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Belfast Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Keith Cronin on why a win this weekend is vital to retaining his Irish Tarmac Championship title
Cronin starts the third round in Killarney tied on points with Claudy's Callum Devine, who was triumphant on his return to the cross-border series at last month's Circuit of Ireland. Late brake issues for Cronin — and a puncture on the penultimate test of the Easter event — handed Devine and his co-driving team-mate, Noel O'Sullivan, an unexpected victory. Afterwards, Cronin confirmed that he was using the Circuit as one of his dropped scores. 'From our side, we will have to give it our best to stay in the mix for the Irish Tarmac title,' said No.2 seed Cronin. 'The next two rallies, Killarney this weekend and June's three-day Donegal International, are set to be crucial to how the year unfolds for all of us. 'We have seen how fickle rallying can be, especially over the past couple of years. This year we have seen both sides again; we got the win in West Cork after Jon Armstrong had his engine problem after the final stage, then on the Circuit a couple of weeks ago we had the brake issues when we were leading with two stages to go — and we ended up eighth.' Not only does Devine arrive in 'The Kingdom' fresh from his Circuit success, he is also the winner of the Rally of the Lakes for the past three seasons. If he can make it four, he would move to within one of equalling the record held by the late, great Bertie Fisher who dominated from 1990 until 1994. Other notable entries include Josh Moffett in his Citroen C3 Rally2, Wales' Meirion Evans in a Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Rally2, and the triple British Rally Champion Matt Edwards who has decided to compete in honour of his grandmother following her recent passing. 'Callum and Noel started the year late, but they already have a maximum score from the Circuit of Ireland Rally, and they always seem to go well in Killarney —they have won there on each of the last three occasions,' continued Cronin. 'They have also won in Donegal for the past two years and if they were to repeat those results again this season, I think it would be very difficult for us to hold them back from going on and winning the Irish Tarmac Championship for a second time, if I am honest. 'Matt and David (Moynihan, co-driver) have had two non-finishes so far this year at West Cork and the Circuit of Ireland — they have nothing to lose by going all-out from now on.' Saturday's leg of the International Rally of the Lakes incorporates three loops of three stages – 'Headford', 'Lisbabe' and 'Red Bog' – with the main field tackling classic closed road speed tests such as 'Molls Gap', 'Beallaghbeama' and 'Shanara' on Sunday.
Irish Examiner
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Rally of the Lakes in Killarney to be crucial in championship race
This weekend's Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes in Killarney is a crucial and possible defining moment within the context of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. It will be more than a head to head between reigning champion and current leader Ballylickey's Keith Cronin (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Derry's Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), who is seeking a fourth straight win in Killarney. For Welsh driver Matt Edwards (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) it's a key event insofar as he hasn't finished the previous rounds - the West Cork Rally and the Circuit of Ireland. Current regulations stipulate the best five scores from the seven events, however, a place has yet to be found for the postponed Galway International Rally (due to Storm Éowyn) and that is a concern, should it not go ahead, the series will be based on the best five from six. That will put Edwards at an immediate disadvantage, right now though, he won't or can't think about that, yet it's nigh on imperative that he garners major championship points this weekend. Devine has a strong record in Killarney - a fourth successive win will edge him closer to the all-time record of five set by the late Bertie Fisher. Having missed the opening round, the Derry driver quickly dialled into the pace showing fine form on his return after a six month absence and took advantage of Cronin's late demise to win the recent Circuit of Ireland. He will be in confident mood and that should ramp up the pace over the Killarney terrain. The format is competitor friendly with Saturday's loop of three stages relatively close to Killarney (SS1 - Headford starts at 8.15am) while Sunday's action is the familiar double loop over Moll's Gap (SS10, 10.50am), Ballaghbeama and Shanera. Cronin and his Killarney co-driver Mikie Galvin have unfinished business as the Ballylickey driver explains. "We had a good lead built up on the Lakes twelve months ago when we got the puncture on Saturday afternoon, it cost us well over two minutes. Any chance of winning the rally was gone and I really felt like parking it up, but Mikie (Galvin) pushed me on to keep going. We had another few fastest times on the Sunday and wound up fourth." There's no lack of motivation, with even more incentive to erase their Circuit of Ireland experience. Having dominated and led until the penultimate stage it only underlined the often cruel nature of the sport. But, Cronin has seen that long before now. "You have to put in the times, but you need a bit of luck as well to get it over the line." Aware that Devine, Edwards will be his principal rivals, Cronin will manage his own pace, recently, he has expressed the view that he doesn't take the risks he did a few years ago, maybe that comes down to experience (or age) nevertheless, his pace is still hugely competitive. Welsh driver Meirion Evans brings his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to Killarney for an inaugural visit that could prove interesting, especially without the shackles of championship points. Both Monaghan's Josh Moffett and Tyrone's Cathan McCourt have withdrawn from the seeded entry list. Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) was a late retirement from the Circuit of Ireland with a double puncture on the penultimate stage, he continues to close the gap to Cronin, Devine and Edwards. The capacity entry also has the Donegal quintet of David Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5), Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), Michael Boyle (VW Polo GTi R5), Kevin Eves (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Matthew Boyle (Ford Fiesta Rally2) along with Cavan's Gary Kiernan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney (Skoda Fabia R5). Donegal's Ryan McHugh (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Tyrone's Ryan Caldwell (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) are the latest additions to the Rally2 category. As ever, the chase for success in the Modified category includes locals Colin O'Donoghue and Rob Duggan in their Class 14 Ford Escorts with fellow Escort drivers Johno Doogan, Rodney Wilton and Damian Toner providing the opposition. Killarney's Alan Ring (BMW M3) heads the Historic section.
