A full 3 day roundup of the 2024 West Cork Rally
Day 1
Defending ITRC Champion Callum Devine got off to a flyer on the opening stage of the West Cork Rally. He took a opening 5.5 second lead over Cronin as the leading contenders tackled the tricky wet conditions around the Atlantic coast.
Keith Cronin got his first stage win of the weekend in the second to put some pressure on early rally leader Callum Devine.
Frank Kelly however his charge would come to a halt on stage 3 as mistake on the first night stage cost him the lead and had to retire from the event. Jonathan Pringle took the modified lead on Day 1.
At the top of the field it was Devine who led overnight, Devine and O’Sullivan held a 6.3-second overnight lead over Cronin & Mikie. Matt Edwards and David Moynihan where in third going into Day 2.
Day 2
Taking the lead on the morning’s opening stage, Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin stamped their authority Day 2 of the West Cork Rally.
Weather conditions provided an added challenge, with mist, torrential downpours and fog making it one of the toughest days in the history of the rally.
Cronin set a staggering pace on SS5 to move into a 3.2s lead that quickly became 14.5 by the end of the stage at Castletown.
The seventh stage provided drama when second placed Devine lost a chunk of time with a puncture. More problems happened as they had to retire the car on stage 12. Cronin’s lead over new second placed Matt Edwards was a minute and 4.4s.
For the remaining stages, that also included the iconic Ring and Dunworley, Cronin managed his pace and is well in control of his own destiny. Devine damaged a wheel on the day’s final stage.
Overnight, they hold a one minute and 18.8 second advantage over the Welsh/Irish crew of Matt Edwards/David Moynihan while World Junior Rally champions William Creighton/Liam Regan are 31.8s further behind in third to complete a Ford Fiesta Rally2 lock out of the top three places.
Pettigo’s Kevin Eves and Chris Melly in their trusty Toyota Corolla lead the modified section by 40 seconds ahead of Jonathan Pringle and Pierce O’Callaghan.
Day 3
On Day 3 the goal for Keith Cronin was clear, stay out of trouble and the rally was his. 6 stages lied in front of him & Galvin and in the end they did more than enough to win it by 57.2 seconds, ahead of Matt Edwards and David Moynihan in second, who in turn had 29.2 seconds to spare over third placed William Creighton and Liam Regan. All of the top three crews were in Ford Fiestas.
Kevin Eves of Pettigo and Chris Melly in their Toyota Corolla claimed victory in the modified section.
The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship reconvenes on Easter Saturday for the Circuit of Ireland, based in Dungannon, but before that, Cronin and Galvin will be among the starters for the North West Stages Rally, the first round of the British Rally Championship, which takes place next Friday and Saturday in Lancashire.
