Josh Moffett’s victory in the Enniskillen Trailer Parts & Spares Lakeland Rally that saw him clinch the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, was mired in controversy after he was excluded from the results; but after two appeals and a stewards’ meeting the decision was overturned and he was re-instated as rally winner some five hours later.

Monaghan native Barry McKenna (Ford Fiesta R5), who co-driven by Leon Jordan, jetted in from his New York base and claimed victory in the Crafted Fitted Furniture Cork Forest Rally that was based in Mallow and counted as two rounds of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship.

With maximum points from the Prestone British Rally championship category of the Renties Ypres Rally in view, there was final stage agony for the Cork-Kerry duo of Keith Cronin/Mikie Galvin (Hyundai i20 R5) — a puncture that relegated them to third of the BRC contenders.

Although four crews were within a two-second time frame after the opening stage of the Abbey Hotel Munster Moonraker Forest Rally in Ballyvourney, (round three of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship), all changed a stage later as Derry’s Marty McCormack and his Mallow co-driver David Moynihan powered their Tiger Risk Partners Skoda Fabia R5 into a 28.9 second lead which laid the foundation for overall victory.

The upsurge in Irish Forest rallying continues as over 80 crews line up for tomorrow’s Abbey Hotel Munster Moonraker Rally in Ballyvourney.

Taking the lead on the sixth stage, Monaghan’s Josh Moffett (Ford Fiesta R5) and co-driver Stephen Thornton won the Silvermines-based Treaty Plant Hire Limerick Forest Rally, the second round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship.

The departure of Citroen Racing World Rally Championship team principal Yves Matton has increased speculation as to the future of the French outfit in the WRC. 

Attending a pre-marriage course is a must if you’re walking down a church aisle, but what

Yet another Moffett show, the latest episode on the TuffMac Trailers Lakeland Rally, round five of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship saw the Monaghan born brothers Sam and Josh dominate proceedings during Saturday’s eight stages in the forests of west Fermanagh.

With consistent performances on the opening four rounds of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, London-based Cork driver Michael O’Brien (Ford Focus WRC) makes another trip across the Irish Sea for tomorrow’s TuffMac Trailers Lakeland Rally in Enniskillen. The event also counts towards the Northern Ireland McGrady Insurance and Carryduff Forklift Championship.

The Moonraker Rally in Ballyvourney and the Rally de Portugal may not have that much in common other than gravel surfaces, but both have a tangible link with former triple British rally champion Keith Cronin.

Moving into the lead on the second stage, the Waterford/Cork pairing of Andrew Purcell/Liam Brennan brought their Kumho shod Mitsubishi EvoIX to victory in the Donegal Forest Rally, the second round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship.

Top seed and leader of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship Michael O’Brien (Ford Focus WRC) can expect a stern test in tomorrow’s Donegal Forest Rally, the second round of the campaign.

London-based Churchtown driver Michael O’Brien and fellow north Cork co-driver James O’Brien from Dromtarriffe survived some late drama to win the Carrick on Suir based Willie Loughman Forest Rally, the first round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship.

Andrew Purcell (Mitsubishi) is likely to be the barometer of the pace on Sunday’s Willie Loughman Forest Rally, the first round of the Valvoline National Forest Rally Championship.

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.

Motorsport: A new season of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship is marked by a very competitive entry for tomorrow’s Donegal Forest Rally in Pettigoe.

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.

Boosted by their podium finish on Rally Finland, Tyrone’s Kris Meeke pictured and his Killarney co-driver Paul Nagle will push for another big result on the ADAC Rallye Deutschland that begins today in Trier.

Waterford’s Craig Breen is one of the favourites to land this season’s European Rally Championship title and is top seed for tomorrow’s Rally Liepaja event in Latvia using a Peugeot 207 S2000.

Rally competitors can air their views on the raft of changes proposed in the Protection of Sport document at a meeting in Athlone on Sunday.

