Home James - and spare the horses!
Fethard Rally Report 18
Saturday, June 15 2002 - 6:20pm
John Dier and Will Downing - Fethard
The Gorey driver eventually had a 23 second margin to spare over his closest challenger of the day - Tipperary's David Percy. James, partnered by trusted sidekick Ron Guha, produced the two fastest times of the day - both 9'06" - on stages one and two, with Percy racing through in 9'07" to claim the fastest mark of Stage 3. But not even a sub nine-minute time would have produced the goods for him. In truth, James had his foot firmly off the pedal in the final stage - that's what you call experience. Three times he's missed out on titles in recent years - all as a result of going hell for leather in the final stage while on the search for silverware. This time, he got it right. John Nolan of Carlow finished third, just three seconds down on Percy, having moved up to second place heading into the penultimate stage following Liam Wall's blown engine. Wexfordian Wall as the only driver able to live with James on the first outing, and trailed the Goreyman by 13 seconds going into the second traversal - but then disaster struck. The top three were head and shoulders ahead of the rest. Enda O'Brien trailed in fourth, 54 seconds behind Nolan, with a time of 28'49". James' winning time was 27'29". To complete the Escort rout - the top five places comprising exclusively of Ford's most popular model - Waterford-based Wexfordian Eamonn Murphy grabbed fifth. The first non-Escorts were Tomás O'Rourke's Opel Astra in sixth and Mark Kennedy's seventh-placed Opel Corsa. But the day belongs to the James-Guha partnership - didn't they do well!
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FULL FINAL LEADERBOARD - Provisional Pos Seed Crew Car Class SS1 SS2 SS3 StgMax RdPens Total 001 1 David James / Ro Ford Escort 2000 13 09:06 09:06 09:17 00:00 00:00 00:27:29 002 4 David Percy / Bo Ford Escort 2000 07 09:23 09:22 09:07 00:00 00:00 00:27:52 003 2 John Nolan / Joh Ford Escort 2000 13 09:24 09:17 09:14 00:00 00:00 00:27:55 004 21 Enda O' Brien / Ford Escort 1600 11 09:42 09:35 09:32 00:00 00:00 00:28:49 005 7 Eamon Murphy / K Ford Escort 2000 12 09:38 09:48 09:26 00:00 00:00 00:28:52 006 9 Tomas O'Rourke / Opel Astra 1993 03 09:48 09:37 09:35 00:00 00:00 00:29:00 007 11 Mark Kennedy / D Opel Corsa 1600 11 09:45 09:37 09:40 00:00 00:00 00:29:02 008 44 Joe Redmond / Ia Peugeot 306 1998 03 09:49 09:48 09:37 00:00 00:00 00:29:14 009 19 David Cullen / J Peugeot 306 1998 13 09:54 09:46 09:36 00:00 00:00 00:29:16 010 6 John Hennessy / Ford Escort 1997 12 09:48 09:42 09:46 00:00 00:00 00:29:16 011 42 Seamus Doyle / T Sunbeam 13 09:33 09:59 09:56 00:00 00:00 00:29:28 012 26 Fintan Canty / D Ford Escort 1600 10 09:56 09:52 09:42 00:00 00:00 00:29:30 013 43 Billy Coogan / B Honda Civic 1596 06 09:58 09:50 09:52 00:00 00:00 00:29:40 014 22 Larry Brady / An Talbot Sunbeam 1 13 10:05 09:52 09:49 00:00 00:00 00:29:46 015 23 Tim O' Donovan / Toyota Corolla 1 11 10:21 09:55 09:42 00:00 00:00 00:29:58 016 35 John Redmond / J Escort 2000 12 09:59 10:02 09:57 00:00 00:00 00:29:58 017 17 Eugene Fitzpatri Ford Escort 2000 13 10:07 10:02 09:58 00:00 00:00 00:30:07 018 30 David Whitty / R Ford Escort 2000 13 09:59 10:04 10:07 00:00 00:00 00:30:10 019 49 Wesley Daly / Li Ford Escort 1600 11 09:36 10:25 10:18 00:00 00:00 00:30:19 020 87 John Kehoe / Pet Ford Escort 1600 10 10:09 10:18 09:53 00:00 00:00 00:30:20 021 148 Rafter John / St Escort 11 10:16 10:10 09:55 00:00 00:00 00:30:21 