McNULTY AND NESTOR TAKE ALL-WEATHER WIN IN KILLARNEY

Killarney Ireland, April 30th 2006.

Having captured the lead on the third of the event's seventeen special stages, Tim McNulty and Anthony Nestor have won the 2006 Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes in their Subaru Impreza WRC S11. They claimed their first Killarney victory in fine style, setting the pace in the sunshine of Saturday and exerting caution amidst the heavy rain on Sunday. Their eventual winning margin was 42.4 seconds over the second placed finishers, Eugene Donnelly and Paul Kiely, who retain the lead of the 2006 Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship.

The Toyota Corolla WRC crew of Donnelly and Kiely, who have dominated the top level of Irish rallying so far this year, were off their usual pace during the early stages of the event, but later upped the ante, and battled hard with with third placed finishers, Derek McGarrity and Dermot O'Gorman (Subaru Impreza WRC S11). McGarrity's cause was not aided when he developed a stomach bug on Saturday evening, or when he picked dry weather tyres for the Caragh Lake stage on Sunday, just as the heavens opened.

The initial leaders of the event were Killarney man, Donie O'Sullivan, and his Limerick-based co-driver, Sean Mullally. They set the fastest time on the opening stage, Molls Gap, and remained ahead over the next test, Gortnagane. However, they then damaged the clutch of their McKinstry Motorsport Subaru at the start of stage three, Rockchapel, and later retired on stage four, Breenagh River, when the Impreza's engine blew.

Gareth Jones and finished fourth, 14.2 seconds down on McGarrity. The young Welshman had been as high as second on Saturday, but then lost time with a brief off-road excursion. Nevertheless, fourth place was a very impressive result from Jones and his Mallow-based co-driver, David Moynihan.

Wexford's Eamonn Boland (partnered by Cushendall's Francis Regan) was expected to mount a challenge for overall victory, but his efforts were stymied on the first two stages of the event on Saturday morning when his Ford Focus developed a gearbox problem, dropping him outside of the top twenty. With the problem sorted in service at Millstreet, he fought back up the order, and eventually grabbed fifth place on the very last stage of the rally, finishing just four tenths of a second ahead of Stephen Murphy and Michael Morrissey, who spun their S11 Subaru on that last test.

Denis Cronin and Helen O'Sullivan were the highest placed Killarney & District Motor Club crew. They had to contend with rising temperatures in the engine of their Subaru during the event, and later picked up a puncture on the road section to the Beallaghbeama stage on Sunday afternoon, but overcame the dramas to finish seventh overall, mirroring their result on this event last year.

One place behind, in eighth, were Aaron MacHale and Craig Parry. It was McHale's first event in the Ford Focus WRC03 normally driven by his father, Austin, and Aaron used the car to good effect to record his best international finish.

Seamus Leonard and John McCafferty took first place in the Group N Production category, finishing ninth overall in their Mitsubishi Evo 9. Nigel Hicklin, who was co-driven by Killarney man Diarmuid Falvey, completed the top ten.

The highest placed Kerry crew were Alan Ring and Brian Duggan in a Subaru Impreza N12, who finished twelvth overall and took second in Group N.

In the National Rally of the Lakes, the Hereford-Monaghan pairing of Phil Collins and Enda Sherry led from start to finish in their Ford Escort RS. Mark Courtney/Paul Kelly (Dublin) in their Toyota Celica ST205 finished second, 32 seconds ahead of Lisburn's Wesley Patterson and his Welsh co-driver, Llinos Jones-Edwards, in another Escort RS.

Ray Cunningham and Richard Hyland won the Historic section in a Mini, with Killarney & District Motor Club members, Todd Falvey and Dan Barry, taking the honours in the Post-Historics in a Porsche 911.

The Kanturk crew of Barry Meade and Colin Fitzgerald won the Junior Rally of the Lakes for competitors under 27 years of age.

The 2006 Ordnance Survey Rally of the Lakes was also the second round of both the 023 Tiles Southern Four Rally Championship and the West Euro Cup. The Southern Four series is now jointly led by Wesley Patterson and Killarney driver, Kevin O'Donoghue, who finished fourth in the Group N category on this event. Denis Cronin's seventh place finish promotes him to third position in the Southern Four standings.

Flintshire's Guy Woodcock (Ford Escort Maxi) finished seventeenth overall, which, combined with his result on the Zuiderzee Rally in the Netherlands last month, sees him take a clear lead in the 2006 West Euro Cup.

