Last weekend was something of a watershed in Irish Rallying, not so much in the fact that Garry Jennings in his Impreza WRC scored a brilliant win, as the fact that Keith Cronin and Alastair Fisher were 2nd and 3rd in their R5 cars. With drivers in WRC machinery now not eligible to score points, Cronin (Citroen DS3R5) leads the series with 18 points, Fisher (Fiesta R5) is on 16, Sam Moffett and Josh Moffett, both in Fiesta R5’s are on 14 and 12 respectively, while Joe McGonigle, who had a brilliant rally in his Skoda S2000, is 5th on 8 points. Still, it was Garry ‘Don’t Shiver We Deliver’ Jennings’ Rally. He drove brilliantly through all the rain, puddles and mud. He has won many of the major rallies in Ireland, but until now, not Galway. So that is another box ticked for the Fermanagh man. In overall terms it was a difficult and tricky rally because of the wet weather and muddy roads, particularly on the Saturday. Clerk of the Course Kieran Donohue and his Galway MC team did a brilliant job to keep the show on the road. Ray Cunningham won the Historics with his Mini Cooper. Wesley Patterson in his Escort had a good run to take victory on the National section of the rally. Wesley has entered for this Saturday’s 6 stage North Armagh Motor Club Kirkistown Rally.

Corrib Oil Galway International Rally Top Ten:-
1st Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1.42.57.7
2nd Keith Cronin/Mikey Galvin (Citroen DS3 R5) +3m25.4s
3rd Alastair Fisher/Gordon Noble (Fiesta R5) +3m41.9s
4th Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Fiesta R5) +4m30s
5th Roy White/James O’Brien (Fiesta WRC) +4m42.4s
6th Josh Moffett/Jason McKenna (Fiesta R5) + 5m20.1s
7th Joseph McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney Skoda S2000 +5m39.2s
8th Jonny Greer/Kirsty Riddick (Citroen DS3R5) + 5m41.2s
9th Stephen Wright/James Fulton (Fiesta R5) +5m55.1s
10th David Guest/Paddy Robinson (Lancer N) +9m19.9s

Classes:-
2 Callum Devine/Keith Moriarity (Opel Adam);
3 Richard & James Whelan (Citroen DS3R3);
4 David Guest/Paddy Robinson (Lancer N);
5 Keith Cronin/Mikey Galvin (Citroen DS3R5);
7 Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC);
10 Declan Forde/Chris King (Escort Mk2);
11F John O’Sullivan/Eoghan McCarthy (Honda Civic);
11R Frank Rafferty/Warren Tighe (Sunbeam);
12 Tommy & Keith Flanagan (Escort Mk2);
13 Patrick McHugh/Pauric O’Donnell (Escort Mk2);
14 Wesley Patterson/Johnny Baird (Escort Mk2);
15 Tommy Cahill/Enda O’Leary (Lancer);
17 Des Lyons/Shay Laheen (Civic);
20 Jason McSweeney/Stephen Quin (Lancer);
Historics
‘K’ Brendan McAree/JP McAree (Porsche 911 SC RS);
B2 Ray Cunningham/Adrian Cusack (Morris Cooper s);
B5 Luke McCarthy/David Hogan (Porsche 911);
D5 David Goose/Richard Wardle (Escort RS1800);

Juniors
J1 Mark O’Leary/Ciaran Graal (Starlet);
J2 Kieran O’Donoghue/Peter Falvey (Civic);

Read our full RallyNews service from Corrib Oil Galway International Rally last weekend elsewhere on the website.

The North Armagh MC event at Kirkistown is the opening round of the McGrady Insurance NI Championship and has attracted over 80 entries. Other top drivers include Derek McGarrity in the Fiesta WRC with which he won Kirkistown a few weeks ago. Also Kenny McKinstry who led on that occasion until his Subaru developed a driveshaft problem. Then it is Peadar Hurson, his Impreza WRC rebuilt since last year, Niall Henry in his Lancer, Alister Cochrane (Escort), Rodney White, Keith McIvor (Skoda S2000) and George Robinson.

The Kirkistown event takes place on the Saturday, and then on the Sunday it is the turn of the Carrick on Suir based Willie Loughman Rally, the opener for this year’s Valvoline Forest Rally Championship. There are 8 stages on the agenda. Clerk of the Course Barry Duggan has worked hard to make the rally a success, and some 70 entries are expected. The top seeds for this one include former Forestry Champion Mick O’Brien, who has reportedly done a deal for Sam Moffett’s Fiesta WRC. Current champion Josh Moffett has entered in his ‘forestry’ Lancer, while his brother Sam is down to do the event in his Fiesta R5. Just some of the 2 wheel drive exponents should include Escort men Mickey Conlon and Gary Ryan. Two top drivers from a few years ago who have entered include Dermot Kelly and Robert Moffett.

Also this weekend is the Cambrian Rally, the first counter in the BTRDA series. Connor McCloskey and co-driver Damien Duffin are making the trip to Llandudno to compete, driving one of Derek McGeehan’s Mini WRCs. Another driver going over to Wales from here is young Jordan Hone, this time driving a Proton. Other top drivers include Euan Thorburn (Peugeot 208 T16 R5), Hugh Hunter (Fiesta R5) and Steve Perez (Focus WRC).

News from this weekend’s Swedish Rally is that the event is to be shortened considerably because of warm temperatures and no ice or snow leading to fear that the gravel stage tracks will suffer too much damage. Even the foreshortened route is dependent on minus zero temperatures coming in. How this will affect the likes of Kris Meeke and Craig Breen remains to be seen. Hopefully it will help them, but who knows?