DUNMANWAY’S Jason McSweeney (Ford Escort WRC) clinched the Irish Tarmac Historic Rally Championship with a hard-earned victory in the Historic category of last weekend's MRF Tyres Cork '20' Rally – the final and deciding round of the series.

Co-driven by Blackpool's Liam Brennan, they finished 32.8s ahead of the Subaru Legacy of Waterford’s Ray Breen and his co-driver Damien Morrissey.

Although Tyrone's Ronan Campbell (Ford Escort) had a five point pre-event championship lead over both McSweeney and Breen, a victory for either of the latter on the Cork '20' – given that the event had a championship co-efficient of 1.5 – would deliver championship success.

It really was a winner-takes-all scenario.

‘It’s brilliant, but it was a team effort, especially with Liam (McCarthy) and Kieran (Murphy) and Tom (Gahan) and all the lads in TGM (Tom Gahan Motorsport) along with Donal (O'Donovan) and Frank (O'Mahony),’ a delighted McSweeney remarked.

‘Yes, it was tough. We had a big moment on the first stage and probably an even bigger one on the last stage as we were on the wrong tyres when the road had dried up. I know there was someone looking down on us. I’m absolutely thrilled and for my family too.’

For McSweeney, who lost the lead of the series on the Ulster Rally, championship success rested on victory in the Cork '20'. The fact that this year's Munster Car Club organised event was returning to the Macroom region after several years heightened the interest and the fascination, with iconic stages like Kilnamartyra, Lough Allua and Mullaghanish, to mention but a few.

Breen made the better start and set the pace on the opening stage at Cobbler's Cross to lead by 5.6s. McSweeney admitted he had a huge moment halfway through the stage and backed off. He cut the deficit to 1.5s when he was quickest through SS2 (Lissarda). On the repeat of both stages, and while Breen edged 2.7s clear on SS3, McSweeney took a stage win on SS4 to move into a lead he subsequently never relinquished.

But it was far from easy as Breen, a national rally champion in 2005, showed great pace. Saturday afternoon's stages – a double run over Kilnamartyra and Lough Allua – demanded total concentration for McSweeney. His performance on SS6 (Lough Allua) saw him establish a key 15.4s advantage. However, by the end of the day (SS8), Breen had cut the deficit to 11.9s.

Wet conditions on Sunday's six (3x2) stages added an extra dimension. On the Coolea and Mullaghanish stages, Breen trimmed the margin to 7.6s but on Butter Road, McSweeney got some breathing space as he led by 15.3s.

At the Macroom service park, McSweeney acknowledged Breen's pace.

‘He's going hard, that’s for sure.’

After a brief pause, he added: ‘He's not going away either.’

McSweeney's Escort WRC wasn't turning in properly and he had a few skirmishes with some bales that brought slight cosmetic damage. A change in damper settings rectified the situation. Yet there was no time for slackening pace as Breen brought the gap down to 7.2s prior to the final stage. His Subaru began to have a clutch issue but the Waterford driver was magnanimous and reckoned it wouldn't have made any difference and he wouldn't have caught McSweeney.

The MRF Tyres Cork ‘20’ Rally brought dual celebrations as Kilkenny’s Eddie Doherty, co-driven by Limerick’s Tom Murphy (Skoda Fabia Rally2), took their maiden victory in a round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship when they finished 48.8 seconds in front of the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of Monaghan's Josh Moffett and his Wexford co-driver Andy Hayes, who clinched the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship for a third time in eight years having previously won in 2018 and 2022.

Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and his Castlemartyr co-driver Padraig O'Donovan finished eighth overall, while Ovens driver Owen Murphy (Citroen C3 Rally2) and his co-driver Anthony Nestor were 13th.

Moffett and Doherty dominated proceedings.

The former leading through the opening pair of stages before Doherty led for the first time (after SS3) only for Moffett to regain the spot on SS4.

Doherty went back in front on SS5 and maintained top spot for the remainder of the event.

In essence, both achieved their goals. Moffett's bid for a third Tarmac title rested on a top three championship finish.

Michael Keohane (Century Motorsport) won the Master's categrory in Round 14 of the Carwow Porsche Carrera GB series. (Photo: Jakob Ebrey)

For his part, Doherty knew that championship success was outside his control but a maiden win in a round of the Tarmac championship was well within his compass. Neither driver had any real drama but their respective drives demanded precision and for Moffett, a degree of patience so as not to get sucked into a battle with Doherty. On more than one occasion the Monaghan driver admitted that he would have liked to “race” Doherty over the iconic stages.

Doherty (29) became the 71st different driver to win a round of the ITRC and Moffett (34), with three ITRC titles, remains on course to win all three Irish rally championships in the same season.

Donegal's Eamonn Kelly (Toyota GR Yaris Raly2) took a confidence-boosting third place and a fine battle for fourth wasn't decided until the final stage and went the way of Welsh ace and former British Rally champion Matt Edwards, who performed admirably in a VW Polo GTi R5.

Keelan Grogan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), who took a maiden ITRC stage win on Saturday, continues to improve and held fourth until that final stage before finishing sixth.

The event was well organised and the return to the stages around Macroom was a huge success.

Meanwhile, Macroom's Simon Duggan/Shane O'Callaghan (Honda Civic) were one of the few local crews to secure a class win, taking victory in Class 11F, where Ballygarvan's Jonathan O'Brien and Rathbarry’s Niall O'Sullivan (Honda Civic) were third.

Indeed, Class 11F seemed destined for a great ending for Macroom's Barry O'Brien (Honda Civic) and his Rossmore co-driver Declan Buttimer, who led Duggan/O'Callaghan by over a minute and 40 seconds with three stages remaining and were on course to clinch a class win in both the rally and the ITRC. Agonisingly, they were forced to withdraw at the service park due to a burst gearbox casing.

Bealad's Fred Kelleher (Ford Fiesta) and Rathbarry's Joseph O'Sullivan finished second in Class 2A – they suffered a bent rear axle following an altercation with a wall and also had a major moment, both on SS4.

Inchigeelagh native Cyril Casey (Ford Fiesta), who was third in the same class, was thrilled to have finally been able to compete on the Lough Allua stage. Next week we will review the performances of some of the other local crews.

Elsewhere, although clutch issues eventually forced Michael Keohane to retire from the opening race of the Carwow Porsche Carrera Great Britain series in Silverstone last Sunday, he bounced back in style to claim victory in the Masters category in the second race, where he also finished seventh overall.

Qualifying P1 (Masters), Keohane made good progress and held ninth from the fourth lap until he spun on lap 14 and, due to a clutch issue, he couldn't get back on track.

In the second race, from P8 he moved ahead of team-mate Carl Cavers early in the race and also picked off Stephen Jelley in a run that was similar to his second race in Croft.

‘It felt great to be back at Silverstone. The pace was very fast. I thought I would have been quicker in qualifying,’ Keohane said

‘It was nice to get the win in the second race. I can't believe we have only one more race weekend (Brands Hatch next week). The season has flown by so quickly. I'm really enjoying it.’