Cork motorcycle team just miss out on qualifying at World Championship

TEAM #109, the Cork based motorcycle team narrowly missed qualifying for their debut in the opening rounds of the Supersport 300 FIM World Championship at a sweltering Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto in southern Spain on Saturday. 

Obviously disappointed, the team have a quick window of redemption as they head to Portimao in Portugal for this weekend’s double header. It looked promising for their Derry rider Eunan McGlinchey, who provided the team with the British Junior Supersport Championship in 2018.

Onboard the Kawasaki Ninga 400, McGlinchey from Aughadowey was on course for P8 in the qualifier until he lost the front end on the bike at the penultimate corner. Even though he saved the situation, his time was outside the qualifying zone. 

He was among several riders that were in Saturday’s last chance qualifier and just when it seemed he was going to make the race, a mistake, at the very same corner albeit this time losing the rear end of the bike, blew his chances, although he finished that qualifier, he missed out by 0.02 of a second. 

Afterwards team boss Paul Tobin said, “Obviously we are disappointed but it’s a big step up, particularly for Eunan. To his credit he almost achieved getting us onto the grid but those two incidents cost us in the end. Look, it’s onwards and upwards and we have Portimao at the weekend.” 

McGlinchey remarked, “I took a bit of time to learn the track, most of the others were very experienced here. I was improving all the time so I am not totally disappointed.” 

Irish rallying is mourning the loss of one of its best known figures after Brian Patterson, from Glengormley, County Antrim passed away yesterday following a brief illness. Brian and his wife Liz headed their RallyNews service that well before social media was the most instant point of live information from rallies throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom and some European countries. 

Although a former competitor, it was the RallyNews service that Brian was best known while Patterson’s Pacenotes was another equally well-known service. Brian is survived by his wife Liz, sons Michael, Chris, Jonathan and David. May he Rest in Peace.

Waterford’s Craig Breen and his Killarney co-driver Paul Nagle in their BRC Racing Team Hyundai i20 R5 won yesterday’s Rally di Alba in Italy. They finished 8.7 seconds in front of the Finish crew of Jari Huttunen/Mikko Lukka, also in a Hyundai i20 R5. 

Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5) was fifteenth while Armagh’s Josh McErlean, in a Motorsport Ireland Academy backed Hyundai i20 R5 were two places further behind after incurring a 50 second penalty out of service. Derry’s Callum Devine retired his Hyundai i20 R5 from eleventh spot.