The penultimate round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship and the final round of the CarryduffForklift Northern Ireland Rally Championship dovetail on tomorrow’s Omagh-based McKelvey Bushwhacker Rally that has attracted 100 entries.

Revival is the central theme to the weekend events in both rallying and racing.

TOMORROW’S second round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, the Willie Loughman Carrick-on-Suir Rally features the participants that served up a cracking tussle on the opening round in Mitchelstown a few weeks ago.

REIGNING Dunlop National Rally champion, Mel Evans and current Irish Tarmac championship leader, Tim McNulty, both in Subaru WRCs, go head to head in Sunday’s opening round of the Dunlop series, the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally that also marks the beginning of the Top Part West Coast Rally series.

AS EXPECTED, Niall Maguire, driving his S10 Subaru WRC coasted to victory in the Ennis-based Auburn Lodge Clare Rally. Leading from the start and co-driven by Enda Sherry, he finished two minutes and 14 seconds ahead of the Ford Escort of Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery with Ed O’Callaghan/Ger Clancy, also in a Ford Escort, a further 10 seconds behind in third.

REGIONAL Championships are important to former triple national champion, Niall Maguire, who is the top seed for Sunday’s Ennis-based Auburn Lodge Clare Rally, the fifth round of the Top Part West Coast Championship.

The Willie Loughman Memorial Forest Rally, the second round of the Petro Systems National Forest Championship was won by Trevor Harding/Andrew Purcell (Subaru WRC).

The opening round of the Petro Systems National Forest Rally Championship, the Tipperary Sean Conlon Memorial Rally, was won by the Cork/Limerick combination of Keith Cronin/Greg Shinnors.

Three years after winning the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Kilkenny’s, Ray Breen (Ford Focus WRC) has won the Hankook Tyres Irish Forestry Championship.

Ray Breen (Ford Focus WRC) and Patrick Elliott (Subaru WRC) served up a thrilling race in the Suirway Forklifts/Carraig Hotel Raven’s Rock Rally at the south Tipperary town.

Tie-breaks were very much the theme on the Tralee based Fels Point Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally, the second round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

Former national rally champion, Ray Breen, co-driven by his son, Craig, in their Ford Focus WRC, won the Carrick-on-Suir based Willie Loughman forest rally, the second round of the Hankook Tyres National Forest Championship.

Even though they led from the first of the eight stages, Waterford’s, Andrew Purcell (Subaru WRC) and his co-driver, Mick Courtney had to fend off a determined challenge from reigning national forest champions, Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WERC) to win the Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally.

Increasing their lead over the closing stages, Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh won the Mitchelstown-based Sean Conlon Memorial Forest Rally in their Ford Focus WRC today.

Tim McNulty and Anthony Nestor won the Dingle Skellig Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally today in their new S11 Subaru.

Midway through Rally Ireland, the Irish bid for qualification for the World Rally Championship, Gareth MacHale and co-driver Paul Nagle in a Ford Focus WRC hold a 47.8 second lead over the Toyota Corolla WRC of Eugene Donnelly/Paul Kiely.

Kilkenny’s Ray Breen and his Waterford co-driver, Andrew Purcell have won the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

Wexford’s Eamonn Boland and co-driver, Francis Regan won the Athenry-based Loughrea Plant Sales Galway Summer Rally, in a Ford Focus WRC.

An exciting Sepam Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally was won today by Ray Breen with Andrew Purcell in a Ford Focus WRC.

Kilkenny’s Ray Breen and his Waterford co-driver Andrew Purcell secured a start-to-finish victory in the Heritage Hotel Laois Rally in their Ford Focus WRC today.

UCD did just enough to take the spoils from a competitive AIB League encounter against Galwegians at Crowley Park yesterday on a 13-19 scoreline.

After a four year absence from competitive action, Carlow’s, Stephen Murphy and co-driver, Mickey Joe Morrissey in a Subaru WRC won the Seven Oaks Hotel/Dargan Tools Carlow Rally by over a minute from the Subaru of Ray Breen/Andrew Purcell with Patrick Elliott/David Moynihan, also in a Subaru, third.