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

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.

ALTHOUGH Gareth MacHale (Ford Focus WRC) leads the Citroen Irish Tarmac Championship and is the best placed of four drivers to win the title, he is also the driver under most pressure ahead of this weekend’s final round, the Cork ‘20’ International Rally.

SEVERAL championships unfold over the weekend against a backdrop of well-subscribed entries. The Dunlop National Rally Championship curtain-raiser, the Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh Rally that also counts towards the Top Part West Coast Championship and the Dunlop Junior Championship, has attracted over 150 crews.

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.

The local crew of Liam McCarthy/Kieran Murphy (Toyota Corolla WRC) won the Fastnet Rally for a third time following their 55-second victory on the West Cork Hotel sponsored and Skibbereen based seven stage rally today.