Defending modified champion Rob Duggan has not entered Killarney Historic Rally

Defending modified champion Rob Duggan has not entered Killarney Historic Rally

There will be a new name on the winner’s trophy for the modified section of next month’s Rentokil Initial Killarney Historic Rally.
Last year’s winner Rob Duggan and 2019 winner Colin O’Donoghue have not entered this year’s rally.
Duggan is the only driver to have won both the modified category (2016, 2017 and 2021) and the overall historic title (2019) has moved to Australia for work reasons and a planned return home for the rally did not materialise.
Duggan’s regular co-driver Ger Conway has teamed up with Monaghan’s Gary McPhillips for the seven-stage event on December 3. Conway will secure the co-driver’s element of the Kingdom of Kerry Rally Championship by virtue of the one start point he will get on the Saturday morning of the rally.
O’Donoghue’s Ford Escort is still being rebuilt after failing to finish the Rally of the Lakes in May.
The 2018 event winner Declan Gallagher from Donegal has not placed an entry either
Killarney and District Motor Club has revealed a packed-to-capacity- entry list for the forthcoming Killarney Historic Rally.
A total of 75 historic rally cars have entered leaving just 75 spaces for the popular, but secondary, modified class.
That leaves last year’s runners-up Kevin Eves and Chris Melly from County Donegal as the top seeds for the rally. In their Toyota Corolla
Cavan men Gary Kiernan and Daren O’Brien start at two(77) in their Ford Escort.
Conor Murphy and Sean Collins are the top local crews in the rally in another Ford Escort.
Former three-time Dessie Keenan from Monaghan makes his first appearance on the rally since 2016.
“I am really looking forward to getting back down, The Gap three times will be interesting,” said the former Billy Coleman Award winner.

Meath’s Jack Newman, the early leader of the recent Kerry Winter Rally is another top contender as is Donegal’s Martin McGee.
Jason Black and Karl Eagan from Armagh, the recently crowned National Two-wheel drive champions will compete in their usual Toyota Starlet.
Brothers Sam and Josh Moffett start at eight (83) and nine (84). Sam has been a regular competitor in the modified classes this year in his Toyota Starlet, but this will be Josh’s first outing in a Class 14 Escort.
The main historic field is boosted by the appearance of World Rally Champion stars Craig Breen and Paul Nagle who are defending their 2021 title in an ex-Frank Meagher Ford Sierra Cosworth.
Last year’s runner-up, local man Alan Ring is the third seed in the Historic Rally category in his Subaru Legacy.
The rally will get underway with a Ceremonial Start in Killarney town centre from 630pm on Friday, December 3,

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