Cronin and Galvin’s Ulster victory ensures title fight goes to the wire

Cronin and Galvin’s Ulster victory ensures title fight goes to the wire

Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin’s victory on Saturday’s Modern Tyres Ulster Rally ensures that the fight for Irish Tarmac Championship honours will go to the final round in Cork in September.

Their closest title rivals are defending champions Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan which means that the co-driver’s trophy will almost certainly stay in Killarney.  

The Ulster victory means that  Cronon and Galvin extend their lead in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship to 15 points ahead of the final round in Cronin’s home county next month.

A second-place finish should be enough to secure the title but Cronin is well aware that anything can happen in rallying.

“There’s so many anomalies in this sport, anything can happen.  We needed a win, so that was a good win, but anything can happen on the next rally,” said the Ford Fiesta Rally2 driver.

“It is great to get the win here today. They were tough stages, conditions were mixed, and on that last loop I didn’t think I’d have to push, but Callum started to push so we had to up it a bit again.  I’m delighted with the result. They were some of the toughest stages you’d come across.”

 Galvin, who previously won the Ulster with Cronin seven years ago, was also delighted with the outcome.

 “It’s nice to be back, we’ve had a bit of bad luck in the last few, the year started so well, then we had a couple of events with bad luck, so it’s so nice to be back,” he said.  “I never thought that after being here in 2017 when we won it, being back in 2024 to win it again is super.”

Devine and O’Sullivan finished 15.4 seconds in arrears but their result ensure the Skoda Fabia crew go to Cork as realistic title contenders.

 “Keith and Mikie drove brilliantly all day,” said O’Sullivan. “This is great for the championship and great for Irish rallying. “

Dublin-based Currow co-driver John McCarthy finished fifth in the National category alongside Banbridge-based John Devlin in a Ford Escort Mk2.

Ciara Griffin from Duagh was alongside Jonathan Strain but they retired their Puegoet 106 with gearbox problems.

The attention of Cronin and Galvin and Devine and O’Sullivan next turns to Rali Ceredigion in Wales at the end of the month.

The rally is a round of both the British and European Rally Championships.

 “It counts for two rounds of the British Championship, but I won’t think about it for a day or two though, I’ll just enjoy this one,” said Cronin who is attempting to win both the Irish and British titles in the one year.

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