Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally Preview

The Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally is three weeks away but entries have already topped the 200 mark (inclusive of all categories) and its shaping up to be an extremely competitive event. Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes (Citroen C3) have won the rally for the past two years but will face one of their stiffest assignments this year with challenges coming from muiltiple sources. Keith Cronin, Matt Edwards, William Creighton, Gary Kiernan & Ryan Loughran are all Fiesta mounted while reigning Tarmac Champions Callum Devine & Noel O’Sullivan will bring their trusy VW Polo to the fray. There is plenty of local interest at the top end too including David Guest, Cal McCarthy, Jason McSweeney, and Owen Murphy.
William Creighton in particular will be a potential dark horse with his undoubted talent and experience of the West Cork roads over the past number of years in the Rally3 Fiesta. William said “The main aim for the weekend is to get kilometres in the Rally 2 Fiesta on tarmac as we build towards the WRC2 in Croatia. I’ve competed on the West Cork in Rally 3 & Rally 4 cars and have always enjoyed the event and the atmosphere on St.Patricks weekend. To have the opportunity from the Motorsport Ireland Academy to compete on one of the best rallies in Ireland in a top car, the M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally 2, is something I’m really looking forward to. There is a great buzz surrounding the ITRC this year and the competition is tough. I’ve been lucky to rally at WRC level over the past few seasons – as a result I haven’t been able to compete as much in Ireland, so I’m really looking forward to rallying at home with friends on St.Patricks weekend”.
Modified entries to date include Frank Kelly will be looking to build on his fine result in Galway but will face a stiff challenge from the likes of John Dalton, Kevin Eves, Jonathan Pringle, Gary McPhillips, Colin Byrne and John Bonner who are just some of the drivers jostling for top honours. The Historic section is well supported with last years winner Duncan Williams, Neil Williams, Gwyndaf Evans, Ray Breen, John O’Donnell & Wayne Evans amongst the entry. The very competitve Rally 4 Class sees entries from Keelan Grogan, Ryan McHugh, Ioan Lloyd, Casey Jay Coleman & Kalum Graffin. Local entries include Jerry O’Mahony who will be looking to compete on his 39th West Cork Rally, a remarkable record, as well as Eoghan Calnan, Steve Roberts, Gerard O’Connell and last years Junior winner Darragh O’Donovan.
Prospective entrants are reminded that entries close on Friday 1st March and to be on the published seeded list you will need to have your entry in by that date. The rally runs as a three day event for the first time this year (15th -17th March)

You can login to the http://www.corkmotorclub.com website for more information.

Header Image: Pictured at the launch of the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally were (left to right):  Cllr. Joe Carroll, deputising for Cllr. Frank O’Flynn, Mayor of the County of Cork, David Henry, general manager Clonakilty Park Hotel, Keela Hodgins, Clonakilty Chamber of Commerce, Ed Twomey, Clonakilty West Cork Rally Committee, Greg McCarthy, chairperson Cork Motor Club, Cllr. Paul Hayes and Chris Hinchy, Mayor of Clonakilty. Photo by Martin Walsh.