Moffett edges ahead after West Cork Rally night stages

Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and his Wexford co-driver Andy Hayes are the early leaders of the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally.

Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) and his Wexford co-driver Andy Hayes are the early leaders of the Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally, the second round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. With fastest times on both of Friday's pair of night stages, Moffett eked out a 2.2s advantage over the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 of Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty with Derry's Callum Devine, also in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 - 3.5s further behind in third.

Moffett made the perfect start on the opening stage that began in the heart of Clonakilty making its way up the steep incline of Barrack Hill before heading out into the countryside and finishing the stage just eight tenths of a second from Doherty with Devine 2.5s off top spot following issues with the launch control. 

A composed Moffett topped the timesheets on the stage at Rossmore and will start first on the road for Saturday's eight stages. Second placed Doherty admitted he wasn't happy with his driving that lacked his usual commitment as Devine felt he was slow in a number of places, particularly on the second stage.

Jersey's Sam Touzel in his new Ford Fiesta Rally was in ebullient mood as he slotted into fourth overnight followed by the Skoda's of Donegal's David Kelly and Matthew Boyle.

Elsewhere, Tyrone's Cathan McCourt (eight) had issues with the power steering. Clonakilty's Cal McCarthy (Citroen C3 Rally2) is the top local, he is tenth overnight. Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) is 13th.

Meanwhile, Sweden's Oliver Solberg continues to lead Safari Rally Kenya, however, his team mate Sebastien Ogier has thrust himself right back into contention - ending the day just a second behind with championship leader Elfyn Evans 20.5s off top spot in an all Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 top three.

It was a tough day for the Irish crews with Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne dropping from seventh to sixteenth. Overcoming a puncture on SS8 they lost some 30 minutes on the next stage when they had stop and change a broken driveshaft and compression strut. Their M-Sport team mates Josh McErlean/Eoin Treacy failed to finish the day's final stage after bursting a hole in the sump and breaking a gearbox mounting, they will re-join today (Saturday) under Super Rally.

The day's first stage was cancelled as overnight rain made sections of the stage inaccessible for medical and safety vehicles. Solberg had a small overshoot on SS 4 as Ogier began his charge and although he picked up a puncture close to the end of SS6 he was only 9.4s behind Evans and 38.2 off the lead.

A rear right puncture on SS8 cost Solberg some 30s and Ogier, who had already moved into second by SS7, took advantage and closed to within a second as the pair traded times on the two remaining stages.

Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally (Round 2, Irish Tarmac Rally Championship) Clonakilty: Positions after Day 1: 1 J. Moffett/A. Hayes (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) 9m. 11.4s; 2 E. Doherty/T. Murphy (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+2.2s; 3 C. Devine/N. O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+5.7s; 4. S. Touzel/M. Freeman (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+13.8s; 5 D. Kelly/S. Buckley (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+ 17.9s; 6. Matthew Boyle/G. Byrne (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+19.2s; 7. Michael Boyle/D. Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+20.3s; 8. C. McCourt/B. McNulty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+22.5s; 9. D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+24.5s; 10. C. McCarthy/E. Calnan (Citroen C3 Rally2)+24.9s.

Safari Rally Kenya (Round 3, World Rally Championship) Naivasha: 1. O. Solberg/E. Edmondson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1) 1h. 33m. 50.2s; 2. S. Ogier/V. Landais (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+0.1s; 3. E. Evans/S. Martin (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+20.5s; 4. S. Pajari/M. Salminen (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 10.5s; 5. T. Neuville/M. Wydaeghe (Hyundai i20 N Rally1)+1m. 46.1s; 6. A. Fourmaux/A. Coria (Hyundai i20 Rally1)+1m. 47.3s; 7. T. Katsuta/A. Johnston (Toyota GR Yaris Rally1)+1m. 53.3s; 8. E. Lappi/E. Malkonen (Hyundai i20 Rally1)+2m. 53.2s; 9. R. Virves/J. Viilo (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+6m. 53.6s; 10. G. Greensmith/J. Andersson (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+7m. 08.1s. 16. J. Armstrong/S. Byrne (Ford Puma Rally1)+27m.35.8s.