Maguire heading for victory in Monaghan rally

Garnering 27 seconds from stages four, five and six, Niall Maguire and co-driver, Paul McLaughlin, in a Subaru WRC, now lead the Hillgrove Hotel Monaghan Rally, the second round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, by 41 seconds.

Fellow Monaghan driver, Adrian McElvaney is his closest rival but Maguire should be able to maintain his position on the final three stages.

The race is on for third with Cathal Arthurs, in a Hyundai Accent WRC, just six seconds ahead of Ray

Breen, who lost over ten seconds when he overshot a junction and slipped to fourth.

The Escort WRC of David Armstrong is fifth although his fight is being stymied by the lack of fifth gear.

Sean Gallagher (Escort Cosworth) is in sixth and Dessie Keenan is a comfortable leader of the Group N showroom category. That is because his main rival, Gabriel Martin, lost time with steering difficulties.

In the rear-wheel-drive category, Enda Keenan (Escort) has a one-second advantage over the Toyota Starlet of Maurice Moffett.

1. N. Maguire/P. McLaughlin (Subaru WRC) 50m. 35s.

2. A. McElvaney/P. Goodman (Subaru WRC) 51m. 16s.

3. C. Arthurs/J. Kelly (Hyundai) 51m. 37s.

4. R. Breen/A. Purcell (Subaru WRC) 51m. 43s.

5. D. Armstrong/C. Kelly (Escort WRC) 52m. 32s.

6. S. Gallagher/F. Kenny (Escort Cosworth) 52m. 41s.

7. D. Keenan/F. McShane (Mitsubishi) 52m. 58s.

8. D. McNulty/K. Kilcoyne (escort Cosworth) 53m. 26s.

9. K. Barrett/B. Goodman (Subaru WRC) 53m. 31s.

10. E. Keenan/S. Moriarty (Escort) 53m. 37s.

In the Celtic Ross Hotel Single Stage Rally in West Cork, Millstreet’s Tom Murphy (Escort) has a two-second lead over the Escort of Dungarvan’s, Tommy Kiely with John Somers (Darrian) some nine seconds adrift in third. Willie Power, also in a Darrian is fourth.