Results of the O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally 2024 will be declared after SS5
Posted: September 29, 2024 8:34 AM
Rally Programmes
Posted: September 26, 2024 2:22 PM
Cork 20 finale to decide 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Champions
Posted: September 23, 2024 2:10 PM
Samdec Security International ITRC
A supreme line-up of Rally2 cars is set to take on the O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally, the final round of this year’s Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.
Defending Irish Tarmac Champions and last year’s Cork 20 winners, Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan will open the road on stage one knowing another win in Cork is imperative for their title hopes.
A brace of victories in Killarney and Donegal reignited Devine’s season, putting the pressure on year-long championship leaders Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin. Cronin stalled Devine’s Skoda attack on August’s Ulster Rally, however, to extend his championship advantage to 15 points.
That margin is cut to five when the series’ two dropped points are considered. A second-place finish in Cork would be enough for Cronin and Galvin to claim the title but finish any lower, and the title will go to their friendly rivals Devine and O’Sullivan should their Skoda Fabia Rally2 top Cork’s timesheets.
Entries from Josh Moffett, Matt Edwards, Eddie Doherty, and James Ford mean plenty of registered Irish Tarmac drivers could influence the title outcome.
Edwards currently holds third spot in the Irish Tarmac standings, an impact with a tree stump on the Ulster ending his sustained title challenge. You can never rule out the talented Welshman, though, especially as he bids to end his maiden Irish Tarmac campaign on a high.
Equally, Moffett will be keen to avoid recording his first winless ITRC campaign since 2019. The Monaghan driver has been in fine form on recent National Rally Championship events and will be looking to transition that into an end-of-season Irish Tarmac success.
World Rally Championship aces Josh McErlean and James Fulton make a welcome visit home to compete in the Cork 20 Rally. McErlean hasn’t competed at an Irish Tarmac event since his class-winning performance behind the wheel of a Peugeot 208 R2 at 2019’s Ulster Rally. Rally fans will be intrigued to see if he can bring the fight to the ITRC regulars on Cork’s eight-stage event.
Meirion Evans is another welcome addition. Evans knows how to compete at Cork 20’s sharp end and will be hoping for another tight battle aboard his Toyota Yaris Rally2.
Desi Henry and Declan Boyle also feature in the top ten, Boyle hot off the back of his Wexford Stages Rally victory.
In ITRC 4, Keelan Grogan leads a healthy line-up of Rally4 cars. Ioan Lloyd, Kyle McBride, Cian Caldwell, and Matthew Boyle continue the French front-wheel-drive theme, all driving Peugeot 208 Rally4 cars.
The action kicks off on the 12.8-kilometre Mullentaura test at 09:44 on Sunday 29th September.
McEvoy Motorsport Modified ITRC
Damian Toner and Frank Kelly’s thrilling duel for the McEvoy Motorsport Modified ITRC title will culminate over Cork’s single-day showdown. Four points separate the two Ford Escort Mk2 pilots with Toner’s Ulster Rally victory ensuring he holds the slender advantage.
Daniel McKenna, Conor Murphy, and Scotland’s David Bogie will start just ahead of the championship contenders on the road.
Colin Byrne and Class 13’s Cian Walsh will be fighting for local honours in the modified category.
Sherwood Engines Historic ITRC
Ray Breen’s Ulster Rally win wasn’t enough to deny Tomas Davies from sealing the Sherwood Engines Historic ITRC crown with a round to spare. Breen leads Cork’s Historic entry, though, as he looks to grab his third victory of the year in the sweet-sounding Subaru Legacy.
2022 Historic ITRC champions Neil Williams and Anthony O’Sullivan are back together for an assault on the Cork 20. O’Sullivan has put his faith in Williams to deliver a result good enough to secure the category’s co-drivers’ title. The Cork navigator holds a 15-point advantage over Damien Morrissey who is guiding Breen through the Cork 20 stages.
Wayne Evans, Philip Rogers, and Adrian Evans make it four Welsh drivers in Cork’s top six historic entries. Limerick’s Maurice and Stephen Meskell are seeded fifth.
The Father-Son duo of Craig and Guy MacWilliam find themselves third and fourth in the drivers’ and co-drivers' standings. They are seeded tenth in Cork, aiming for another strong finish to seal a fond family podium in the series.
Paul Browne Plant Hire & Civil Engineering Junior ITRC
It will be a Cork shootout in the Paul Browne Plant Hire & Civil Engineering Junior ITRC with Barry McIntyre hoping to fend off his county compatriot Dylan Sheehan. McIntyre’s two victories so far this year have given him a 14-point lead, his co-driver Brian Keohane has already claimed the navigators’ crown.
West Cork winner Kyle Browne is seeded second and will be gunning for glory on his home event while Limerick’s Graham and Trevor Roche will push the Cork men to the limit in their Honda Civic.
Jack Hallahan and Darragh Walsh complete the top five Junior crews with a total of 13 vying for class honours.
Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup ready for Cork crusade
Posted: September 23, 2024 2:05 PM
The 2024 Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup IRE & UK heads for the penultimate round of the season this weekend [29 September], as the highly regarded Cork 20 takes contenders onto asphalt for the final time this year.
Promoted by Race & Rally, the championship for both Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa Rally4 machinery offers an on-event cash pot of €6,000 is available to the first five crews home at each round. Plus, the Junior champion at the end of the season will receive registration to the 2025 FIA Junior European Rally Championship, entry fees to six rounds of the Junior ERC and 12 tyres per round contested in the series, a prize worth almost €40,000.
With seven rounds already complete on both gravel and asphalt and in the UK and Ireland, it's Keelan Grogan/Ayrton Sherlock who lead the championship – but only by a single point from the chasing Ioan Lloyd/Sion Williams. Kyle McBride/Darragh Mullen are third at present and although they lie 24 points shy of the lead, are still in contention for the title thanks to drop scores.
Technically, the title could be wrapped up by Grogan here, but it would require him to win, and his rivals not finish. Such is the level of competition and as we have seen all season long, anything is possible in the Stellantis Cup and with such career-changing prizes at stake, nothing can be ruled out.
And last time out on the gravel of the Voyonic Grampian Forest Rally was a perfect example, with only two Cup contenders making it to the finish ramp. However, the battleground of last month’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion was in stark contrast with a fight for the podium developing across all three days.
The arrival of the FIA European Rally Championship at the event gave the progressive youngsters the perfect target and it was Lloyd who was seen by many as the pre-event favourite.
And it was a home win for the Welshman to bring him importantly back into the title fight thanks in part to Grogan’s lowly fifth-place finish due to going off the road on the second day. With McBride switching to an Opel Corsa Rally4 for the weekend, the Irishman was on for a solid score before late car issues put him down the order, meaning the fight for the title continues at speed in Cork.
The three title protagonists head into battle and will be joined by Ceredigion podium sitters Kalum Graffin/Mark McGeehan, as the youngsters continue to build their pace and experience. John O’Rourke is another to return to the fold, upholding the Opel Corsa representation in Cork.
The one-day blast of the Cork 20 Rally offers up eight stages and 109 kilometres of competitive action, comprising three stages repeated twice, plus a third run of the Mullentura and Badgers Hill tests.
Seeded Entry List
Posted: September 16, 2024 4:51 AM
Main Field
1 Callum Devine/Noel O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) [5]
2 Keith Cronin/Mikie Galvin (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
3 Josh Moffett/Andy Hayes (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
4 Matt Edwards/David Moynihan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
5 Josh McErlean/James Fulton (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) [RC2]
6 Meirion Evans/Ger Conway (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) [5]
7 Eddie Doherty/Tom Murphy (Skoda Fabia R5) [5]
8 Desi Henry/Shane Byrne (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
9 James Ford/Neil Shanks (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
10 Declan Boyle/Andy Hayes (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) [5]
11 David Guest/Paddy Robinson (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
12 Michael Boyle/Dermot McCafferty (VW Polo GTi R5) [5]
13
14 Owen Murphy/Anthony Nestor (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
15 Paul Barrett/Darragh Kelly (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
16 Kevin Eves/Chris Melly (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
17 Jason McSweeney/Liam Brennan (Skoda Fabia R5) [5]
18 Cal McCarthy/Eric Calnan (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
19 Daniel McKenna/Andrew Grennan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
20 Conor Murphy/Sean Collins (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
21 David Bogie/John Rowan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
22 Damian Toner/Aodhan Gallagher (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
23 Frank Kelly/Lauren Kelly (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
24 Colin Byrne/Stephen Quin (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
25 John Warren/Ruthann O'Connor (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
26 Denis Moynihan/Martin O'Brien (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
27 Tom Holton Jr./Stephen Joyce (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
