Fastnet Rally preview

O’Donoghue Targets Billy Coleman Award nomination

This weekend’s Fastnet Rally will feature at least 14 cars with Kerry interest.

Colin O’Donoghue could wrap up the Triton Showers National Junior Rally Championship on the Bantry-based event. If the Ford Escort driver is successful he will secure one of the final selection spots for the Billy Coleman Young Driver of the Year Award. 

Kieran Reen/Mark O’Leary (Honda Civic EK4), fresh from their category win on the recent Cork ‘20’ Rally, will go head-to-head with Jason Farrell/Donagh Crowley and Connor Murphy/Kieran O’Donoghue who are in another pair of locally owned Civics. Reen could win the Junior element of the Southern 4 Rally championship depending on his results against main title rival Chris Brady.

Fastnet Rally main field

With the Killarney Historic Rally fast-approaching and the absence of a Kerry Winter Rally this year, many local drivers are using this event as a shakedown for the late November rally.

Chief amongst these is Alan Ring who is racing his BMW M3 for the second time. Former Rally of the Lakes winners Denis Cronin and Helen O’Sullivan make a welcome return in their historic-spec Ford Escort RS1800. 

There is a fleet Killarney-based modified Escorts on the entry list crewed by Dave Slattery/Denis Coffey, Denis Hickey/Sean Nolan and Charlie Hickey/Johnny Hickey, while Vincent O’Shea and Eoin O’Donoghue are entered in their unusual BMW M1. 

Kevin O’Donoghue and Timmy Kelly could win their Group in the Southern Four Rally Championship with a good result on Sunday.

Killarney and District Motor Club chairman Diarmuid and Danny Cronin make a rare competitive outing in their Peugeot 206.

Local co-driver Brian Doherty resumes his partnership with Keith Lyons. He last worked with the Ford Fiesta R5 driver in the Rally of the Lakes in May.