The new Triton Showers National Rally Championship got underway with the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally and victory went to Donegal’s Donagh Kelly (Ford Focus WRC) and his Derry co-driver Kevin Flanagan.

The Dunlop National Rally Championship will be decided tomorrow, with the nine-stage Downings Bay Hotel Donegal Harvest Rally determining whether reigning Dunlop champion Declan Boyle, current leader Clonmel’s Roy White (MG ZR) or Welsh ace Hugh Hunter (Subaru WRC) will win the prestigious Vard Memorial Trophy.

With their fourth win of the campaign Donegal’s Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Subaru WRC) remain in contention to win back-to-back Dunlop titles.

Although not exactly threadbare, Declan Boyle’s title aspirations in the Dunlop National Rally Championship hinge on securing maximum points from all three remaining rounds.

In contrast to last year when Declan Boyle clinched the Dunlop National Rally Championship at the Clonmel-based Sepam Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, the Donegal driver will journey to South Tipperary this weekend to keep his current title bid alive.

Motorsport: A strong performance over the first run of the stage paved the way for Lisburn’s Wesley Patterson (Ford Escort) and his co-driver Johnny Baird to claim victory in the Cloyne-based AceSigns-sponsored Imokilly Single Stage Rally.

Dunlop champion Declan Boyle is an absentee from Sunday’s third round encounter the Seven Oaks Hotel Carlow Rally.

These are busy times for Monaghan driver Sam Moffett.

At the end of the first leg of the Trackrod Rally, Finland's Tapio Laukkanen, on board his Subaru WRC has a slim 5.9 second lead over fellow countryman and teenage sensation, Jari-Matti Latvala (Ford Focus WRC).

A display of total domination through the six stages has seen Armagh’s, Andrew Nesbitt finish the first leg of the AnswerCall Direct Ulster Rally with a commanding lead of one minute and 27.9 seconds.

Banbridge ace, Kenny McKinstry in his Subaru WRC heads the Irish challenge at the end of the first leg on the Manx International Rally, a counting round of both the Irish and British rally championships.

Irish drivers put their knowledge of tarmac conditions to good use to dominate the 33rd Jim Clark Memorial Rally as the event returned to Edinburgh.

Having finished fifth in yesterday’s round of the Renault Sport Clio UK Cup, Meath’s Jonathan Fildes

Northern Ireland’s, Derek McGarrity and his Athlone co-driver, Dermot O’Gorman, in a Subaru World Car are the overnight leaders of the Jim Clark Rally, a counting round of both the Toshiba Computers Irish Tarmac Championship and the Pirelli British Rally Championship.