1 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN 71m 35s
2 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC) 72m 56s
3 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC) 73m 43s
4 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) 74m 25s
5 Garry Jennings/Damien Connolly (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN 75m 15s
6 Kevin Kelleher/Adrian Deasy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN 76m 52s
7 Eamonn Daly/Alistair Wyllie (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN 77m 15s
8 John Somers/John McGrath (Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD) 77m 30s
9 Martin McCormack/Dai Roberts (Citroen C2R2 Max) 78m 26s
10 James Travers/Robert Nolan (Renault Clio) 78m 47s

Leaders After:
SS1-9 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN

Stage Winners:
SS1 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS2 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Patrick Elliott/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
& Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS4 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS5 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS6 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS7 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS8 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN
SS9 Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) GpN

FORMER Dunlop National Rally champion, Niall Maguire (Subaru WRC) took an important victory on the Woodland's House Hotel Circuit of Munster Dunlop National Rally Championship, the fourth round of the national series. He won the nine-stage event by a one minute and ten second margin - finishing ahead of Kevin Barrett. Eamonn Daly (Mitsubishi) was a further three minutes and 37 seconds behind in third. Maguire battled hard with pre-event series leader, Patrick Elliott throughout most of the day and had reduced Elliott's one time advantage of twelve seconds to five seconds entering the final stage. Elliott crashed out leaving Maguire take his first victory of the season and move into the lead of the Dunlop series - 14 points ahead Elliott.

Just a single second separated Elliott and Maguire following the completion of the opening stage, Sugar Hill. Both drivers indicated a slight unease - Elliott stalled at a hairpin and lost a few seconds while Maguire reckoned the brakes of his Subaru were fading towards the stage end. Meanwhile, Kevin Barrett was just four seconds behind Maguire with top Group N driver, Kevin Kelleher setting a time of seven minutes even, to slot into fourth overall - 17 seconds off top spot. Sean Gallagher (Subaru WRC), out for the first time in a round of the Dunlop series in some twelve months, was fifth.

They were the only cars from the top ten to complete the test as Anthony O'Halloran crashed his Mitsubishi, neither himself or co-driver, Charlie McEnery were hurt. Unfortunately, although damage to the car was minimal, they couldn't re-start their Mitsubishi. Out on the second test, Elliott took ten seconds out of Maguire, who was subsequently quickest through S.S. 3 to leave ten seconds between them at the first service halt. Elliott reported another stall, this time on stage three while Maguire had a similar experience on the second stage. Barrett remained in third and while Gallagher finished the stage in fourth place, he failed to make it to the service halt when the engine expired.

Garry Jennings took up the role of Group N leader but reckoned his Mitsubishi lacked power on the uphill sections of the stages. Meanwhile, his nemesis, Kevin Kelleher was six seconds behind in sixth with some slight brake problems.

Mike Quinn (Escort) in seventh spot was the top two-wheel drive contender, he too suffered some brake maladies. Eamonn Daly in a Mitsubishi, was eighth in a top ten that also included Trevor Bustard (Mitsubishi) and late entry, Michael Curran (Ford Escort). Gary Reidy crashed on the third stage, the incident also led to the retirement of Barry Meade, who had to ditch his Escort to avoid Reidy's stricken car.

Despite a lurid overshoot, Maguire trimmed Elliott's lead to six seconds on the fourth stage where Barrett was quickest of all. Elliott gained a similar margin back on stage five as Maguire posted a very strong time on the sixth test to leave him trailing Elliott by eleven seconds at the final service halt. Elliott remarked that he wasn't using the launch control as it led to the car stalling. Maguire also stalled on the fifth stage.

Group N leader, Kelleher stated that his Mitsubishi was much improved following the insertion of new brakes. Jennings lost time on the fifth stage when mud filled the hub of his Mitsubishi, he also lost the lead in Group N with Kelleher moving eleven seconds in front of the Fermanagh ace. Eamonn Daly (Mitsubishi)_ damaged the clutch on the fifth stage, however, he was third in the showroom category. Seventh placed, Trevor Bustard (Mitsubishi) had no explanation for his time on Stage 6 as he reckoned he should have reaped greater rewards for his efforts.

The top ten also included Eddie Power (Toyota Corolla WRC), Michael Curran (Ford escort) and Patterson's RallyNews Award pre-event leader, Thomas Fitzmaurice, who lost time with driveshaft problems. Elsewhere, Sean Flanagan, in the hired Mitsubishi, retired when he beac

1 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC) 79m 00s,
2 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) 80m 10s,
3 Eamonn Daly/Anthony O’Conaill (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 83m 47s,
4 Michael Curran/Alan Whyte (Ford Escort Mk II) 85m 10s,
5 Garry Jennings/David Moynihan (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 85m 26s,
6 Eddie Power/Jonathan McGrath (Toyota Corolla WRC) 85m 50s,
7 Thomas Fitzmaurice/Fionn Foley (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 86m 03s,
8 Paul Elliott/Brian Doherty (Mit. Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 86m 17s,
9 Ed Synan/Denis O’Connell (Ford Escort Mk II) 86m 17s,
10 Paul McEnroe/Andy Donoghue (Subaru Impreza N14 Gp N) 88m 03s.

JUNIOR RALLY:
1 Jonathan Cunningham/Patrick Cunningham (Civic) 51m 23s,
2 Patrick Kelly/Derek Flynn (Civic) 53m 56s,
3 Kevin O’Connor/Alan Naughton (Peugeot 205) 55m 11s.

Leaders: SS1-8 Patrick Elliot/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS9 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC)

Stage Winners:
SS1 Patrick Elliot/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS2 Patrick Elliot/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS3 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS4 Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) 80m 10s,
SS5 Patrick Elliot/Paul Goodman (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS6 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC)
SS7 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC)
Kevin Barrett/Sean Mullally (Subaru Impreza WRC) 80m 10s,
SS9 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Subaru Impreza WRC)