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Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Motorsport: No fear of the unknown for championship leader Eddie Doherty
It doesn't really bother Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) that he will be in somewhat unfamiliar places and situations this weekend. As he continues his quest to win the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, the former county minor hurler has never competed in the Cavan Rally, this Sunday's third round of the campaign. Following an impressive victory in the previous round - the Circuit of Kerry - he has grabbed a nine-point lead in the series - the first time he has ever led by more than a handful of points. Agreeing that a good reconnaissance of the stages is key, he said, "We don't treat these things any different to what we do any other rally weekend. The Circuit of Kerry was our first time doing it and we were able to win the rally. I don't think any more into it, that process could wreck your head. It's great to have a competitive entry and there are four of five (drivers) doing the Maiden City Rally on Saturday and they will have plenty of seat time. The national series is our primary concern for this year." He concluded: "Last year I made the mistake thinking about points and at the end of the year it didn't work out. You have to win rallies to get a good championship result." What will be familiar though is his championship opposition that includes Josh and Sam Moffett in Hyundai's, Robert Barrable (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), Cathan McCourt (Hyundai i20 Rally2, Desi Henry (Citroen C3 Rally2), Donegal trio David Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5) and the Skoda Fabia Rally2 cars of Michael and Declan Boyle, local ace Gary Kiernan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Cork's Daniel Cronin (Citroen C3 Rally2). Garry Jennings (Ford Fiesta Rally2) is also in the top ten. Meanwhile and in the absence of series leader William Creighton from this weekend's Jim Clark Rally in Scotland, the third round of the Probite British Rally Championship is likely to have a new frontrunner with M-Sport's Romet Jurgenson, the FIA Rally Star and reigning Junior WR champion favourite to capitalise. A family wedding has ruled Creighton out on this occasion while top seed and last year's rally winner Keith Cronin withdrew his entry following his accident of the Rally of the Lakes and is pausing his rallying for the immediate future to concentrate on business interests. Estonian Jurgenson (25) is aiming to secure back-to-back wins but Welsh aces James Williams (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) and Meirion Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2), local hero Garry Pearson (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Max McRae (Citroen C3 Rally2) will aim to deny him the spoils. Evans is targeting a strong result. 'We certainly go to the event with confidence, having had a strong run on the Rally of the Lakes. Although the Scottish stages are a lot different in character to the ones in Killarney, the plan is to carry that form into this weekend and put in another good performance." Clonakilty's Cal McCarthy (Citroen C3 Rally2) is a late entry. In the Junior BRC, Irish drivers Kyle McBride, Joe Kelly and Kalum Graffin, all in Peugeot 208 Rally4 cars, will be chasing maximum points. Beginning with the Langton Mill stage and its iconic water splash, there are six stages this evening and eight more tomorrow. Elsewhere, the Brown & Brown Northern Ireland Rally Championship reaches midpoint with tomorrow's Derry based Maiden City Rally. Local ace Desi Henry (Citroen C3 Rally) heads a competitive entry that includes series leader, Donegal's Aaron McLaughlin (VW Polo GTi R5), who is seeded at nine. Like many others Kesh driver Garry Jennings (Ford Fiesta Rally2) is utilising the rally as a shakedown for the Donegal International. That grouping also includes Omagh's Cathan McCourt (Hyundai i20 Rally2), Donegal's David Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5) and recent winner of the Tipperary Forest Rally, Jason Mitchell (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2). Glengormley's Derek McGarrity (VW Polo GTi R5) returns to the series as Warrenpoint's Peadar Hurson and Strabane's Aidan Wray in VW Polo GTi R5's along with Joe McGonigle (Citroen C3 Rally2) round out the top ten. The first of the day's seven stages starts at 9.53am.
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.
Belfast Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Kris Meeke reveals why it will be difficult to maintain perfect start to Portuguese Championship
Round three of the Championship welcomes back Latvian Martins Sesks in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, while Frenchman Yohan Rossel leads the 68-car field in a Citroen C3 Rally2. While neither are registered to score points — they are entering the event as a warm-up for Rally de Portugal (May 15-18), the fifth round of the 2025 FIA World Rally Championship — they possess the speed, and race craft, to bring Meeke's winning streak to a quick end. 'It has been great to start the season with two wins so far, and we want to keep it up,' said Meeke. 'However, this rally usually brings some WRC2 drivers who take advantage of the event to test, like Martins, who was very fast in Fafe, and Johan, who comes to the event on the back of a WRC2 win at last weekend's Rally Islas Canarias. 'The competition will be strong, but our focus is on the Portuguese Rally Championship.' The Dungannon man was victorious at Rali Serras de Fafe by just over half a minute from the Hyundai i20 N of Team Hyundai Portugal's Dani Sordo at the beginning of March and repeated the trick three weeks later, beating the Spaniard in the Algarve by 13.3 seconds. Meeke's path to a 12th career victory on Portuguese soil will take him and co-driver Stuart Loudon through special stages in the Amarante, Marco de Canaveses and Baião areas, with three of these making up Friday's itinerary and a further seven on Saturday. The 45-year-old will be looking to get off on the right foot in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 this time around as, 12 months ago, he crashed and rolled on shakedown after hitting a rock. As well as increased competition from Sesks and Rossel, and punishing gravel roads, the weather is another factor Meeke has one eye on. Heavy rain is forecast for the opening day of the meeting and given the altitude some of the roads climb to, fog could be a factor. He said: 'I like challenges, and I really enjoy those northern stages. I have mixed memories of last year — we made a mistake in qualifying, but managed to recover and win the rally, so this year we want it to be sweet, not bittersweet. 'It looks like the weather could complicate matters, with heavy rain forecast for the shakedown and the first day of the rally. With the altitude, that could bring fog, just like last year.'
