Defending champion Donagh Kelly says 'pressure is off' for Killarney Historic Rally

Donegal’s Donagh Kelly/Rory Kennedy (BMW M3) won the Killarney Towers Hotel Killarney Historic Rally. Picture: James Burke.

Defending Killarney Towers Historic Rally champion Donegal's Donagh Kelly (BMW M3 E30) is looking forward to tomorrow's iteration of the event but will miss some of the stages that are more familiar territory with the event down through the decades. "It's nice to have number one on the doors for sure, the reality is that the competition is very, very steep."

The presence of Kris Meeke, a winner of five World Rally Championship events, who like Kelly, will campaign a MATS prepared BMW M3 E30 is just one example that underlines Kelly's view. 

The Donegal ace and former Irish Tarmac Rally champion is a realist, "Put it this way, I'm not expected to win, the pressure is off despite running with the number one. We're not expected to be beating guys like Kris Meeke." But he's still upbeat, " I'm looking forward to it for sure."

This year's route is somewhat different to other years with three competitive runs over the iconic Moll's Gap accounting for almost half of the 109.35km distance. A double loop of three stages near Kenmare sandwiched between opposite runs of "The Gap" and a second downward trip in darkness complete the day's itinerary.

"I'm going to miss Beallaghbeama and Caragh Lakes - the classics, I love them." added Kelly "Caragh Lake is one of my favourite stages of all time. The three middle (Kenmare) stages are tricky, I think we could be very surprised, I think the Ford Escorts could suit the rally very well."

Meeke, who won the Rally of the Lakes in 2007 and was fourth in the Modified category of the Killarney Historic Rally the same year, will have Killarney's Noel O'Sullivan on co-driving duties in the Aherns BMW liveried car that will attract great attention.

The Dungannon native may not have it all his own way and Kelly's assertion that the Ford Escorts could spring a surprise will be spearheaded by Killarney's Robert Duggan, who won the event in 2021, another local co-driver Ger Conway is once again on pacenote duty.

Another interesting entry is that of yet another local Alan Ring (co-driven by West Cork's Adrian Deasy) , who is seeded at number four in the Munster Joinery liveried BEST built Colin McRae replica (Acropolis Rally) Subaru Impreza 555, second place (2022) remains his best result to date.

The event is the opening round of the Irish Historic Rally Championship with this year's champions John O'Donnell/Paddy Robinson one of many BMW M3's in the top ten - other examples will be steered by Welshman Tomas Davies/Shane Buckley, multi Belgian champion Patrick Snijers and Killarney's Fergus O'Meara.

Welsh driver Meirion Evans (Ford Escort) had withdrawn his entry leaving Midleton's Daragh O'Riordan (Ford Escort WRC) and Glounthaune's Denis Moynihan (Ford Escort) top complete the top ten that leave the start at 8.30am tomorrow morning.

Motorsport Ireland has announced Kyle McBride (Clonmany, Donegal), Cian Caldwell (Kells) and Casey Jay Coleman (Clonmel) as the three finalists for this year’s Billy Coleman "Young Rally Driver of the Year" award following an interview selection process last Wednesday. 

Campaigning a Peugeot 208 Rally4, McBride (22) won the Junior British Rally Championship and the prestigious Stellantis Motorsport IRE & UK. 

Caldwell (21) also in a Peugeot 208 Rally4 won Class 2 in three championships - the Triton Showers National series, the Sligo Pallets National Forestry Championship and the Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally series. 

Coleman (22), in a Ford Fiesta Rally3, took the runner-up spot in the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy that ran in tandem with the European Rally Championship, taking two podium finishes. 

The winners will be announced at next Wednesday's Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards at the Crowne Plaza, Dublin.