.
Another change to the top of the leader board came when Arthurs reeled in Elliott for fourth.
Arthurs and Cronin completed the top six. On the final stage, Maguire did just enough to take victory with Harrison clipping some 3.4 seconds off the deficit to leave Maguire’s margin of victory at 5.1 seconds.
Elliott posted a stunning time and took a deserved third with Cronin fourth from Armstrong and Cathal Arthurs, who lost considerable time on the final stage where JJ Fleming’s fine drive ended in retirement.
In Group N, Colm Murphy took a comfortable victory while James O’Sullivan annexed the top points in the showroom category.
1. N. Maguire/P. McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) 55m. 30.59s.
2. J. Harrison/H. Bell (Subaru WRC) 55m. 36.88s.
3. P. Elliott/D. Moynihan (Subaru WRC) 56m. 08.69s.
4. D. Cronin/H. O’Sullivan (Toyota Celica) 56m. 34.74s.
5. D. Armstrong/B. Kelly (Subaru WRC) 56m. 40.09s.
6. C. Arthurs/J. Kelly (Hyundai Accent WRC) 56m. 49.13s.
7. S. Gallagher/P. Nagle (Subaru WRC)57m. 14.64s.
8. G. Tracey/K. Duffy (Peugeot 206) 57m. 38.24s.
9. C. Murphy/G. Loughrey (Subaru Gp. N) 57m. 42.77s.
10. K. Barrett/B. Goodman (Subaru WRC) 57m. 51.99s.
