Game on, McHale takes 8sec back from Boland.

Lacken, New Ross

John Dier

Saturday 8th September, 14.25hrs

The hot day is giving us some very hot rallying, this can be seen as Gareth McHale has halved the deficit between himself and Eamon Boland. We look to be seeing the start of the mother of all battles. Melvyn Evans has gone out on this loop of stages due to mechanical problems, broken drive shaft, maybe being pushed too hard by a charging PJ McGrath!!! The local look to the top 10 is increasing with Evans demise with threeof the top four places held by Wexford drivers and with Kilkenny man Eoin Doyle going well, there is a distinct south-east look to the top 10. The fast pace and blisteringly hot weather look to be giving the rally a high attrition rate, local followers wondering where Shay Byrne has gone to, off on SS2 is the answer to that one. Gordon Rodgers, in car 31, also bit the dust on this loop, the car and the road saying adios to each other!! Nothing hurt except pride in that one. Trevor harding seems not to be showing a time so far for this loop, so there may be some change in the top ten below.

The top 10 for the Riverbank House Hotel Dick Bailey Stages Rally 2007 after SS4

1 Eamonn Boland  Francis Regan  Ford Focus  8       0:30:52        
2 Gareth Machale  Paul Nagle  Ford Focus WRC  8     0:31:01  0:00:09  0:00:09  
3 PJ McGrath  Killian Duffy  Subaru S9 WRC  8       0:31:36  0:00:35  0:00:44  
4 Noel Redmond  Andrew Purcell  Subaru WRC  8       0:32:29  0:00:53  0:01:37  
5 Phil Collins  Derek Branigan  Escort MkII  14     0:32:49  0:00:20  0:01:57  
6 Eoin Doyle  Paul Walsh  Subaru Impreza  8         0:33:01  0:00:12  0:02:09  
7 Neil Willams  Eurig Davies  Escort  13            0:33:23  0:00:22  0:02:31  
8 Liam Wall  Dennis O'Mahony  Escort MkII  13       0:33:55  0:00:32  0:03:03  
9 Willie Whitty  Johnny Whitty  Escort MkII  13     0:34:05  0:00:10  0:03:13  
10 Mark Nangle  Nollaig Breen  Impreza N12  4       0:34:07  0:00:02  0:03:15

JD