Kelly and McCarthy look the hotshots

IDENTIFYING each other as their principal rival, Dermot Kelly and John McCarthy have justified the decision of the organisers to seed them in the top two positions for Sunday’s Mitchelstown-based Sean Conlon Memorial Tipperary Forest Rally — the second round of the KBB Doors National Forest Rally Championship.

McCarthy made the perfect start in his Subaru 555 with a win in Carrick-on-Suir. Nevertheless, he is taking nothing for granted in the six-stage encounter.

"It was great to win in Carrick-on-Suir," McCarthy said. "However, the focus now switches to Mitchelstown and I know Dermot will be the driver that I really have to watch out for on Sunday."