Cork-Kerry duo Cronin and Galvin retain lead in Irish Tarmac Rally Championship despite defeat in Circuit of Ireland Rally
KEITH Cronin and Mikie Galvin retain the lead of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship ahead of the International Rally of the Lakes despite suffering their first defeat on Irish soil over the Easter weekend.
Matt Edwards and David Moynihan won Saturday’s Circuit of Ireland Rally in their Ford Fiesta Rally 2 after Cronin and Galvin were left rue an earlier tyre gamble that did not pay off.
The Killarney and District Motor Club crew led the event from the second stage until the end of the sixth of eight tests. With rain forecast for the afternoon, Edwards opted to suffer the additional weight of carrying two spare wet tyres for the second loop of stages.
While Cronin was to add 4.5 seconds to his lead on stage five, Edwards’ decision proved to be the correct one when the rain arrived ahead of stage six – the Welshman fitted the wets and went ten seconds faster than Cronin, to move into a lead he would not relinquish.
“The heavens opened and we didn’t have any wets as spares, we were on a cut slick, so it was a tough stage, Matt took a lot out of us in there,” said Cronin.
“Matt made a really clever decision coming out of service, he brought two wets with him. There was too much in it starting the [final] stage, we said we would try to hold second and get the points,” he conceded.
“It’s been a sprint, but it has still been a really tough rally. It is a good result for us in terms of the championship. Matt made an inspired decision for the second loop and gave us the jump. It was a good call by him.”
Next up for Cronin and Galvin is the Severn Valley Rally in Wales, round two of the British Rally Championship.
Calum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan were in the mix for the early part of the rally, but crashed out on stage three, seriously denting the reigning Tarmac champions’ hopes of retaining their crown.
Conor Murphy and Seán Collins finished tenth overall and fifth in the modified category in their Ford Escort MK2. An issue with a bent steering rack early on hampered progress.
Welsh driver Tomas Davies and his London-based Rockfield co-driver Shane Buckley took a start-to-finish victory in the historic section in another Ford Escort.
Colm and Michael Browne, members of the Brosna rally family, finished fifth in their class in a Ford Escort G3.
Monaghan Rally
LOOKING ahead to this weekend’s Monaghan Rally, round two of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, where there are several Kerry co-drivers on the entry list. Ger Conway is alongside Kevin Galagher in a Darrian T90 GTR+ and are the top seeds in the Modified category.
Killarney and District Motor Club member Derry Long is on pace-note duty for Aaron McIntyre and the Toyota Starlet crew lead class 13 in the National Championship after taking a class victory in Mayo last month.
Currow’s John McCarthy is also competing in Class 13 alongside Peter Wilson in a Ford Escort Mk2. Colin O’Donoghue and Kieran O’Donoghue are on the reserve list but should get a call-up before the weekend.