Fresh from a dramatic victory at the Carlow Stages Rally just over a week ago, Donegal’s Michael Boyle will lead the field away as the top seed for this weekend’s Circuit of Munster Rally.
The Limerick-based event marks round four of the Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship over the June Bank Holiday weekend.
The national campaign has been hugely competitive this year, with the opening three rounds producing three different winners.
Boyle and co-driver Dermot McCafferty earned the number one seed after mastering treacherous, slippery conditions along the Carlow-Kilkenny border last time out in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
After trading the lead early on, he safely guided his Skoda through a chaotic final loop to snatch a thrilling win on the very last stage, capping off his performance with maximum points on the power stage. It was his second career National event win and his fourth overall victory, giving him massive momentum heading into Munster.
Right behind Boyle on the road is David Kelly (Co. Donegal), the man who started the season’s trend of high-stakes competition by winning the opening round at a saturated Mayo Stages Rally. Kelly skipped the second and third rounds but returns to the national trail this weekend alongside Shane Buckley in another Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Completing the top three seeds is former champion Josh Moffett (Co. Monaghan) in his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Moffett took full advantage of a wide-open field to win round two in Birr, and by finishing third in Carlow, he remains the only driver to secure two podiums this season.
Guided by Limerick Motor Club’s Keith Moriarty, the Monaghan driver arrives in Limerick as the overall championship leader.
In the modified section, Meath’s Jonathan Pringle and Pierce O’Callaghan are the form pair after winning the Escort Mk2 award in Carlow, but they face opposition from Monaghan’s Johno Doogan and Paul Lennon (Ford Escort Mk2), Cavan’s Rodney Wilton and Conor McMahon (Ford Escort Mk2), Armagh’s Jason Black and Karl Egan (Toyota Starlet RWD), and Kerry’s Conor Murphy alongside Sean Collins in their Ford Escort Mk2 following a very strong showing at the Killarney Rally of the Lakes.
In Class 2, national championship class leader Oran England (Co. Cavan) and Darragh Mullen remain the benchmarks after early-season form in their Peugeot 208 Rally4.
They face a unique challenge from Donegal’s PJ McDermott Jr and Johnny Baird in a Peugeot 208 Rally4, who are using the event as a high-speed training rally for Donegal, alongside third-in-Carlow finishers Danny Brady (Co. Cavan) in another Peugeot 208 Rally4.
Ahead of this weekend’s event, the Triton National Rally Championship committee and the Circuit of Munster organisers pause to pay tribute to Kevin Barrett, who was laid to rest on Thursday in Maynooth following a brave battle with cancer.
