Cronin’s British title aspirations hits a major set back

KEITH Cronin and Mikie Galvin’s dream of recording back-to-back British Rally titles appears to be over after they failed to start last weekend Ulster Rally.

The Killarney and District Motor Club crew were chasing a unique treble, they won the Irish Tarmac series in 2016 and a year later claimed the British title. Cronin was hoping to equal five-time British champion Jim McRae’s long-standing record, even naming this year’s title bid as his Drive for Five.

Armed with a Hyundai i20 R5 a result in Ulster was vital and they had already lost ground to the Welsh crew on Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod, a puncture on the final stage of the Ypres Rally in Belgium in June handed a maximum score to Cronin’s Ford rival and he really needed to take the advantage in County Antrim on Friday and Saturday.

However, news broke on the eve of the rally that Cronin and Galvin had withdrawn from the rally, citing budget restraints. Reportedly, a row festered between the owner of the car and Cronin over who was financially responsible for paying for damage to the car on the event as that final stage puncture in Belgium caused other parts to break on the Hyundai.

When an agreement could not be reached between the two parties they went their separate ways but ultimately this will cost the local crew their title bid, especially as Edwards and Garrod went on to win the rally.

Cronin is now in fifth position (Galvin is fourth) in the championship, some 45 points behind Edwards with three rounds to go – a tall order by anyone’s standards.

Co-driver John McCarthy was the top Kerry finisher in Northern Ireland, taking 15th overall alongside John Devlin in a Ford Escort.

Meanwhile, on Sunday’s Galway Summer Rally, Ger O’Brien and John Liston were the top Kerry finishers bringing their Ford Escort home in 28th place and more importantly fourth in Class13. The result but the Abbeydorney/ Tralee team in good stead as they attempt to win the category in the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

Sean Enright and Kevin Doherty were fifth in their class while Eddie Kennelly and Timmy Murphy were ninth, these important finishes will earn points towards their class aspiration in the West Coast series.

Tommy Commane finished second the historic category on the Tuam-based event, co-driving for Phillip McKibbin in an Escort Mk1.