TRITON Showers National Rally Championship leader Daniel Cronin (VW Polo GTi R5) is acutely aware of the need for a strong result on Sunday’s Bluebird Care Galway Summer Rally, the penultimate round of the eight round campaign.
‘We (with co-driver Dunmanway’s Donnchadh Burke) have a lot to do really, but I suppose we just have to go out and do our best. The event is going to be tough, they are savage tricky stages and anyone could get caught out,’ Cronin said.
This year’s national title rests between four drivers with Cronin battling against Kilkenny’s Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) and Monaghan brothers Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Sam Moffett (Hyundai i20 Rally2).
‘If we all finish Galway and the Donegal Harvest (October 12th), I suppose I’m the one that needs to be winning. I need to beat Eddie Doherty in Galway. We need to get a good pace,’ he said.
The championship quartet occupy the first four places while the likes of Declan Boyle, who is expected to debut a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Gary Kiernan (Ford Fiesta Rally2), Michael Boyle (Citroen C3 Rally2), Paul Barrett (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Kevin Gallagher (Darrian T90 GTR) are also competing. Importantly, they could split the title chasing quartet, which would have a major bearing on the outcome.
The first of the day’s nine stages is scheduled to begin at 9.20am with service halts at 11.06am (after SS3) and 1.44pm (after SS6) in Ballinasloe Mart. The finish is scheduled for 4.25pm.
