Barrable leads but McKinstry is close

The Subaru WRC’s of Kenny McKinstry and Michael Barrable are dominating the early stages in the

Quality Hotels West Cork Rally in Clonakilty.

McKinstry was the quickest driver through the opening classic stage of Ring, along Clonakilty Bay.

However,Barrable was with a fraction of a second and over the next few stages, they traded fastest times to leave McKinstry with a 1.1 second lead after the opening loop.

However, Barrable has taken the lead after S.S. 5, the repeat of Ring, but it is all very close as the

Dubliner is a mere second ahead.

Melvyn Evans, who won here last year, is in third - some 15.8 seconds behind McKinstry.

However, the Welsh driver has to watch his place as Eamonn Boland, who was fastest on the fifth stage, is now only 0.6 seconds in arrears.

Local ace, Liam McCarthy (Toyota Corolla WRC) is sixth from Maurice Gass (Subaru WRC).

The top ten is completed by David Armstrong (Escort WRC), Donal O’Donovan (Toyota Celica), Phil Collins (Escort) and Denis Cronin (BMW M3).

1. M. Barrable (Subaru WRC)n 36m. 55.7s.

2. K. McKinstry (Subaru WRC) 36m. 56.7s.

3. M. Evans (Subaru WRC) 37m. 12.5s.

4. E. Boland (Subaru WRC) 37m. 13.1s.

5. L. McCarthy (Toyota Corolla WRC) 37m. 16.9s.

6. M. Gass (Subaru WRC) 37m. 53.9s.

7. D. Armstrong (Escort WRC) 37m. 57.2s.

8. D. O’Donovan (Toyota Celica) 38m. 12.8s.

9. P. Collins (Escort) 38m. 21.0s.

10. D. Cronin (BMW M3) 38m. 31.1s.