MacHale leads Cork "20" International Rally

Gareth MacHale, driving a Ford Focus WRC, dominated today's nine stages of the opening leg of the Cork "20" International Rally, the final and deciding round of the Irish Tarmac Championship.

Overnight he leads his championship rival Eugene Donnelly (Skoda Fabia) by 36 seconds.

Denis Cronin (Subaru WRC) is almost three minutes adrift in third.

Alastair Fisher (Mitsubishi) leads Group N.

MacHale, who must win the rally to win the championship and then hope that Donnelly is outside the top six registered competitors, set a cracking pace on the opening stage.

In fact, he beat the bogey time and had to be content with a 5.3 second lead over the Subaru of late entry, Darren Gass with Donnelly seven seconds further behind in third.

Gass retired when an oil pipe came adrift and led to a small fire onboard the Subaru.

MacHale arrived at the service halt at Cork Marts with a 22.9 second lead over Donnelly while Alastair Fisher, in a Group N Mitsubishi, was third - 45.2 seconds further behind.

He was followed by Denis Cronin, Liam McCarthy (Toyota Corolla WRC) and Daragh O'Riordan (Renault Clio S1600).

On the second loop, MacHale's car had no launch control. Nevertheless, he managed to extend his advantage to 29.8 seconds.

Cronin, on his first rally in some six months, moved into third.

Fisher held fourth and led the Group N category.

McCarthy retired his Toyota on Stage 5.

The top six was completed by O'Riordan and Owen Murphy, who lost time with a damaged turbo pipe.

Just like they did on Stage 4, MacHale and Donnelly broke the bogey time on Stage 7.

MacHale ended the leg with two more fastest times to lead at the overnight halt.

1. Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 1h. 09m. 52.1s.

2. Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Skoda Fabia WRC) 1h. 10m. 28.1s.

3. Denis Cronin/Colman Hurley (Subaru WRC) 1h. 13m. 19.2s.

4. Alastair Fisher/Barry McNulty (Mitsubishi Evo 9) 1h. 13m. 38.9s.

5. Darragh O'Riordan/Tony McDaid (Renault Clio S1600) 1h. 14m. 30.3s.

6. Owen Murphy/James O'Brien (Mitsubishi Evo 9) 1h. 16m. 53.1s.

7. Jer O'Donovan/Sean Hayde (Subaru Impreza N12B) 1h. 16m. 56.7s.

8. Anthony Neville/Brian Sinnott (Subaru Impreza) 1h. 18m. 22.7s.

9. John Buttimer/Declan Buttimer (Subaru Impreza) 1h. 19m. 04.7s.

10. Eugene Meegan/Sorcha Kelly (Honda Civic) 1h. 19m. 31.2s.

In the Modified category, Welsh ace Phil Collins (Escort) leads local driver Barry Meade (Escort) by 7.4 seconds.

1. P. Collins/D. Brannigan (Escort) 1h. 13m. 43.9s.

2. B. Meade.J. Hickey (Escort) 1h. 13m. 51.3s.

3. W. James/A. O'Connaill (Darrian) 1h. 14m. 31.4s.