NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship
Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes claimed their third West Cork Rally victory in five years after seven stage wins across the opening two days of action proved too much for their Irish Tarmac Rally Championship rivals.
A final-day charge from ITRC leaders Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan wasn’t enough to worry Moffett and Hayes, who sealed an eye-catching 9.9-second victory.
The Toyota Yaris Rally2 crew’s first ITRC victory in three years throws the championship wide open after two rounds, with Devine, Moffett, and Eddie Doherty all vying for the series’ top spot.
Moffett’s dominant performance across the three-day event marked his first victory since switching to the Toyota and demonstrated the Monaghan driver’s mastery of the challenging West Cork stages as he posted eight fastest times from the weekend’s 16 tests.
The West Cork Rally got underway with two night stages on Friday, the first of which started in Clonakilty town centre. The large crowds witnessed Moffett stamp his authority on the event immediately, going fastest on both Friday evening stages to establish a 2.2-second lead over Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy. Pre-event favourites Devine and O’Sullivan struggled with launch control issues on their Skoda Fabia Rally2 but still managed to hold third place overnight, 5.7 seconds off the lead.
Devine struggled to find the same rhythm that has seen him win his last seven Irish rallies throughout Saturday’s eight stages. Meanwhile, Doherty’s challenge was hampered by brake issues throughout Saturday morning, but the National Rally Champion fought back with a 5.2-second fastest time on Saturday’s penultimate stage, Dunworley. Moffett responded immediately, taking that time back on the day’s final Clogagh test to maintain a comfortable 21.1-second cushion heading into Sunday.
The race for second continued on Sunday morning with Doherty extending his advantage over Devine to 13.9 seconds with four stages to go. Suddenly, Devine got the bit between his teeth, posting fastest times on the next three stages to move within half a second of Doherty going into West Cork’s Ardfield decider.
Another rapid stage time, 5.8 seconds quicker than anyone on Ardfield, ensured Devine and O’Sullivan sealed a last-ditch runner-up finish to keep their names at the top of the ITRC standings.
David Kelly, who had Shane Buckley calling his pacenotes, grabbed a comfortable fourth overall in his Skoda Fabia Rally2. Jerseyman Sam Touzel, with Max Freeman alongside, claimed an impressive fifth-place finish on their West Cork Rally debut after edging ahead of Declan Boyle on Sunday’s opening Ballinacarriga test.
Michael Boyle had been holding fourth until his Skoda went off the road on stage nine. His brother Matthew was locked in a close battle with Kelly, Touzel, and his Father Declan before picking up a puncture on stage seven.
West Cork Rally top five:
1 Moffett/Hayes (Toyota Yaris Rally2) 1:57:15.6s
2 Devine/O’Sullivan (Skoda Fabia Rally2) +9.9s
3 Doherty/Murphy (Fabia) +15.2
4 Kelly/Buckley (Fabia) +2:41.5
5 Touzel/Freeman (Ford Fiesta Rally2) +3:39.6
McEvoy Motorsport & Flat 2 The Hat Modified ITRC
John Dalton and Eurig Davies delivered an impressive modified victory in their Darrian T90, finishing tenth overall in a commanding performance that showcased the pace of the Welsh visitors.
A trio of Darrians led the modified category after Friday’s opening two stages, with Rhys Davies initially leading the way before losing over a minute on the first run over Kilbrittain.
Frank and Lauren Kelly were third fastest two-wheel-drive crew on Friday’s Clonakilty opener but they picked up damage to their Ford Escort Mk2’s rear right quarter panel and dropped to fifth on the next test. A strong drive over the next two days moved them up to second, showcasing the skill that earned the Modified ITRC title two years ago.
Michael Carbin and Conor Mohan completed the modified podium in another Escort, sealing third place after a consistent three-day performance, 38 seconds behind Kelly.
Tomas O’Rourke and Tomas Scallan’s 25th overall finish in their Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X was enough to seal top Modified ITRC points on round two.
West Cork Rally Modified top five:
1 Dalton/Davies (Darrian T90) 2:06:07.1s
2 Kelly/Kelly (Ford Escort Mk2) +1:20.3s
3 Carbin/Mohan (Escort Mk2) +1:58.3
4 Davies/James (Darrian) +3:28.0
5 Byrne/Quinlan (Escort Mk2) +6:13.8
Wales Motorsport Historic ITRC
Jason McSweeney and Dylan Doonan were comprehensive winners of the Historic category in their Ford Escort WRC, making it two victories from two starts in 2026 to establish an early championship lead.
McSweeney’s home victory came despite completing the final three stages without a working rear differential.
Several of their closest rivals retired during Saturday’s action, including Ray Breen, Fergus O’Meara, Robert Barrable, and the Ford Escorts of Wayne Evans and Tommy McDonagh.
Adrian Evans and Jordan Jones finished second in their BMW M3, claiming valuable Historic ITRC points, while Ronan Campbell and Denny Greaney completed the podium in their Ford Escort RS 1800, just 13.7 seconds ahead of Peadar Walsh’s Escort RS 1600.
West Cork Historic Rally top five:
1 McSweeney/Doonan (Ford Escort WRC) 2:06:12.8s
2 Evans/Jones (BMW M3) +3:30.9s
3 Campbell/Greaney (Ford Escort RS 1800) +4:41.0
4 Walsh/Walsh (Escort RS 1600) +4:54.7
5 McDonagh/Murphy (Escort RS 1800) +11:35.0
Paul Browne Plant Hire & Civil Engineering Junior ITRC
Darragh Walsh and Gary Lombard retained their West Cork Junior title from 2025, claiming top Junior ITRC points with a commanding performance in their Honda Civic after winning all but one of Sunday’s stages.
Kyle Browne finished second, 34.7 seconds ahead of third-placed James O’Riordan who completed a podium lockout of Honda Civics.
West Cork Junior Rally top five:
1 Walsh/Lombard (Honda Civic) 57:03.1s
2 Browne/O’Leary (Civic) +1:11.0s
3 O’Riordan/Radford (Civic) +1:45.7
4 Walsh/O’Driscoll (Civic) +6:16.4
5 Sheehan/Lynch (Civic) +11:01.8
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