Local driver Owen Murphy was the unfortunate runner-up and he chased Reid’s WRC car hard in his Evo 9. His times, which included two fastest, were very competitive all day.
Championship leader Pat O’Connell was third, just 4.1 seconds behind Murphy. The Tipp man was at the wheel of his Evo 9, and he led the rally for the first three tests. However, Reid passed him on stage four and then Murphy took over second place with a great time on stage seven. O’Connell admits he was flat out all day, but the championship was also a priority for the Cashel driver and he landed nineteen valuable points in his quest for his inaugural forest championship. One point on the final round will be sufficient for O’Connell to realize his dream.
Ian Cochrane was best of the rest in fourth place, the Subaru man just ahead of the warring Mk2’s of Adrian Hethrington and Frank Kelly. Hethrington had the upper-hand all day and he beat Kelly by 17.8 seconds to finish fifth and top two wheel drive.
Based in Mallow for the first time, the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally was an eight stage affair. The compact route included all the North Cork classic tests which were in pristine condition. There were four morning stages in the Banteer area followed by another four in the Ballyhoura mountains for the afternoon. Paul Casey was Clerk of the Course for the first time, and with the help of his volunteers he ran a very successful show.
Sixty seven crews started the rally with seventeen non finishing. Principal retirements were John Quill (gearbox SS1), James Coleman gearbox (SS5) and Sarah Moynihan (off SS8).
The final round of the 2010 Petro Systems National Forest Rally Championship is hosted by the Rathfriland MC and based in Castlewellan Co Down on October 23rd.
