Today’s Kempton and Newcastle cards
THE organisers of the Ulster Rally are making tentative plans to run the event in mid-november.
All rallies on the island of Ireland have been on hold since the start of the coronavirus pandemic but the Ulster Rally wasn’t scheduled to take place this year, its traditional August date taken over by the proposed World Championship Rally Northern Ireland.
But following the decision to shelve it for at least a year, the Ulster organisers have stepped in with plans to stage their event on November 19-20 based in Newry — provided Covid-19 conditions allow it.
Event director Richard Swanston explained: “Due to the current restrictions, preparations required for an August date could not be completed. We will continue to monitor the situation and tailor our plans to suit as we work towards the November date.”
On the issue of spectators being allowed to attend closedroad events, Swanston added: “If restrictions are such that the attendance of spectators would be illegal, and would pose a risk to the community we are operating in, then we’ll review the viability closer to the time.”
The Ulster Rally was last held in 2019 and was won by Craig Breen, who last night was in second place at the end of the first leg of the Arctic Rally Finland.
Recalled to the Hyundai World Championship team, he was second fastest on the first of two stages yesterday and then third fastest on the next to finish the day 16 seconds behind his teammate Ott Tanak.
But he wasn’t happy, feeling he hadn’t been aggressive enough on the opening stage and then dropping time towards the end of stage two as his tyres shed their studs.
“I was shocked because I didn’t expect the tyres to lose their studs so quickly,” he said.
Toyota’s 20-year-old Finn Kalle Rovanpera was in third place, four seconds behind Breen and nine ahead of the third member of the Hyundai trio, Thierry Neuville. Elfyn Evans (Toyota) and Teemu Sunninen (Ford) completed the top six.
World champion Seb Ogier was in ninth, behind Norwegian teenager Oliver Solberg’s Hyundai, and half a minute off the lead. The Monte Carlo Rally winner paid the price for his Toyota having to clear the loose snow in his road-opening role.
GLENAVON boss Gary Hamilton believes Conor Mccloskey is finally showing the form he is capable of.
The midfielder has been a key player this season, and produced a man-of-the-match display in the midweek win at Dungannon.
The ex-carrick and Ballymena star (29) joined the Lurgan side in 2018.
However, Hamilton feels McCloskey is only now hitting his top level.
“Conor has been excellent and I put a wee challenge to him and Peter (Campbell) last Saturday, before the Carrick game,” he said. “I said that with the ability they have, they are not getting enough goals and assists.
“They both got their goal and assist against Carrick, and on Tuesday they both got assists and Conor got another goal, and probably deserved to get another one as well.
“He has been exceptional for us this year.
“I have always said that Conor has a lot of ability — in abundance — and sometimes it has maybe been his work rate, and he hasn’t become a proper regular.
“But this year he has become a regular and that is all down to Conor. I have to pay him compliments for that because his attitude has been first class.
“He is working hard, he is producing on the pitch and is contributing every week now, and the same with Peter on the other side.”
Glenavon made it four unbeaten with Tuesday night’s 2-1 win at Stangmore Park, and sit seventh in the table.
Their improving form faces a real test today when they travel to Crusaders.
Captain James Singleton will be available for selection after the club appealed his red card in Tuesday night’s win.
“It is another tough game, the games are coming thick and fast and Crusaders is always a difficult game for us,” added the Lurgan Blues boss.
“They are a top side, they have hit a bit of form too and are back in the mix again.
“We will go there on Saturday and it will be a tough game and it will be a difficult game, but the boys also have to take confidence themselves.
“They have now got 10 points out of the last 12 — unbeaten in four — so they have to take that into the game on Saturday.”