Donegal’s Donagh Kelly (Ford Focus) and his Monaghan co-driver Conor Foley took a commanding victory in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally, the opening round of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

The Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship went down to the final stage of the final round, the Glens of Antrim Rally, where fourth place was enough for Monaghan’s Josh Moffett to lift the crown after his only title rival, former champion Michael O’Brien, slid his Ford Focus WRC off the track towards the end of the final stage.

Former Irish National and Tarmac Group N champion, Kerry’s Alan Ring, admits that it’s taking him time to adjust the power and pace of the Mel Evans S12B Subaru WRC. 

A two-minute road penalty cost Waterford’s Craig Breen (Peugeot 207 S2000) the overnight lead in the Rallye International du Valais in Switzerland, the final round of the European Rally Championship.

Cork-born racing driver Matt Griffin has signed for the Silverstone-based Ram Racing and will contest the European Le Mans Series (ELMS).

Irish driver Craig Breen on board his Kel-Tech liveried Ford Fiesta won the S2000 World Rally Championship after he secured a category win on the Rally de Espana, the final round of the series.

As the Irish rallying season begins to wind down with just three events remaining, including the popular Banna Rally and the Killarney Historic Rally, some rules are set to be clarified for the 2013 season.

On his debut in a recently acquired S12B Subaru World Rally Car, Donegal’s Declan Boyle took a dramatic victory in the Mor Oil Galway Summer Rally, round four of the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

These are difficult times for all involved in Irish motorsport and while Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally is going ahead as planned, a number of the top crews have withdrawn as a mark of respect following the fatalities at last week’s Cavan Rally.

There is no real explanation why the Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry is one of the most hotly contested events in Irish rallying. On four occasions in recent times the rally has ended in a tie-break situation and three have involved current leader of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Niall Maguire.

THE Valvoline National Forest Rally Championship heralds the beginning of the Irish rally season tomorrow with the Abbey Hotel Donegal Forest Rally making its debut in the series.

THE Irish crew of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (MINI WRC) begins today’s second leg of Rally GB, the final round of the World Rally Championship, in fifth place following a solid run through yesterday’s opening three stages.

SPECULATION is rife that next year’s Circuit of Ireland Rally will be included in the global Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) series.

THE ambition to succeed in the new World Rally Championship Academy series has prompted young Irish rally star, Craig Breen, to alter his plans for the forthcoming season.

IN his first full season in Irish rallying’s Group N showroom category, Monaghan’s Shane Maguire has already learned some salutary lessons.

Cork driver Keith Cronin (Mitsubishi), partnered by David Power, secured back-to-back victories in the Banna Hotel Kerry Mini Stage Rally today.