WITH the fastest times on today's pair of stages - a double run over the Ivy Hill stage near Aughnacloy - Ballylickey's Keith Cronin and Killarney's Mikie Galvin (Citroen C3 Rally 2) lead the Circuit of Ireland by 9.2 seconds.
The reigning Irish Tarmac champions proved best on what was a wet and slippery stage with copious amounts of standing water.
On the first run they led the similar Citroen of British crew James Ford/Neil Shanks with former Tarmac champions Derry's Callum Devine and Killarney's Noel O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) a mere tenth of a second further behind. Cronin admitted to a moment when the front of his Citroen moved about when he hit some standing water.
The Ballylickey ace campaigned the Citroen C3 Rally2 belonging to his younger brother Daniel due to the fact that TGM (Tom Gahan Motorsport) didn't have time to change Cronin's own car back to tarmac specification following last Saturday's British Rally Championship gravel round in Carlisle.
On the repeat of the Ivy Hill stage, Cronin was quickest once more but Devine was only 0.6s down to move into second spot overnight. Ford/Shanks overshot on the final junction and slipped to seventh with top seeds and last year's winners Matt Edwards/ David Moynihan (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) - who were the top seeds - moving into third - 15.9s behind Cronin/Galvin.
The event concludes tomorrow with a loop of three stages repeated three times, SS3 beginning just before 9.00am.
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin are supported by M Group of Companies, Shane Casey Electrical Services, Michelin Tyres, Cronin’s Centra (Ballylickey, Union Hall, Leap, Millstreet and Dundrum), Cronin’s HomeValue Hardware, Daybreak Westlink, Cremin Coaches, Keohane Seafoods, Citroën Racing, and Race and Rally Motorsport. Their Citroën C3 Rally 2 is prepared and run by Tom Gahan Motorsport.
Meanwhile, Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney and his Blackpool co-driver Liam Brennan (Skoda Fabia R5) are 24th overnight.
Circuit of Ireland Rally
(Round 2: NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, Dungannon)
1. K. Cronin/M. Galvin (Citroen C3 Rally2) 13m. 08.0s.
2. C. Devine/N. O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+9.8s.
3. M. Edwards/D. Moynihan (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)+15.9s.
4. J. Moffett/A. Hayes (Hyundai i20 R5)+21.6s.
5. C. McCourt/B. McNulty (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)+24.0s.
6. E. Doherty/T. Murphy (Skoda Fabia Rally2)+26.4s.
7. J. Ford/N. Shanks (Citroen C3 rally2)+26.9s.
8.D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+28.1s.
9. D. Kelly/A. Kierans (VW Polo GTi R5)+39.7s.
10. P. Barrett/D. Kelly (Citroen C3 Rally2)+42.1s.
24. J. McSweeney/L. Brennan (Skoda Fabia R5)+1m. 52.6s.
