Rally News No.1 Hillgrove Hotel Sunday 9.30am

Niall Maguire and Paul McLaughlin will head the capacity entry away from the Hillgrove Hotel this morning. Local man Maguire has won this rally no less than four times in the past and the Triton Showers backed Subaru Impreza WRC should be the pace setter today. Niall last won the rally in 2002 after an uncharastic accident spoiled his chances last year but second on the road Jim Harrison has a point to prove. Harrison shrugged his Irish rallying monkey with his first win last year, and the Cheshire based driver led here in Monaghan a year ago before he was caught out in the damp slippy conditions, but today could be a different story as today’s weather forecast is predicting a warm dry day, that should at least put some predictability on the Monaghan roads.

The official programme has Eugene Donnelly at number one, but last year’s winner is a non starter as is Eamon Boland whose new Lancer WRC is not quite ready. Other changes to the entry list include Francis Kenny who is sitting with Sean Gallagher in car 12, Tralee’s Jakes Kelly is in the hot seat with Cathal Arthurs in his recently acquired Hyundai Accent WRC and Fabian McShane has agreed to step in with Dessie Keenan. Local superstar Dessie Keenan has made a last minute entry despite his commitment to the Tarmac championship, and the Circuit of Ireland GpN winner will no doubt be one to watch today. The Keenan family are fully represented with Dad Enda at 26 in his Escort and should set the 2wd pace while his sister Laura has changed to the driver seat and will be piloting the family 106 and run at car number 110.

It would be very easy to say this rally will be a two horse race but there are plenty of drivers capable of winning today. Adrian McElvanney runs at 5 today, and is another local man quite capable of setting the pace, but it could be Kevin Lynch who really upsets the apple cart. Lynch is on top form, he won last weekend on the Wicklow Forestry event, but his Easter stages victory a couple of weeks ago was particularly impressive. The Dungiven man has yet to win at Dunlop National Championship level, but his first win cannot be far away.

This will be the first proper rally for Glenn Allen since his big accident on last years Lakeland stages, he and local co driver Damien Connolly proved they could be a match for anyone last year, it will be interesting to see their pace today.

Dessie Keenan should be the pace setter in GpN today but other drivers worth watching include Gabriel Martin, Willie Fannin, John Cairns while a bit further back is Sean Devine. The 2wd battle will as usual be just as entertaining as Monaghan boasts some of the finest exponents of this category including Mac McKenna, Maurice Moffett and Dominic McLaughlin to name but a few. The Pirelli rally which finished yesterday saw David Higgins take the win with Alistair Ginley and Rory Kennedy taking a fine second, while Austin McHale was a non starter on the opening round of the BRC.

More News Later Michael Patterson and Zoe Todd.