The International Rally of the Lakes is organised and promoted by Killarney & District Motor Club, and supported by Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Gleneagle Hotel.

Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2006
Results
1: Tim McNulty/Anthony Nestor (Meath/Limerick) Subaru Impreza WRC S11; 2hrs 13mins 39.6secs
2: Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely (Maghera/Sligo) Toyota Corolla WRC; 2:14:22.0
3: Derek McGarrity/Dermot O'Gorman (Glengormley/Athlone) Subaru Impreza WRC S11; 2:15.21.7
4: Gareth Jones/David Moynihan (Wales/Mallow) Subaru Impreza WRC S10; 2:15.35.9
5: Eamonn Boland/Francis Regan (Wexford/Cushendall) Ford Focus WRC 05; 2:15:54.1
6: Stephen Murphy/Michael Morrissey (Carlow/Waterford) Subaru Impreza WRC S11; 2:15:54.5
7: Denis Cronin/Helen O'Sullivan (Kealkill/Kilgarvan) Subaru WRC S6; 2:18:11.5
8: Aaron MacHale/Craig Parry (Dublin/England) Ford Focus WRC 03; 2:18:22.5
9: Seamus Leonard/John McCafferty Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 (Omagh); 2:20:32.3
10: Nigel Hicklin/Diarmuid Falvey (Belfast/Killarney) Subaru Impreza WRC S6; 2:21:35.5

Boston GAA Schedule
Submitted by:
Sharon Ni Bhriain - Secretary Northeast GAA
Date:
04/30/2006
1:00 Celtics v Mayo - Football

2:00 Roscommon v Tir na Nog - Ladies Football

3:00 Cork v Tipperary or Fr. Toms v Tipperary - Hurling

4:00 Connemara Gaels v Aidan McAnespies - Football

Tannion [left], one of Boston's summer stars in action in 05

Summer Star
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Larlaith Tannion once again turns down the opportunity to play inter-county hurling for Galway. Tannion makes his intension clear to Connor Hayes that he will again head to the US for the summer.
“I made plenty of offers to Larlaith but he’s just not interested in playing inter-county hurling,” Hayes said.“This is the third year that I asked him in but the answer is still no. I think that he should really give it a shot because in a couple of years, he won’t be able to play at that level.”
Tannion played in Boston for Fr. Toms last year while Galway won the All-Ireland under 21 title. There is no confirmation at this point that Tannion is going to play for Toms again this year, but odds are he will back to claim the title his team lost to Tipperary last year, in one of the best hurling games played state side in many years.
Stay tuned,

"Will you roll it there, Collette"

As promised a wee bit of footage from the Boston Vs. New York GAA game played in Canton Ma. The game was played this past Saturday April 22nd 06. Watch for the fine stop by the Boston keeper at the end of the game.
It’s a big file, so if your on the phone line forget about it, go next door and get on the high speed.
Enjoy. Look for more from the cam this year...

http://www.neilphotos.com/BOS%20VS%20NY.wmv

The 2006 Boston GAA Season gets underway

New York proved the better team in the hurling friendly

The New York football line up..

The Boston selection


Hurling and football teams traveled from New York this past weekend for a few friendly games against the pick of Boston @ The Irish Cultrual center Canton Ma. Saturday the 22nd. In the Hurling New York ran over the selection from Boston on their way to a 3:23 to 1:09 victory.
The football would not go New York's way, the Boston team that was just pulled together during the past week would hold the boys from Gaelic park at bay. Despite late pressure from New York in the second half they were not able to get anything past the Boston goal keeper [ some video will be posted later in the week] final score Boston 1:13 to New York 0:07

The O'Brian cup got underway Sunday the 23rd along with the Sheehan Hurling cup.



Football O'Brien Cup:

• Shannon Blues 1-05 Kerry 0-04
• Wolfe Tones 2-06 Cork 2-04
• Armagh ND 0-07 Donegal 0-05

Hurling Sheehan Cup :

• Wexford 5-05 Limerick 2-03
  

NSMotorsports heads west for round #3

Friday April 21, 2006 Hillsboro, Oregon, Round three of Rally America’s 2006 Championship will be contested at the Oregon Trail Rally. Mark McElduff of NSMOTORSPORTS is set not only to take on the competition, but also the challenging terrain of the great Northwest.
Round #1 Mark’s first outing in 2006 at Snow Drift was cut short due to technical problems with the new Car
Round #2 100 Acre woods would see McElduff find his pace, with fellow Irishman Eddie Fries calling the notes, the duo were setting blistering stage times holding third overall until Turbo gremlins reared their ugly heads, forcing McElduff into retirement after 11 stages.

