Preview: FAAC Simply Automatic / Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally 2025

Preview: FAAC Simply Automatic / Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally 2025

The Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship moves to Sligo this weekend for Round 5 — the FAAC Simply Automatic / Sligo Park Hotel Stages Rally.

Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy (Skoda Fabia R5) lead the field away at number one. Doherty, who led the series before Raven’s Rock, will aim to regain ground after power steering issues last time out.
Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty (Hyundai i20 R5) run at two. Josh shares the championship lead with brother Sam but has an edge with his dropped score.
Sam Moffett and Shane Buckley, also in a Hyundai i20 R5, start third with Buckley currently top of the co-drivers’ points table.
Raven’s Rock runners-up Desi Henry and Dean O’Sullivan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) start at four, keen to go one better.
Declan Boyle and Patrick Walsh (Skoda Fabia R5) line up at five, with Declan’s son Michael Boyle and Dermot McCaffrey (Skoda Fabia R5) at six.
Kevin Eves and Chris Melly (Ford Fiesta Rally2) are seeded seven. They impressed with a podium in Cavan but missed Waterford.
At eight are Darren Gass and Neil Shanks (Citroën C3 Rally2). Gass is making a return to the National series after last starting a round in Kerry in 2023.
Triton Showers boss Paul Barrett and Darragh Kelly (Citroën C3 Rally2) go at nine, while Jason Dickson and Martin Brady (Ford Fiesta Rally2) complete the top ten.

Modified battle
In the Modified ranks, Cavan winner Barry Morris and Dylan Doonan (Darrian T90 GTR) are back after skipping Raven’s Rock.
Also fresh from a national class win in Donegal, Aaron McIntyre and Derry Long (Toyota Starlet RWD) return to the National trail, looking to build momentum.
The Escort Mk2 challenge is led by Chris Armstrong and Darren Curran (Ford Escort) and Tim Flood and Anthony Smith (Ford Escort Mk2) and both are strong contenders for top 2WD points.
Daniel Breslin and Damian Doherty (Ford Escort RS Mk2) add some Donegal firepower to the rear-wheel-drive scrap.

Up-and-coming Class 2
The Billy Coleman Award hopefuls are well represented too: Raven’s Rock Junior Cian Caldwell and Paul McPhillips (Peugeot 208 Rally4) will battle with Oran England and Darragh Mullen (Ford Fiesta Rally4), who were third Junior at Waterford. The third Moffett family member is also on the list withTommy Moffett and Domhnall Lennon (Ford Fiesta Rally4.
National Junior championship leaders Ronan Dorrian and Mickey Joe Browne are the top seeds in the junior rally.
The route opens with the ‘Sligo Junction’ test — quick and flowing, but with a sting in the final two kilometres. Stage two, sponsored by Porter Ford, is a tighter, more technical run where precise notes will count. Stage three, the DC Fire Protection special, is more open, with long flats and brave crests to tempt the committed.
Crews tackle three loops of three stages, with two services at the Carty Group Service Park in Collooney.
A full entry of 165 cars plus eight Dacia Sandero crews will leave Parc Fermé at Sligo Retail Park, Carraroe, at 9am Sunday, with the first car due at the Connolly Cupra finish ramp at the Sligo Park Hotel from 5.30pm.
The 71-page official programme, with maps and the full entry list, will be on sale in Sligo, Tubbercurry, Collooney, Coolaney, Ballymote and Dromore West from Wednesday.