022 24 David Parle / Pa Honda Civic 1600 02 10:09 10:01 10:15 00:00 00:00 00:30:25 023 47 Connie Delaney / Ford Escort 1600 11 10:12 10:14 10:01 00:00 00:00 00:30:27 024 66 Tony Mulcahy / M Corolla 11 10:06 10:17 10:23 00:00 00:00 00:30:46 025 29 John Murphy / Ma Ford Escort 2000 13 10:28 10:05 10:21 00:00 00:00 00:30:54 026 62 Kevin Dalton / R Vauxhall Nova 16 10 10:27 10:20 10:11 00:00 00:00 00:30:58 027 118 Niall Whelan / D Sunbeam 1600 10 10:27 10:27 10:13 00:00 00:00 00:31:07 028 34 Michael Hickey / Ford Escort 1600 11 10:23 10:10 10:34 00:00 00:00 00:31:07 029 67 James Kelly / Pa Peugeot 309 1998 13 10:44 10:20 10:09 00:00 00:00 00:31:13 030 38 Andrew Purcell / Toyota Corolla 1 11 10:58 10:25 09:55 00:00 00:00 00:31:18 031 65 Nigel Molloy / T Ford Escort 1600 10 10:25 10:23 10:33 00:00 00:00 00:31:21 032 59 Willie Kehoe / O Ford Escort 1600 11 10:53 10:20 10:16 00:00 00:00 00:31:29 033 51 Doni Keating Jnr VW Polo 1398 02 10:29 10:31 10:34 00:00 00:00 00:31:34 034 45 John Foley Jnr / Peugeot 205 10 10:44 10:37 10:30 00:00 00:00 00:31:51 035 100 James Glynn / Ge Corsa 1600 11 10:40 10:44 10:29 00:00 00:00 00:31:53 036 37 Eugene French / Ford Fiesta 1300 09 10:37 10:41 10:38 00:00 00:00 00:31:56 037 127 John Mernagh / F Ford Escort 1600 10 10:32 10:43 10:45 00:00 00:00 00:32:00 038 20 Shay White / Bea Toyota Starlet 1 10 11:57 10:11 09:55 00:00 00:00 00:32:03 039 70 Eddie Power / Ro Corolla 1600 11 10:44 10:47 10:32 00:00 00:00 00:32:03 040 136 Des Mckenna / Co Corolla 11 10:49 10:45 10:31 00:00 00:00 00:32:05 041 72 Shay Byrne / Joh Talbot Sunbeam 1 10 10:48 10:40 10:43 00:00 00:00 00:32:11 042 64 John O' Donnell Suzuki 1300 09 10:42 10:43 10:47 00:00 00:00 00:32:12 043 69 Tom Kenneally / Peugeot 205 2000 12 10:51 10:44 10:47 00:00 00:00 00:32:22 044 135 Sean McCogue / M Ford Escort 1600 10 10:45 10:55 10:53 00:00 00:00 00:32:33 045 80 Paul Dempsey / T Talbot Sunbeam 1 10 11:02 10:57 10:42 00:00 00:00 00:32:41 046 75 Ray Martin / Mar Suzuki Swift 130 01 10:57 10:53 10:52 00:00 00:00 00:32:42 047 134 Craig MacWilliam Ford Escort 1600 10 10:53 11:08 10:42 00:00 00:00 00:32:43 048 76 Martin Sheehan / Starlet 1300 09 10:43 11:12 10:48 00:00 00:00 00:32:43 049 115 William Fitzpatr Austin Mini 1380 09 10:55 11:01 10:52 00:00 00:00 00:32:48 050 108 Niall Fortune / Peugeot 309 1600 10 10:55 10:56 10:58 00:00 00:00 00:32:49 051 116 Niall McNamara / Mitsubishi Colt 11 10:47 11:12 10:52 00:00 00:00 00:32:51 052 99 Frank Twomey / D Suzuki Swift 129 01 11:04 11:04 10:47 00:00 00:00 00:32:55 053 77 Kevin O'Donohoe Suzuki Swift 130 09 11:03 11:02 11:03 00:00 00:00 00:33:08 054 73 Patrick Culleton Morris Mini 1300 09 11:00 11:21 10:50 00:00 00:00 00:33:11 055 110 Michael Whelan / Astra 1300 09 10:56 11:13 11:02 00:00 00:00 00:33:11 056 82 Michael Halley / Vauxhall Corsa 1 10 10:43 12:02 10:28 00:00 00:00 00:33:13 057 117 Gerard Barry / I Peugeot 205 1580 10 11:12 11:04 10:58 00:00 00:00 00:33:14 058 58 Padraig Neville Peugeot 205 1580 10 11:21 11:08 10:52 00:00 00:00 00:33:21 059 78 Donie O' Dowd / Sunbeam 1600 10 11:00 11:31 10:57 00:00 00:00 00:33:28 060 106 Stephon O' Conno Corolla 1600 11 10:52 11:56 10:41 00:00 00:00 00:33:29 061 121 Peter Redmond / Suzuki Swift 129 01 10:53 11:10 11:29 00:00 00:00 00:33:32 062 68 Keith Power / Fe Corolla 1600 11 11:19 11:17 11:02 00:00 00:00 00:33:38 063 90 Mark Halligan / Opel Corsa 1389 09 11:16 11:20 11:12 00:00 00:00 00:33:48 064 86 Colm Kehoe / Sim Peugeot 205 1600 10 11:26 11:12 11:17 00:00 00:00 00:33:55 065 98 John Ellison / L