For Oregon Mark has enlisted the services of veteran co-driver, Patrick Walsh who has made the journey over from Wales. With additional technician support coming from Pro-Drive set-up changes have been made to the Open class Subaru Impreza, Mark and the NSMOTORSPORTS team are looking forward to a trouble free run and a top 10 finish.

The area’s undulating countryside offers spectacular views for spectators and tough challenges for drivers and co-drivers. Moss-draped Douglas Fir trees huddle steps from the roadside and drivers face steep rock faces and endless drop-offs at virtually every turn. Weather is typically a factor at this event, making for unpredictable road conditions. With the race start just days away, there is still snow on some of the mountain passes.

Mark is expected to be on the pace early for the overall lead, chasing down the two Subaru Team USA entries drivers by Travis Pastrana and Ken Block. Pastrana scored his first-ever rally podium result at this event last season, finishing in second place after three days of fierce competition.Also among the podium contenders are defending North American champion Matthew Iorio, who finished fourth in Oregon last year, and a pair of series newcomers who have shown promise so far this year: Italian Alfredo DeDominicis, and Australian Andrew Pinker, both in Subaru’s. Local favorite Paul Eklund knows the roads well and is also expected to challenge for a top finish in his Open class Subaru.

The opening stages of the 125-mile course take place Friday at the Portland International Raceway, with competitors taking short laps around a mixed tarmac and gravel course past cheering spectators in the grandstands. The contest moves to the woods on Saturday and Sunday for a more traditional rally competition through the area’s winding mountain roads.The Oregon Trail Rally is organized by Oregon Rally Group of Tigard, Oregon. Rally America, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, holds the sanctioning and marketing right to the Rally America Championship.

Weekend updates will be made available as they come in.

www.NSMOTORSPORTS.us :
Picture courtesy: http://www.artpartphoto.com/

Duddy back fighting in the Big Apple
June 10 PPV at MSG
NEW YORK (April 9, 2006) - "Ireland's" John Duddy (16-0, 14 KOs) makes his
first WBC Continental Americas middleweight title defense June 10 against
veteran Freddy Cuevas (25-8-1, 17 KOs) in a 10-round bout on the
Cotto-Malignaggi pay-per-view card at the famed Madison Square Garden.
The Irish middleweight sensation Duddy is now rated No. 13 by the World
Boxing Association. He's coming off of a devastating first-round TKO of
Shelby Pudwell on March 16 before a sold-out crowd of passionate Irish fans
in The Theater at MSG. John's returning to the "big house" where he won an
eight-round decision a year ago against Patrick Thompson.
"I keep working hard and at the end of the day," Duddy said, "this is what I
want to do and where I want to be. I'm very comfortable fighting at home in
Madison Square Garden. There won't be an Irishman (Kevin McBride) fighting
Mike Tyson this time (McBride stopped Tyson in Washington D.C. on the same
night Duddy defeated Thompson.) Hopefully this fight will be another step
forward. The more fans, the merrier, and I am really looking forward to it.
"I'm honored to be fighting on the Cotto-Malignaggi card. Paulie's a good
friend. The two of us is are from New York City (Malignaggi in Brooklyn,
Derry, Ireland- native Duddy lives in Queens) and train together. His fans
are mine, my friends are his. They'll join together and support us June 10.
I respect him so much because of his work ethic. He works so hard and talk's
the talk. He's living a dream. He's always said that he wants to fight for a
world title at Madison Square Garden. Hopefully, Paulie will take care of
business and win the title."
Upset-minded Cuevas, fighting out of Chicago, has victories against former
world champion Charles Murray (TKO7), Wilfredo Rivera for the USBO light
middleweight title in 2002, and previously unbeaten (9-0) Sam Hill. Freddy
took current undisputed world middleweight champion Jermain Taylor 12 rounds
and has been in against former world champ Kassim Ouma and top challenger
Kingsley Ikeke.
"Cuevas is a tough, seasoned pro," Duddy noted. "He's a good fighter and a
step-up for me. That's the way every one of my fights is going to be. He
took Jermain Taylor the distance and he's beaten some good opponents."
-JD-

Final touches to the Seabiscuit Racing Twin cam for this weekends Rally New York. This will be the first outing this weekend after a long winter overhaul..

