Drama as Cronin and Galvin secure title
Sean Moriarty
THE Killarney and District Motor Club crew of Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin won the British Rally Championship in dramatic fashion on last weekend’s Rally Isle of Man.
It marked Cronin’s, from Ballickey in West Cork, fourth British title, putting him on par with the great Roger Clark and just one behind the legendary Jimmy McCrae.
Aghadoe man Galvin claimed his first overseas title. Last weekend’s success comes on the back of the crew’s Irish Tarmac title last season.
Rally Isle of Man counted as two separate points scoring events towards the title race over the three days. The Ford Fiesta crew needed to win both legs and hope that erstwhile championship leader, Swede Fredrik Ahlin, finished third or lower on both occasions. Welshman, Matt Edwards stood a mathematical chance of stealing the title but needed to win both rounds and hope his two rivals failed to reach the finish on both events.
Cronin and Galvin excelled through the Thursday night and Friday afternoon stages to win the opening leg. Edwards finished second but came close to securing his first BRC win and promised not to gift the title to Cronin over the closing leg.
Ahlin was third, not exactly where he needed to be but still had one hand on the title.
The battle raged throughout Friday night and Saturday morning and with the end in sight all three were holding the same positions as they did through the two opening
@DOConaill
Even when David Clifford kicks the ball wide, it’s still a lovely wide!
Sinéad Kissane @sineadkissane
David Clifford is the best minor ever
Michael Stack @Imperator_Fass
The GAA needs to split David Clifford in 2. North and South Clifford. How can smaller counties compete? #AllIrelandFinal #DUBvMAYO
Rory’s Stories @RorysStories
days.
Three stages from home and it looked like the local crew’s chances of lifting the title was falling their grasp, they met loose cattle on one stage, losing valuable time and on the penultimate test, caught a slower car on a “looped” section of a the stage.
After the Swede lost time due to a spin, Edwards was the only drive who could deprive of them of the title and he was desperate to secure his first win but if either of the two crews made a mistake it could have, potentially, promoted Ahlin to second, enough to land him the title.
Cronin and Galvin were first to clear the final stage, within in sight of the famous TT grandstand and faced an anxious wait at the finish line.
Edwards stopped the clocks just 0.1 of a second behind Cronin handing the local team the title by the smallest possible margin.
Cronin said: “It’s been a tough year. It didn’t start so well, everything has been thrown at us. This was the toughest event I have ever done and the hardest title to win. Matt and Fredrik drove brilliantly and we didn’t think it was possible.
Mikie [Galvin] has done a great job and we have a great team behind us and we kept fighting and fighting and to win the championship by one tenth of second is just unbelievable.”
The British junior title is also returning to Ireland. Derry-based driver Calum Devine and his Abbeyfeale co-driver Keith Moriarty will take over from outgoing champions and local crew Rob Duggan and Ger Conway.
Closer to home, there was even more success for the Cronin family after younger sibling, Daniel and his Faha-based co-driver Shane Buckley won Sunday’s Clare Stages Rally.
Driving a similar machine to Keith, the younger Cronin and Buckley swapped the lead with Donegal driver Joe McGonigle until he put his Skoda Fabia off the road two stages from home, handing them the vestry and making it a memorable weekend
Aussie Gleeson @AussieGleeson
Tellin ye one thing David Clifford is a poor footballer..... if your genuinely blind my god #GOAT
Darran O’Sullivan @Darransull86 Sep 17
David Clifford is a man against boys
Donnchadh Boyle @depboyle
David Clifford is unbelievably good. Scored a great goal then a minute later sets up another with a brilliant pass.
Cahair O’Kane @CahairOKane1
for the Cronin family and Killarney and District Motor Club.
Kevin Barrett and Sean Mullally were the top Kerry Motor Club competitors in Ennis, taking third place in their Subaru Impreza.
Clare Motor Club offered the Colin McRae Trophy to the highest placed modified car to mark ten years since the 1995 World Rally Champion was killed in a helicopter crash.
Former Kerry Winter Rally winners Mike Quinn and Tony Healy took the unique trophy back to Lyrecrompane following a brilliant drive to sixth in their Ford Escort.
Timmy Enright was tenth in a similar car while Tadgh O’Sullivan and John McCarthy were 12th in another Escort.
Tralee co-driver Sean Hegarty guided Limerick’s Keith Lyons to second in class in their Ford Fiesta, while Denis Nagle and Donagh Crowley were second in the junior section in a Nissan Micra. Pat Looney and Tom Kelleher were third in the historic element of the rally in their Ford Escort M1.
Whoever’s coached David Clifford in club / Dev squads needs serious praise. His movement yesterday was unbelievably intelligent for a minor
John Waldron @johndtwaldron
get #davidclifford into the Seniors today. Massive achievement with a Minor 4 in a row #uptheKingdom The Future is Bright 4 @ Kerry_Official
Lucy O’ Shea @lucyoshea
David Clifford has scored 6-64 in 11 championship games for Kerry in ‘16 and ‘17. 6-46 from play. @countykerry build a wall around him.