Toyota Celica 20 15 11:26 11:29 11:17 00:00 00:00 00:34:12 066 144 Fergal O'Connell Celica 10 12:05 11:34 11:29 00:00 00:00 00:35:08 067 113 Martin Kinsella Suzuki Swift 130 01 11:35 11:57 11:44 00:00 00:00 00:35:16 068 95 James B Ryan / L Honda Civic 1595 11 11:00 10:59 13:18 00:00 00:00 00:35:17 069 84 Jimmy Kehoe / JP Mazda 323 1600 06 11:07 11:14 10:58 00:00 02:00 00:35:19 070 107 Liam O' Neill / Ford Escort 1595 10 11:42 11:57 11:42 00:00 00:00 00:35:21 071 102 Colin Kelly / Jo Toyota Corolla 1 11 11:23 11:27 12:42 00:00 00:00 00:35:32 072 103 Pat Caulfield / Toyota Corolla 1 11 12:06 11:57 11:31 00:00 00:00 00:35:34 073 147 James Fogarty / Metro 11 11:52 11:48 12:01 00:00 00:00 00:35:41 074 94 Colum Kelleher / Ford Escort 1600 10 11:55 12:02 11:48 00:00 00:00 00:35:45 075 145 Stephen Brennan Skoda Favourite 12 12:53 11:40 11:27 00:00 00:00 00:36:00 076 137 Bernard Bradley Suzuki Swift 130 05 11:57 11:27 12:52 00:00 00:00 00:36:16 077 32 Sean Ryan / Jim Ford Escort 1905 13 10:20 09:59 16:10 00:00 00:00 00:36:29 078 120 John Bagge / Ala Sunbeam 1600 10 12:15 12:04 12:20 00:00 00:00 00:36:39 079 122 Larry Delaney / Ford Escort 1600 11 12:21 12:41 12:04 00:00 00:00 00:37:06 080 146 O'Shaughnessy Te Corolla 11 09:52 18:54 09:33 00:00 00:00 00:38:19 081 119 J.J. Furlong / R Talbot Sunbeam 1 09 14:23 12:11 12:00 00:00 00:00 00:38:34 082 132 Gerard McCarthy Ford Escort 1300 09 12:57 13:05 12:45 00:00 00:00 00:38:47 083 104 Dolores Behan / Opel Corsa 1300 09 12:33 13:11 13:06 00:00 00:00 00:38:50 084 40 Ciaran Cloke / B Peugeot 205 10 10:53 19:41 11:00 00:00 00:00 00:41:34 085 123 Kieran Delaney / Ford Escort 1590 11 14:33 17:14 12:28 00:00 00:00 00:44:15 086 89 Willie Sinnott / Peugeot 205 1580 10 22:00M 11:54 11:58 00:45 00:00 00:46:37 087 129 Alan Mackey / Ke Nova 1400 09 10:39 22:00M 10:22 247:0 00:00 04:50:01 Non Finishers Pos Seed Crew Car Class SS1 SS2 SS3 StgMax RdPens Total 001 114 Denis Lambert / Fiat Uno 1300 01 0 22:00M 10:22 247:0 00:00 0 002 3 Liam Wall / Thom Ford Escort 1993 13 09:21 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 003 28 Willie Whitty / Ford Escort 1600 11 09:56 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 004 5 Trevor Culbert / Ford Escort 2000 13 09:57 09:31 0 247:0 00:00 0 005 57 Paul Cullen / Ma Opel Corsa 1588 10 10:10 10:12 0 247:0 00:00 0 006 61 Eamon Power / Ad Peugeot 205 1600 10 10:16 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 007 27 Lar Murphy / Joh Ford Escort 2000 13 10:23 10:08 0 247:0 00:00 0 008 39 Nicholas Cahill Vauxhall Astra 2 03 10:25 10:25 0 247:0 00:00 0 009 53 David Briody / J Ford Escort 2000 12 10:32 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 010 50 Andrew Fanning / Ford Puma 1650 15 10:37 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 011 96 Damian Morris / Honda Civic 1596 11 10:56 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 012 85 Thomas Kehoe / J Talbot Sunbeam 1 10 11:04 11:06 0 247:0 00:00 0 013 142 Con Mc Carthy / Corsa 09 11:10 11:07 0 247:0 00:00 0 014 97 David Condell / Ford Escort 1600 10 11:13 11:03 0 247:0 00:00 0 015 54 David Power / Ra Starlet 1600 10 11:15 10:58 0 247:0 00:00 0 016 81 Joey Leacy / Mar Toyota Starlet 1 09 11:24 11:22 0 247:0 00:00 0 017 74 Justin Morgan / VW Golf 1600 10 12:21 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 018 105 Clement Bell / G Sunbeam 1600 10 12:37 13:02 0 247:0 00:00 0 019 71 Alan Boggan / Br Mini 1380 09 13:24 0 0 247:0 00:00 0 020 12 James M StafFord Vauxhall Nova 13 09 22:00M 10:04 0 247:0 00:00 0