Limerick’s Colm Murphy in his Group N Subaru, co-driven by Cork’s Don Montgomery, has won the Adare based Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel Circuit of Munster Rally - round five of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.
They finished 11 seconds ahead of the Subaru WRC of Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan. Roy White and James O'Brien (MG S2000) were a further 49 seconds seconds behind in third.
Donegal’s Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Ford Escort) were the top Modified crew. They finished fifth overall.
On the opening stage local ace Murphy (Subaru) revelled in the wet conditions and opened up a lead of nine seconds over Subaru WRC debutant Kevin Kelleher with the MG S2000 of Roy White a further five seconds behind in third.
Ed O’Callaghan was fourth, three seconds further adrift, with Tommy Doyle (Mitsubishi EvoIX) and Donagh Kelly (Subaru WRC) completing the top six, the latter spun and stalled at one junction and also had an altercation with the scenery that damaged the back right wing of his Subaru.
Murphy was also quickest through the second stage while the final stage of the loop was cancelled due to timing issues.
At the Newcastle West service halt the leader Murphy was untroubled. Kelly, who was 16 seconds behind, was happy enough with his performance through the second test.
White, in equal third with Kelleher, eight seconds further back, admitted he was not totally committed and wasn’t taking any risks.
Kelleher was troubled by a sticking wiper blade that led to poor vision.
O’Callaghan, who was fifth, hit a wall on the second stage as he tried to avoid having to overshoot a junction.
Tommy Doyle (Mitsubishi) dropped one place to sixth with Declan Boyle (Ford Escort) and like so many others remarked on the slippery nature of the stages.
The final places in the top ten were annexed by Frank Kelly, Josh Moffett and Mike Quinn.
Kelly remarked that visibility was a huge problem on both stages as his windscreen misted over. Moffett’s co-driver Domhnall Lennon felt unwell and they later withdrew.
Elsewhere, John McQuaid (Ford Escort) lost time when he encountered Alan O’Callaghan’s Subaru and was unable to pass for some six kilometres.
Tom Flaherty (Ford Escort) had no intercom and also had troubles with his power steering.
James Coleman retired his Escort with electrical problems on the first stage. The problem was later traced to a faulty fuse holder for the ECU.
Murphy extended his lead on the fourth stage. The Limerick driver moved 31 seconds ahead of Donagh Kelly with White just two seconds behind in third.
Kelleher’s rally ended on SS 5 when he spun and temporarily blocked the stage.
Kelly, Murphy and White and several other drivers received a scratch time for the stage as they had to assist the Cork driver by pushing his car into a safe location to allow the rally to continue.
Murphy was also quickest through stage 6 and arrived at the final service halt with a 34-second lead over Kelly.
Leader Murphy was very composed as his Subaru was untroubled.
Kelly meanwhile recalled a spin on the fourth stage at the exact location where he spun the first time. On SS 6 he stalled mid-stage and dropped time.
White – a further nine seconds in arrears – reckoned his car was handling much better after his service crew removed the anti-roll bar.
Fourth-placed O’Callaghan (Ford Escort) was still the top Modified competitor.
Tommy Doyle (Mitsubishi) was sixth followed by the Mk 2 Escort of Frank Kelly, who stated that his times were much better given that his windscreen wasn’t misting over.
The Escort trio of Mike Quinn, Tom Flaherty and Jonathan Pringle completed the top ten. Pringle recalled a major overshoot on the sixth stage.
Although Donagh Kelly was fastest on the final pair of stages, Murphy had done enough to secure his first ever outright victory in a round of the Dunlop series.
Kelly finished eleven seconds behind with White (MG S2000) completing the top three.
Tommy Doyle (Mitsubishi) came home in fourth and Declan Boyle pushed hard on the final stage to claim the Modified category. He was five seconds ahead of long-time category leader Ed O’Callaghan.
The quartet of Escorts driven by Mike Quinn, Tom Flaherty, Jonathan Pringle and Frank Kelly completed the top ten.
The latter lost over four minutes when he had to stop and change a punctured wheel on the seventh stage.
The Dunlop Drive of the Day award was won by Willie Cavanagh/Olivia Coen (Ford Escort).
Circuit of Munster Rally results:
1 C. Murphy/D. Montgomery (Subaru N12) 1h. 20m. 16s.
2 D. Kelly/K. Flanagan (Subaru WRC) 1h. 20m. 27s.
3 R. White/J. O'Brien (MG S2000) 1h. 21m. 16s.
4 T. Doyle/L. Moynihan (Mitsubishi EvoIX) 1h. 21m. 47s.
5 D. Boyle/B. Boyle (Ford Escort) 1h. 21m. 58s.
6 E. O’Callaghan/G. Clancy (Ford Escort) 1h. 22m. 03s.
7 M. Quinn/G. McEnery (Ford Escort) 1h. 24m. 06s.
8 T. Flaherty/E. Hallinan (Ford Escort) 1h. 24m. 49s.
9 J. Pringle/M. Byrne (Ford Escort) 1h. 25m. 56s.
10 F. Kelly/L. Brennan (Ford Escort) 1h. 27m. 02s.
Dunlop National Rally Championship - positions after round 5:
1 T. Fitzmaurice 72pts.
2 N. Maguire 68pts.
3 B. O’Mahony 56pts.
4 F. Kelly 51pts.
5 D. Boyle 50pts.
6 C. Murphy 46pts.
7 R. White 44pts.
