ONCE again, there was bitter disappointment for Ballylickey's Keith Cronin and his Killarney co-driver Mikie Galvin on the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney.
Having built up a 13.7 second lead after the opening loop of three stages they crashed out on the fourth stage. Fortunately, they escaped injury after their Citroen C3 Rally2 clipped a bank and barrel-rolled several times before coming to a halt.
Their demise in Killarney has dealt a huge blow to a successful defence of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title. Since Saturday, Cronin has withdrawn his entry for the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland (round three of the British Rally Championship) in two weeks’ time where he was the top seed following his victory there last year. It remains to be seen what happens next.
Ardfield co-driver Gary Lombard (right) and Ladysbridge driver Darragh Walsh (Honda Civic) celebrate their victory in the Junior Rally of the Lakes.
The event, the third round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, was, for the fourth successive year, won by Derry's Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) and his Killarney co-driver Noel O'Sullivan. They finished 14 seconds ahead of Welsh driver Meirion Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and Killarney's Ger Conway. Another Welsh driver Matt Edwards (Hyundai i20 Rally2) and Mallow-born co-driver David Moynihan were 4.3 seconds further behind in third.
Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney (Skoda Fabia R5) and Blackpool's Liam Brennan were the top County Cork crew. They finished 13th overall and were the recipients of the Tom Nyhan Cup (best overall Cork crew), and they also won Class 20.
Newcestown's Adrian Deasy partnered Killarney's Alan Ring (BMW M3) to victory in the Historic category. Ardfield co-driver Gary Lombard partnered Ladysbridge driver Darragh Walsh (Honda Civic) to victory in the Junior category, receiving the Gerard Horgan Memorial plaque. The Carrigfadda crew of Pat Calnan/Ray Shanahan (Ford Fiesta R2) won Class 22 and Bantry's Noel Hurley and co-driver Matthew Byrne (Mitsubishi Lancer E4) took top spot in Class 15.
Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney (Skoda Fabia R5) and Blackpool's Liam Brennan were the top County Cork crew in Killarney. They finished 13th overall.
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Pre-event championship leader Keith Cronin made a great start with the quickest time over the opening stage near Headford where he was 5.6 seconds ahead of Devine. On the second stage (Lisbabe) Cronin continued to set the pace and led by 11 seconds with Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) his closest opponent. On the final stage of the opening loop Cronin was fractionally quicker than Evans and arrived at the service park at the Liebherr complex with a 13.7 second advantage.
‘There's a lot of loose gravel on the first two stages, the third stage is fine,’ he said, adding, ‘I'm not 100 per cent confident yet (with the car), we made a few improvements and they are working well but I have a small bit of understeer.’
Evans, on what was the first appearance of a Toyota GR Yaris on the Killarney event, also remarked on the gravelly nature of the opening pair of stages and was surprised to encounter water on one corner of the second stage. Devine was 5.1 seconds further behind in third with Edwards occupying fourth place, 19.1 seconds behind Cronin. Having impressed on SS2, Doherty struggled on SS3 and dropped to fifth. Jason McSweeney was 15th, commenting ‘I was a bit hesitant on the first stage, the second one was fine and I had more confidence through the third stage. It's all about seat time.’
Crookstown's Philip Cross (left) and Rathbarry's Joseph O'Sullivan at the service park in the Liebherr complex.
On the fourth stage (a repeat of SS1) Cronin's rally came to a dramatic end. As his Citroen C3 Rally2 approached a left-hand corner, the front left wheel appeared to be airborne. As he tried to make allowances for the understeer he experienced at the location on the previous occasion (SS1) his Citroen moved to the right and in an instant clipped the right-hand bank that flipped the car into a high speed roll. Thankfully, Cronin and co-driver Mikie Galvin escaped injury. The stage interruption rule was applied to the competitors immediately behind. Cronin's departure allowed Evans to inherit top spot, 2.5 seconds ahead of Edwards with Devine one second further behind and 1.3 seconds ahead of Doherty.
By the end of Saturday, and after stages wins on SS8 and SS9, Edwards held a 4.8 seconds lead over Evans with Devine a mere half a second further behind in third. McSweeney was 11th at the overnight halt.
Newcestown's Adrian Deasy (left) and Killarney's Alan Ring (BMW M3) won the Historic category of the Rally of the Lakes.
Devine's knowledge of the renowned Moll's Gap and Ballaghbeama stages ultimately decided the event. A statement drive on ‘The Gap’ on Sunday saw him move into the lead and another stage win on Ballaghbeama stretched his lead on his way to victory.
Ardfield's Anthony O'Sullivan and Welsh driver Meirion Evans (Ford Escort) were second in the Historic section. In the classes, Ballincollig co-driver Brian Duggan (with Killarney's Fergus O'Meara, BMW M3) won Class 19; Clonakilty's Eamonn and Lisa McCarthy (Honda Civic) were second in Class 11F; The Pike's Peter Keohane and co-driver Brian Keohane were second in Class 22; Kilmartyra's JJ Cremin partnered Limerick's Keith Lyons (Ford Fiesta Rally2) to third in Class 24.
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Meanwhile, Clonakilty’s David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) and Ballyvourney’s Gerard Lucey (Ford Fiesta R5) are amongst the entry for Sunday’s Mitchelstown-based Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally.
