McCarthy secures class award on forest rallying debut

CLONAKILTY husband and wife crew Eamonn and Lisa McCarthy made their forest rallying debut on the recent Willie Loughman Carrick on Suir Forest Rally, the final round of the Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship.

They took their TMC liveried Honda Civic to third place in Class 11F.

‘It was a last-minute decision really, we only decided a few days ago to actually put in an entry,’ Eamonn said.

‘It’s so much different to tarmac rallying, even the organisation, it’s all very relaxed. We got through everything fine although we got stuck in a drain before the arrival control of one stage.

‘The real reason we did this today is that we won’t be competing in the Fastnet Rally as we have a wedding to attend that weekend.’

There were several local co-drivers competing. Clondrohid’s Iarla McCarthy and his Offaly driver Mike Garahy (Ford Escort) had an untroubled win in Class 10; Ballyvourney’s Meabh Griffin and Kerry’s Diarmuid Lynch (Ford Escort) were third in Class 11F, Barryroe’s Dylan Doonan and Kilkennny’s Mike Ryan (Ford Fiesta) were fifth in Class 2 where Ballyvourney’s Ciara Griffin and Wexford’s Sean Cahill (Citroen C2R2) were seventh. The Pike’s Peter Keohane and his Youghal driver Ross Ryan (Citroen C1) were fourth in Class 21, they broke a driveshaft on the second stage and finished under Super Rally.

The event was won by newly-crowned champion Strabane’s Ryan Caldwell (Skoda Fabia R5), who finished one minute and 9.9s ahead of Carlow’s David Condell (Ford Fiesta).