West Cork attracts bustling Irish Tarmac entry

The Acesigns Irish Tarmac Rally Championship travels to the ever-popular West Cork Rally for its second round of 2022. A fully booked entry of 200 cars is West Cork’s reward for putting on a two-day international rally that is always savoured by crews, spectators, and locals alike.

West Cork’s 14 stages over Saint Patrick’s weekend include favourites Ardfield, Ring, and Sam’s Cross.

Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes will be hoping to continue their impressive form so far this year. The Galway International Rally winners are seeded second in West Cork as they bid for their and Hyundai’s first win in Clonakilty.

Moffett’s i20 R5 will follow Alastair Fisher and Gordon Noble’s Volkswagen Polo R5 down West Cork’s opening Ardfield test. The Fermanagh-Tyrone crew had a tough start to their latest Irish Tarmac campaign. A puncture and collision with a bank on Galway’s final day of action meant they left round one seventh in the championship standings.

Fisher was Craig Breen’s nearest challenger in West Cork three years ago, the event hasn’t run since 2019, and the Polo pilot will be hoping to reinvigorate his championship challenge with that form.

West Cork’s top three seeds are completed by Galway’s third-place finisher Callum Devine. The Ford Fiesta Rally2 driver will be joined by co-driver Shane Byrne for the first time.

Galway runner-up Meirion Evans cannot be ruled out as a West Cork contender. His pace on round one was recognised by many as he and Jonathan Jackson took the fight to Moffett in typically Irish conditions.

Top-five challengers in Galway; Garry Jennings, Cathan McCourt, and Daniel Cronin all continue their campaign in West Cork. They’ll be joined by Jonathan Greer who gives the Citroen C3 Rally2 its Irish Tarmac Rally Championship debut and Owen Murphy who brings his R5 Fiesta to the Saint Patrick’s Day party.

Rally4

After a debut R5 drive earlier this month, Eamonn Kelly and Conor Mohan will hope to bounce back from their DNF in Galway’s Rally4 category. They lead the RC4 entries in West Cork ahead of Galway’s class winner Ryan Caldwell and runner-up Joseph Kelly.

James Boland, Jason O’Rourke, and Aoife Raftery round out the competitive category.