Donegal’s Donagh Kelly (Ford Focus WRC), co-driven by Monaghan’s Conor Foley, coasted to v ictory in the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes in Killarney where they eased off on the closing stages to take the laurels. For Kelly, victory promoted him into the lead of the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship.

Craig Breen realised his childhood ambition with victory on the Discover Northern Ireland Circuit of Ireland Rally

True to its association, the Discover Northern Ireland Circuit of Ireland Rally in Belfast is set for a titanic finish, with just a second between Irish drivers Craig Breen (Peugeot 208 T16) and Robert Barrable (Ford Fiesta R5) setting out on today’s final leg of 10 stages.

Even though Finland’s Esapekka Lappi and co-driver Janne Ferm (Skoda Fabia S2000) dominated most of the 10 stages in yesterday’s opening leg of the Discover Northern Ireland Circuit of Ireland Rally, the event remains delicately poised and set for a frenetic finish through today’s eight stages.

On their debut for the factory Citroen Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, Dungannon’s Kris Meeke and Killarney’s Paul Nagle netted a podium finish along with a bonus point from the Power Stage of Rallye Monte Carlo, the first round of the World Rally Championship.

Irish pair Kris Meeke and Paul Nagle in their Citroen DS3 WRC made a memorable start to the World Rally Championship and hold second overall after the opening day of an incident-filled Rallye Monte Carlo.

Past and present Billy Coleman award winners dominate the 100-strong entry list for today’s Carlow Rallysprint at Mondello Park.

Irish drivers, Robert Barrable and Keith Cronin had contrastingfortunes in their respective outings in the Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Czech Republic) and Rallye Terre de Lozere (France).

Elevation to the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) series has raised the profile of the Donnelly Group Circuit of Ireland Rally.

Dubliner Robert Barrable is aiming for glory in this year's Circuit of Ireland rally which is set to begin this weekend.

The revamped Dunlop National Rally Championship begins on Sunday with the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Rally and a capacity entry for the nine stages around Rathdowney.

NEWLY-CROWNED Irish Tarmac Group N champion, Garry Jennings headlines tomorrow’s Bailey NiteClub Redcastle Oceanfront Spa Hotel Donegal Harvest Rally, the penultimate round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

BRIDGING a 25-year gap, Midleton’s Daragh O’Riordan (29) became the first Cork driver since Billy Coleman to win the Silver Springs Moran Hotel/Orchard Motorsport Cork “20 International Rally.

THERE is unlikely to be a stampede of Irish applicants for the second intake at the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy.

ALEX SINCLAIR, chief executive of Motorsport Ireland, has urged the bosses of GAA, soccer and rugby to be directly involved at the grassroots of their sport.

SWORDS driver Robert Barrable (Skoda Fabia S2000)held off the spirited challenge of Midleton’s Daragh O’Riordan (Subaru WRC) to take an 11 second victory in the Sligo Park Hotel Rally, round six of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

TIME may be running out for Tim McNulty’s rivals to thwart his bid for the Dunlop National Rally Championship title.

THESE are busy times for Craig Breen, yet another emerging Irish rallying star.

PRESENTLY enjoying a fine debut season in his Skoda Fabia S2000, Dubliner Robert Barrable has received an official invitation to compete in the Barum Rally (August 26-28) in the Czech Republic, round seven of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge series.

WHAT appeared to be a cracking entry for Sunday’s Kilkenny-based Suirway Farm Machinery Raven’s Rock Rally, the fifth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, has been decimated by a series of withdrawals.

WITH little room for error, Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) and co-driver, Paul Kiely were pushed all through the Hotel Kilmore Cavan Rally before claiming their fourth successive victory in the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

HAVING dominated the Dunlop National Rally Championship so far, it remains to be seen if any of Tim McNulty’s title rivals have the ability to stop him as he goes in search of another victory at Sunday’s Hotel Kilmore Cavan Rally.

EVEN though he had to replace the power steering pump on three separate occasions, Meath’s, Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) maintained his unbeaten sequence in the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

A LATE entry from Armagh’s Darren Gass (Subaru WRC) has added extra spice to Sunday’s Carlton Hotel Circuit of Kerry Rally in Tralee, the second round of the Top Part West Coast Championship.

IT seems there is no room for manoeuvre in the Irish Motorsport calendar that cannot accommodate the re-scheduling of its more high profile events.

IN a remarkable coincidence, the County Dublin village of Swords netted the young Driver of the Year awards for rallying and racing as Motorsport Ireland honoured its top achievers yesterday.

At the end of today's six stages of the Dick Bailey Wexford Rally, Dubliner, Michael Barrable, in his Ford Focus WRC leads the Subaru of last year's winner, P.J. McGrath by one minute.

Michael Barrable/Dermot O'Gorman (Ford Focus WRC) took a comprehensive victory in the Leighlinbridge based Carlow Rally today.

In today's Hotel Kilmore Cavan Rally, Dunlop National Rally Championship series leader Niall Maguire (Subaru) increased his championship lead courtesy of an eight-second victory over local driver, Patrick Elliott (Subaru WRC).

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.

The Raven's Rock Rally in Kilkenny, round six of the Dunlop National Rally Championship was initially won by Michael Barrable in a Ford Focus.

The Raven's Rock Rally in Kilkenny, round six of the Dunlop National Rally Championship has been won by Michael Barrable in a Ford Focus.

The Seven Oaks Hotel Carlow Rally, the fourth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship, was won by Aaron MacHale/Killian Duffy (Ford Focus WRC).

The Swords/Athlone combination of Michael Barrable and Dermot O'Gorman won the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally by 10.7 seconds today in their Ford Focus WRC.

For the second time in only four years, Welsh driver Mel Evans won the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally that took place in Clonakilty today.

A dramatic finish to the Glandore based Marine Hotel Fastnet Rally saw Michael Barrable (Subaru WRC) emerge victorious.

After four of the eight stages of the Glandore based Marine Hotel Fastnet Rally, Kenny McKinstry in a

Taking his fourth win in five starts in the Dunlop National Rally Championship, Derry’s, Eugene Donnelly ran out a clear winner of the Suirway Forklifts Raven’s Rock Rally that was based in Kilkenny.

Derry’s, Eugene Donnelly, in his Rally of the Lakes winning Subaru WRC has a 37 second lead after four of the eight stages of the Suirway Forklifts Raven’s Rock Rally, the sixth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

Derry’s, Eugene Donnelly and co-driver, Paddy Toner, won the Woodland’s House Hotel Circuit of Munster, the fifth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

EUGENE DONNELLY and co-driver Paddy Toner, in their Envirocare Subaru WRC, dominated the Hotel Kilmore Cavan Rally — the fourth round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.

Since losing the National Rally championship on the final round over a decade ago, Michael Barrable has vowed to land the Vard Memorial Trophy, that is awarded annually to the national rally champion.

Michael Barrable and co-driver, Dermot O’Gorman (Subaru WRC) won a keenly contested Monaghan Rally, the second round of the Dunlop National Rally Championship.