DANIEL Cronin and his Dunmanway co-driver Donnchadh Burke will be aiming to crank up their Triton Showers National Rally Championship campaign on Sunday's Cavan Rally, the third event of the eight-round series.
Trailing series leaders Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) and his Limerick co-driver Tom Murphy by 15 points, Cronin/Burke will aim for some good form that could yield a strong result.
The pair have never competed in Cavan before and that may be a disadvantage especially against the likes of the Moffett brothers from nearby Monaghan, who have vast experience of the terrain. It's a strong line-up in Cavan as it also features Donegal's Declan Boyle, who is set to debut a new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Swords ace Robert Barrable (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), Garry Jennings (Ford Fiesta Rally2); Cathan McCourt (Hyundai i20 Rally2), Derry's Desi Henry (Citroen C3 Rally2), Donegal's David Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5), local Cavan driver Gary Kiernan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Donegal's Michael Boyle, who switches to a Skoda Fabia Rally2.
Cronin has told The Southern Star that he will campaign the Citroen C3 Rally2 that his brother Keith drove to victory in the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally last March as his own car – the one Keith drove on the Circuit of Ireland and the Rally of the Lakes – is not fully repaired since the latter event.
‘The cars are the same really. On my first event in the Citroen on the Midlands Rally I was only getting accustomed to it and then on the West Cork Rally we had the roll and on the Circuit of Kerry, I picked the wrong tyres for the first stages and spent the rest of the event trying to make back time. If I could put in a few good stage times it would help the confidence,’ Cronin said.
This year's championship will conclude with the Bantry-based Fastnet Rally on October 26th. The Southern Star understands that, following a lapse of 27 years, the service park will be based in Drinagh.
Elsewhere for the Cavan event, Barryroe co-driver Dylan Doonan calls the pacenotes for Tyrone's Barry Morris (Darian T90 GTR); Clonakilty's Michael White partners Donegal's Corey Eves (Toyota Corolla); Enniskeane co-driver Sean Hayde makes a rare appearance (due to his involvement in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship) and will call the notes for Roscommon's Barry Cooper (Mitsubishi Lancer E9). In the Historic section, Kilnamartyra's JJ Cremin partners Donegal's Stuart Darcy in a BMW M3.
