The Cork 20 Rally has attracted a large Kerry-based entry including three co-drivers who will start in the top six.
The rally is crucial in terms of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Munster Car Club organisers of this long-standing and iconic event under the stewardship of Clerk of the Course Kevin O Riordan, say preparations are well advanced for the September 29 showdown.
An overflowing entry list was published this week.
“Not since the 2007 Cork ‘20’ have we been in a position to publish a seeded entry list with a reserve list,” said O’Riordan.
Last year’s winners in Cork and winners too in the Rally of the Lakes and the Donegal International Rally this year Callum Devine and Muckross’ Noel O’Sullivan must win the rally to have any chance of retaining the crown in their Skoda Fabia Rally2.
A second place will be enough for Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin to take the title in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Ger Conway resumes his partnership with Welsh driver Meirion Evans and they will start at six in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. They will be hoping to go one better than their second-place finish in Donegal in June.
Conor Murphy and Sean Collins are one of the top seeds in the national section in their Ford Escort Mk2.
The Escort is the weapon of choice for several Kerry crews. They include Denis Hickey/ Eoin O’Leary, Mike Quinn/ Kieran Doherty, Tadhg O’Sullivan/Keith McCarthy: Tommy Mason/ Paul McGlinchey, Brian Hickey/ Noel Murphy and Ray O’Neill and Jason O‘Connor.
Crews breaking the Ford stronghold include Darren Young and Pa Lawlor in Young’s Honda Civic and the Darrian T90 of Vincent O’Shea and Eoin O’Donoghue.
Kenneth Quirke will return home from New York: he and co-driver Brid Murphy will drive Quirke’s father Martin’s Talbot Sunbeam.
Noel Fleming and Sean Fleming will steer, Hickey’s Toyota Starlet RWD while Adrian Randles has teamed up with Denny Greaney in another Ford Escort.
Ger O’Brien and John Liston are also Ford Escort mounted, while Sam Leech will have Ava O’Driscoll on the notes in their Honda Civic.
Father and daughter John and Michelle Hickey will compete in a Subaru Impreza 555.
Sean Enright and Kevin Doherty will also drive an Escort.
Eoin Sheahan: Navigating for
Kerry-based navigator John Fleming has teamed up with Eoin Sheahan in a Honda Civic EG4. Newcomers Eugene Buckley: and Ben O’Dwyer will drive a Toyota Starlet.
In the Junior rally, Darragh Lynch will co-drive for seventh seed Dylan Sheehan in a Honda Civic. Kerry Motor Club’s Ronan Lacey is in a similar car.
As are Daniel O’Connor and Micheal O’Shea.
The Cork ’20’ will be Louise Bourke’s third-ever rally.
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