All geared up for Rally New York this weekend 7-8th April

Approximately 49 cars are expected to take the starter’s flag at Rally New York USA 2006 (Monticello, New York, April 7-8). The drivers and co-drivers will represent the United States, Canada, Europe and South America, including many of the front-runners in the Unites States Rally Championship. While it is not possible to predict who the top finishers will be, some of them are likely come from among the following:

David Anton (USA)/Robbie Durant (UK), Subaru Impreza WRX STi – This team was in the top five in last Fall’s International Rally New York 2005 until their car failed. Durant is a former British Junior Champion co-driver, and one of eight competitors selected for the MSA British Rally Academy which is aimed at Britain’s 17- to 25-year-old future stars.

Emilio Arce (Argentina)/Sara Gardescu (USA), Subaru Impreza 2.5 RS – Arce will be back to try to duplicate the stock class win (and perhaps better the fifth overall) that he achieved in International Rally New York ‘05.

Seamus Burke (Ireland)/(co-driver to be announced), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo – The Georgia-based Irish driver was runner up in the 2005 Eastern States Rally Championship, with wins in the Sandblast Rally (South Carolina) and Rally New York. He arrives here having just won the Sandblast for the fifth time in a row.

Eric Burmeister (USA)/David Shindle (USA), Mazda 3 – The Mazdaspeed team is a contender for the two-wheel-drive section of the rally and the U.S. Rally Championship.

Bruce Davis (USA)/Jimmy Brandt (USA), Dodge Neon SRT-4 – Davis won the national title in the Production GT class in 2004. Brandt has among the highest lifetime points totals for a co-driver.

Otis Dimiters (Latvia)/Alan Ockwell (Canada), Subaru Impreza WRX STi – Dimiters put his car into the lead early in International Rally New York ‘05, but then suffered an off-course excursion. This team could be on the podium at the finish this time.

Jeremy Drislane (USA)/Barry Goodman (USA), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo4 – They finished fourth in the Eastern States Rally Championship section of International Rally New York ’05, and also placed second in the 2006 Sandblast Rally. Drislane is the son of three-time Rally New York winner John Drislane.

Patrick Farrell (Ireland)/Bernard Farrell (Ireland), Subaru Impreza – Patrick Farrell finished second in last Spring’s Rally New York. This time he will be working with his brother Bernard, who has co-driven for several teams in the past.

Scott Gardner (USA)/Constantine Mantopoulos (Greece), Audi S2 Quattro – Despite a consistent performance in International Rally New York ‘05, an engine failure left this team disappointed. Mantopoulos is a former North American champion co-driver in his class, who also placed second overall in the Northeast series as a driver in ‘96.

Michael Hall (USA)/Dave Stockdill (USA), Mitsubishi Mighty Max pickup – This team is a favorite among the truck crowd, and always one of the best-placed two-wheel-drive vehicles. They won the M1 (modified) class in the Eastern States championship segment of International Rally New York ’05.

Matt Iorio (USA)/Ole Holter (USA), Subaru Impreza – They placed second in the 2005 U.S. Rally Championship, and were front-runners in International Rally New York until they went off the road.

Tom Lawless (Ireland)/(co-driver to be announced), Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8 – Lawless was 2005 U.S. Rally Champion, with victories in International Rally New York, the Ramada Express Rally (Nevada), and the Cherokee Trails Rally (Tennessee). The Rally New York events are among his favorites, perhaps because they are the closest to his home in Yonkers, New York.

Mark Lawrence (UK)/Robert Maciejski (Poland), Volkswagen Golf – One of the top two-wheel-drive entries, and 2004 Eastern States Rally Champions in their class.

Patrick Lilly (Ireland)/(co-driver to be announced), Subaru Impreza WRX – A frequent top-ten finisher here, and third in the 2005 Eastern States Rally Championship.

Danny O’Brien (Ireland)/Stephen Duffy (Ireland), Subaru Impreza WRC STi – This team won the Eastern States Rally Championship in 2004 and 2005.

Auther: Rally New York Media

A rusty Kevin McBride takes Byron Polley out in the forth round.

"My timing was off a wee bit not having fought in 10 months
but this man was not going to hurt me. I’m just glad to be back in action
and fighting for Don King. Every fight I gain experience. I’m on the road
to winning a world title. I want the Russian giant Nicolai Valuev."
"I dedicate this fight to Charlie Ross, the Boston fight writer that died
this week that gave me the name Clones Colossus."

More later.....