Ballylickey driver Daniel Cronin clinches third spot in National Rally Championship
BY MARTIN WALSH
DELICATELY poised, with just 5.3 seconds separating the top three entering the final stage of an absorbing Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally, Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (Hyundai i20 R5) and his Abbeyfeale co-driver Keith Moriarty came through to take event victory and back-to-back Triton Showers National Rally Championship titles.
They finished 7.4 seconds ahead of their season-long championship rivals, Derry’s Callum Devine (VW Polo GTi R5) and his Killarney co-driver Noel O’Sullivan.
Locals Ballylickey’s Daniel Cronin and Dunmanway’s Donnchadh Burke (VW Polo GTi R5) were right on the pace and actually led the rally from the first until the fifth stage. They regained the lead after SS6 and began the final stage a mere 0.9s behind Moffett/Moriarty.
About midway on the Mount Gabriel stage (SS8) they slid off and were marooned for almost 30 seconds and they had to be content with third – a position that secured third overall in the Triton series. Interestingly, the top three places in the rally reflected the same final positions in the national standings.
Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (right) with the Vard Memorial Trophy and his Abbeyfeale co-driver Keith Moriarty with the Fastnet Rally Trophy. (Photo: Martin Walsh)
When the action began on Sunday morning on the 15.81km stage along the Mizen Head, Cronin headed the time sheets, albeit 0.2s ahead of Moffett. Surprisingly, Devine was a little detached from the leading duo – 11.8s adrift of Moffett, the reason being that a gamble to use slick tyres didn’t pay dividends. Omagh’s Patrick O’Brien, who was seeded at number four in his all new Skoda Fabia Rally2, crashed soon after the stage start and the stage was neutralised with all the remaining competitors being awarded Devine’s stage time.
Cronin continued his fine form and despite clipping a wheel on the Mount Gabriel stage he actually extended his advantage over Moffett to 2.6 seconds. Devine was best on the stage that was much drier than Mizen Head, however, he was 8.8 seconds behind Moffett. Kilkenny’s Eddie Doherty impressed on his R5 debut, bringing his Skoda Fabia R5 into fourth place.
Clonakilty’s Cal McCarthy (Citroen C3 Rally2) was fifth – he punctured close to the finish but time loss was relatively minimal. Another local, Dunmanway’s Jason McSweeney (Skoda Fabia R5) completed the top six.
On what was his favourite stage, Cronin was best of the trio through Mount Kid (SS3) and duly extended his lead over Moffett to 4.7 seconds. On roads that contained copious amounts of standing water, Devine haemorrhaged more time and was 15.5 seconds adrift of Moffett. McCarthy slotted into fourth, followed by the similar car of Welsh ace Steve Wood as Eamonn Kelly in the car his father Donagh drove to victory in the 2019 Fastnet Rally, holding sixth. Previous incumbent of the spot, Dunmanway’s Jason McSweeney slid off backwards into the dyke on a right hander. Although spectators helped to get his Skoda back on stage he lost significant time and was classified 40th at the stage finish. Donegal’s Declan Gallagher (Toyota Starlet) led the modified category.
Moffett was best on the second run over the Mizen Had and duly cut Cronin’s advantage to 2.2 seconds. Devine and McCarthy retained their respective positions. Cronin admitted to making a few errors on SS5 as Moffett moved into the lead for the first time, a mere 0.2 of a second ahead of the Ballylickey driver. Devine posted the best stage time and to close to within 8.6 seconds of leader Moffett. Then, on SS6, the repeat of Mount Kid, Cronin set another fastest time to regain the lead.
At the final service halt, the Ballylickey driver was a second ahead of Moffett with Devine 8.7 seconds further behind. Kelly and McCarthy traded places with Doherty occupying sixth. Gallagher headed the two-wheel drive contingent. There were initial concerns that the third run over Mizen Head would be cancelled (due to flooding), but fortunately it proceeded as planned.
A hard-charging Devine kept his Triton title hopes alive – he topped the time sheets – and while Moffett displaced Cronin as rally leader for the second time, a 5.3-second margin covered the top trio with Moffett leading Cronin by just 0.9s and Devine 4.4 seconds behind the Ballylickey driver. The remaining four positions, including McCarthy in fifth, were unchanged.
Unfortunately, Jason McSweeney’s rally came to an end when he crashed out.
In a season that began in Longford last March, all hinged on the 15.03km Mount Gabriel stage.
To add to the drama, it rained heavily whilst the stage was in progress. Moffett arrived safely at the stage finish having managed to get through the majority of the stage before it rained. Behind and unknowingly, his rivals had lost time on a square left after a chicane. Devine slid off but powered his way out of trouble. Cronin was in difficulty at the very same location where rain made the road surface akin to sheet ice, his excursion saw his car go further into the soft ground. The Ballylickey ace, who won the rally back in 2016, was able to restart and get his car back on stage (with some cosmetic damage) but agonisingly, had lost almost 30 seconds.
The upshot of the late drama resulted in Moffett clinching the Triton title and the rally win. Devine was second, 7.4 seconds behind with Cronin another 23.6 seconds behind. Kelly also slipped off at the same location and took over 17 minutes to get back on stage and finished 80th.
Doherty inherited fourth with McCarthy, who had already decided to ease off to secure a finish, taking fifth place. Gallagher (sixth) netted the two-wheel drive category, his rival Chris Armstrong (Ford Escort) was one of the late retirements. The remaining places in the top ten were secured by Wood, Killarney’s Conor Murphy (Escort), Limerick’s Colm Murphy (Subaru), who won Group N along with Kinsale’s Don Montgomery; Mayo’s John Warren (Toyota Corolla) was tenth.
Results: 1. Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty (Hyundai i20 R5) 57m. 00.9s; 2. Callum Devine/Noel O'Sullivan (VW Polo GTi R5)+7.4s; 3. Daniel Cronin/Donnchadh Burke (VW Polo GTi R5)+31.0s; 4. Eddie Doherty/Tom Murphy (Skoda Fabia R5) +3m. 05.0s; 5. Cal McCarthy/Eric Calnan (Citroen C3 Rally2) 3m. 05.5s; 6. Declan Gallagher/Gavin Doherty (Toyota Starlet) 3m. 43.5s; 7. Steve Wood/Kenny Hull (Citroen C3 Rally2) +4m. 12.8s; 8. Conor Murphy/Sean Collins (Ford Escort) +4m. 2.7s; 9. Colm Murphy/Don Montgomery (Subaru Impreza N12B) +4m. 54.4s; 10. John Warren/Ruthann O'Connor (Toyota Corolla) +6m. 11.1s.
