Doherty leads the chase in Clare Rally

Doherty leads the chase in Clare Rally
The 2025 Triton Showers National Rally Championship moves into its penultimate act this Sunday with the Loughrea Plant & Tool Hire Clare Stages Rally, promoted by Clare Motor Club and based once again out of Ennis.
The return of much-loved stages such as Ruan and Ballinruan adds extra spice to the nine-stage contest, which brings together all the leading contenders in what has been one of the most competitive championship campaigns in recent seasons.
The title race remains wide open with just two rounds left.
Kilkenny driver Eddie Doherty, co-driven by Tom Murphy from Askeaton, heads the table on 91 points after a season that has yielded two victories and a string of consistent finishes.
Ten points back is the reigning champion Josh Moffett from Clontibret, partnered by Abbeyfeale’s Keith Moriarty.
Declan Boyle and Patrick Walsh are only a further two points adrift, with Derry’s Desi Henry still in striking range on 75.
With dropped scores still to come into play, no one can afford a misstep in Clare.
Doherty’s breakthrough victory in Tralee back in April was the moment his title charge caught fire.

He followed it with another win in Sligo, and although mechanical issues robbed him of victory in his home event at Raven’s Rock, his ability to fight back has kept him at the head of the standings.
Josh Moffett is attempting to extend an unprecedented run of National titles, and although his season has not been flawless, victories in Cavan and the ALMC Hellfire Rally show that he is still the benchmark.
Switching machinery during the season has not slowed his pace, and with Moriarty back at his side, the Monaghan man remains a title favourite.
Declan Boyle has put together one of his best National campaigns in years. Driving the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 with Patrick Walsh, he has been a regular podium visitor and scored an excellent second place in Sligo.

While outright victories have eluded him so far, his ability to stay in the points has kept him right in the mix, only a handful of points behind Moffett.
Another strong result would ensure he takes the title battle down to the wire in Bantry.
Henry, co-driven by Dean O’Sullivan, switched to a Ford Fiesta earlier in the year and quickly found his rhythm with podiums and top-five finishes.

At the ALMC Rally, he looked set for second before a late puncture dropped him down the order.

With 75 points on the board, he still has a mathematical chance of stealing the crown, and if he can finally convert his pace into victory, the Clare Stages could set him up for a grandstand finish at the Fastnet.
Among the top seeds, Andrew Purcell from Slievrue is one of the big unknowns.
He and Cork’s Liam Brennan are making their first National start of the season in a new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, using Clare as a shakedown ahead of Wexford.
While Purcell is not in the title hunt, his pace is well-known, and he has the potential to upset the championship order.
The Boyle brothers, Michael and Matthew, are both inside the top ten in the championship. Michael, co-driven by Dermot McCafferty, sits tied seventh on 50 points, while Matthew, alongside Gary Byrne, is sixth overall with 51.
Others to watch
Triton Showers boss Paul Barrett from Maynooth, with Darragh Kelly alongside in a Citroën C3 Rally2, is also tied on 50 points and brings steady pace and reliability to the table.
Gary Kiernan has 38 points to his name. After a strong showing at the ALMC Rally, an event he led briefly, he is now very comfortable in his Fiesta Rally2. Junior European Rally Championship event winner Conor Smith is alongside this time around.
Tom Holton Jnr and Stephen Joyce round out the top-seeded crews, currently 12th in the series but proving capable of top ten stage times.
Bantry’s Daniel Cronin, co-driven by Padraig O’Donovan, completes the leading Rally2 entry in their Citroen.
Modified and Rally4 Battles
While the focus will be on the overall championship, Clare will also see big competition in the Modified and Rally4 categories.
Virginia’s Chris Armstrong tops a strong Escort line-up that also includes Tim Flood, Sean Moran, Stephen Faughnan, Barry McLaughlin, Mickey Conlon, and Mike Quinn.
Brian Brady, fresh from his Class 13 win in Oldcastle adds front-wheel-drive spice in his Honda Civic.
In Rally4, Cian Caldwell and Oran England have traded wins throughout the season, while local drivers Michael Fitzgibbon and Dean Murphy will carry the Clare colours in their Peugeot 208s.
The class has provided some of the closest battles of the season, and Sunday should be no different.
Dean Raftery returns to National competition in a Ford Fiesta Rally3, his first outing since Longford in March and is the leading class 4 entry.
Donegal’s Ronan Dorrian is the favourite to seal the National Junior crown in his Honda Civic.
Local ace Anthony O’Halloran will lead the Dacia Sandero Cup entrants.
Overseas visitors include Martin Donnelly, home from New York and and Richard Dalton from Australia.

EVENT DETAILS
Rally HQ Hotel Woodstock
Saturday, September 6, mechanical scrutiny at Clare Marts Complex V95 C586

Sunday, September 7, first car starts, 9.00am, first car finished 1642pm
Full route details, entry list, timetable and stage maps are published in the official programme, which is on sale locally this week.

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