Top crews pull out of Circuit of Munster

These are difficult times for all involved in Irish motorsport and while Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally is going ahead as planned, a number of the top crews have withdrawn as a mark of respect following the fatalities at last week’s Cavan Rally.

The event is a counting round of both the Dunlop National Rally Championship and the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship. Dunlop series leader Thomas Fitzmaurice, along with title protagonists Niall Maguire, Brian O’Mahony, Kevin Barrett, JJ Fleming and Shane Maguire, have all withdrawn.

Fourth seed, Tyrone’s Frank Kelly, who leads the way in the inaugural Dunlop National Mark 2 Escort Champions Trophy and the rally.ie category, will be the first car away from Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel in Adare. Kelly was fourth in the last round in Carlow and will set a strong pace.

Having campaigned a Mitsubishi for several years, Clonakilty’s Kevin Kelleher has acquired the ex-Connor McCloskey S9 Subaru WRC and will debut it on the stages around Newcastle West. Having competed in a previous round, Kelleher is eligible to take Dunlop points with Kelly, Colm Murphy and Roy White all in line for the maximum 20 points on offer.

For Murphy, it’s a home event and while he prefers wet conditions, he will also look to strengthen his position as leader of the Motorsport Safety Team Group N category.

White, hampered by a misfire in Carlow, is due a good run in his MG S2000 that runs in Class 15. Other entries include the Mitsubishi pair of Josh Moffett and local Eamonn Daly, who has previously taken a fine third overall in his home rally.

Meanwhile, the British Rally Championship continues this weekend with the Jim Clark International Rally, the fourth round of the campaign. It is the first tarmac event of the season and Cork ace Keith Cronin, fresh from a recent tarmac outing in France, will be expected to dominate.

The Ballylickey driver, a double British champion, will campaign a Citroen DS3 with support from Irish exile Michael O’Brien. He impressed in his outing in France where a puncture on one stage ruled him out of contention.

Opening round winner, Mark Donnelly (Renault Clio) is the top seed in the International category that also features Finland’s Jarkko Nikara (Citroen).

Current leader of the World Rally Academy series, Alastair Fisher, has confirmed he will not be competing in the forthcoming Topaz Donegal International Rally, the fourth round of the Irish Tarmac Championship.

Meanwhile, last year’s Donegal winner, Tim McNulty has sold his championship winning S12B Subaru.