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- RTÉ News
Previous winners Keith Cronin and Callum Devine to lock horns again in Killarney International Rally of the Lakes
This May Bank Holiday weekend sees the Assess Ireland Killarney International Rally of the Lakes, round three of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship (ITRC) with the two previous winners set to go head-to-head once again in the Kingdom. Keith Cronin and Callum Devine share a win apiece after 2025's opening two rounds as Cronin won the opening event, the West Cork Rally, after the original opening round in Galway was cancelled while Devine, the defending ITRC winner from 2024, won the Circuit of Ireland. The ITRC is due for seven rounds this year, but as yet no new date has been set for a running of the Galway International which never got to the start ramp due to winter storm damage. Devine was a fortunate winner of the 'Circuit' last month as Cronin's Citroen C3 Rally2 was on top only for brake issues and a puncture on the penultimate stage cost the Cork ace any chance of winning. Devine now heads to Kerry this weekend for the two-day event having won each of the last three Rally of the Lakes and he will top the seedings list in his Skoda Fabia Rally2. Ironically, a puncture also denied Cronin a win in Killarney last year as Devine took advantage of Cronin's woes to take a hat-trick of wins. "We've seen how fickle rallying can be, especially over the past couple of years," said Cronin. "We had a good lead built up on the Lakes 12 months ago when we got the puncture on Saturday afternoon, it cost us well over two minutes. "Any chance of winning the rally was gone and I really felt like parking it up, but Mikie (Galvin) (Cronin's co-driver) pushed me on to keep going and we wound up fourth and that was really important in terms of the Tarmac Championship, as we got it (the title) on the Cork '20' on the tie-break." Matt Edwards will be desperate to at least get to the finish on the 15-stage event this weekend as the three-time British champion retired from runner-up positions in both West Cork and Circuit of Ireland in his Hyundai i20 Rally2. 2022 and '23 ITRC frontrunner Meirion Evans is seeded fourth in Killarney with the Welshman aboard a Toyota Yaris Rally2. Josh Moffett and Eddie Doherty, seeded fifth and sixth respectively, were two more drivers who lost out on decent Circuit of Ireland finishes as Moffett got stuck in a ditch while a double puncture spoiled Doherty's podium hopes. Others who will be in contention include David Kelly who finished on the podium in the Circuit in the Volkswagen Polo. Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia), Cathan McCourt (Hyundai) and Declan's son Michael Boyle (Volkswagen Polo GTi R5) round out the top ten seeds. The ceremonial start will take place in the Killarney town centre on Friday evening. There is an early start for the crews on Saturday, with the first of the day's nine stages getting under way at 8.15am, consisting of three loops of three stages: Headford, Lisbabe and Red Bog, to the east and north of the town. The rally will re-start on Sunday morning with the famous Molls Gap stage at 10:50am, and this is followed by Beallaghbeama and Shanara. That loop of stages is repeated on Sunday afternoon, making a total of six stages on day two. The 'Finish Ramp' celebrations will take place at rally headquarters, the Gleneagle Hotel, at 5.15pm. The organisers the Killarney and District Motor Club are also distributing thousands of stickers and have included Michael Gaine's story in the rally programme, asking for help in his case. Michael Gaine was last seen in Kenmare on 20 March and an extensive missing person's investigation was launched which was upgraded this week to a homicide investigation this week by Gardai. Gaine was an avid rally man and was a participant himself and competitors will pass Gaine's farm in Carrig East, Kenmare on Saturday. Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2025 Top 10 seeds 1 Callum Devine/Noel O'Sullivan, Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2 2 Keith Cronin/Mikie Galvin, Citroën C3 Rally 2 3 Matt Edwards/David Moynihan, Hyundai i20N Rally 2 4 Meirion Evans/Ger Conway, Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2 5 Josh Moffett/Andy Hayes, Citroën C3 Rally 2 6 Eddie Doherty/Tom Murphy, Skoda Fabia Evo Rally 2 7 David Kelly/Arthur Kierans, Volkswagen Polo GTi R5 8 Declan Boyle/Patrick Walsh, Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2 9 Cathan McCourt/Barry McNulty, Hyundai i20N Rally 2