28 Niall Henry/Mark McGeehan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
29 Casey Jay Coleman/Lorcan Moore (Ford Fiesta Rally2) [5]
30 Cian Walsh/Dylan Doonan (Toyota Corolla) [13]
31 Paul Purtill/Paul Kelly (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
32 Vincent O'Shea/O Donoghue Eoin (Darrian T90 GTR) [14]
33 Keelan Grogan/Ayrton Sherlock (Peugeot 208 Rally4) [2]
34 Ioan Lloyd/Sion Williams (Peugeot 208 Rally4) [RC4]
35 Kyle McBride/Darragh Mullen (Peugeot 208 Rally4) [2]
36 Cian Caldwell/Liam Egan (Peugeot 208 Rally4) [RC4]
37 Craig Rahill/Conor Smith (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
38 Matthew Boyle/Gary Byrne (Peugeot 208 Rally4) [2]
39 Kevin Kelleher/Ronan Comerford (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
40 Mark Dolphin/Karl Egan (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
41 Denis Hickey/Eoin O'Leary (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
42
43 Eugene Meegan/Liam Callaghan (BMW 1M CSL) [14]
44 Mike Quinn/Kieran Doherty (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
45 Jack Kelleher/Declan Casey (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
46 Colin Moynihan/Liam Moynihan (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
47 Allen Treacy/Bob Fitzgerald (Toyota Corolla GT) [13]
48 Johnny O'Sullivan/Arthur Kierans (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
49 Jer O'Donovan/Alistair Wyllie (Ford Fiesta R5) [RC2]
50 Michael O'Brien/Mark Glennerster (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
51 James Boland/John McCay (Ford Fiesta Rally3) [4]
52 Aaron Browne/Derry Long (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
53 Kalum Graffin/Mark McGeehan (Peugeot 208 Rally4) [2]
54 Kevin Dolphin/Gary Nolan (Ford Escort MK2) [14]
55 Stephen Faughnan/Damian Doherty (Ford Escort MK2) [13]
56 Anthony Cullinane/Liam Dennehy (Ford Escort MK2) [13]
57 Fergal McGuigan/Michael Moran (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
58 Shay Laheen/Kerrill Dempsey (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
59 William (Billy) Nolan/Mick Coady (Toyota Corolla) [13]
60 Tadhg O'Sullivan/Keith McCarthy (Ford Escort) [14]
61 Jason Ryan/Ross Ryan (Toyota Starlet) [11F]
62 Darren Young/Pa Lawlor (Honda Civic) [11F]
63 Tommy Mason/Paul McGlinchey (Ford Escort) [12]
64 Paul O'Brien/Adam Coffey (Ford Fiesta) [5]
65 Huw Jeffreys/Avarina Jeffreys (Skoda Fabia R5) [5]
66 James Leckey/Stephen McAuley (Citroen C3 Rally2) [RC2]
67 Chris Ford/Neil Colman (Citroen C3 Rally2) [5]
68 Brian Bolger/Martin Byrne (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
69 Brian Hickey/Noel Murphy (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
70 Raymond O'Neill/Jason O'Connor (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
71 John O'Rourke/TBA (Opel Corsa Rally4) [2]
72 Aidan Hennessy/Packie McCarthy (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
73 Oran England/Damien Connolly (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
74 Richard O'Lone/James Turkington (Ford Fiesta Rally3) [ ]
75 Michael Cullen/Sean Hassett (VW Polo GTI R5) [5]
76 James Murphy/John Brennan (Ford Fiesta) [20]
77 Colin Roche/Eoin Collins (Toyota Starlet) [13]
78 Colum Browne/Kieran Carroll (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10) [20]
79 Shane Dillon/Seaghán Hickey (Honda Civic) [11F]
80 Eamonn McCarthy/Lisa McCarthy (Honda Civic) [11F]
81 Barry O'Brien/Declan Buttimer (Honda Civic) [11F]
82 Jack Kelly/Jack Brunton (Honda Civic) [11F]
83 Kenneth Quirke/Brid Murphy (Talbot Sunbeam) [11R]
84 Mike Deane/Robbie Walsh (Ford Escort) [11R]
85 Tim O'Donovan/Vinny Bennett (Toyota Corolla) [11R]
86 Sean Hickey/Noel Fleming (Toyota Starlet) [11R]
87 Adrian Randles/Denny Greaney (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
88 Cyril Wharton/Donal Falvey (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
89 Michael Forde/James Flanagan (Talbot Sunbeam) [11R]
90 Russell Davies/Richard Suter (Vauxhall Astra F2) [13]
91 Andy Horgan/Stephen Horgan (Vauxhall Chevette) [13]
92 Philip Cross/Tony Hennessy (Ford Escort) [13]
93 Ronan Creagh/Peter O'Sullivan (Honda Civic) [11F]
94 Andrew Lehane/Donagh Crowley (Honda Civic) [11F]
95 Steve Roberts/Anthony McCarthy (Ford Escort) [12]
96 Ger O'Brien/John Liston (Ford Escort) [13]
97 Adrian Cannon/Ivan Hernon (Ford Escort G3) [12]
98 Sam Leech/Ava O'Driscoll (Honda Civic EP3) [1]
99 Jason O'Brien/Brian Quinlan (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
100 Anthony Fehily/Kyle Fehily (Ford Escort Mk2) [11R]
101 Anthony Whelton/Colm O'Mahony (Ford Escort) [11R]
102 Ger Cullinane/Nigel O'Sullivan (Honda Civic) [11F]
103 Tomas Ryan/Joey Lyons (Honda Civic) [11F]
104 Andy Heekin/Shay Kelly (Subaru Impreza) [15]
105 Michael Murphy/Andrew Murphy (Toyota Corolla GT) [11R]
106 Aidan Jackson/Jarid Gill (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [15]
107 Morgan Dempsey/Garret Burke (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) [20]
108 Aidan Long/Rory O'Donoghue (Subaru Impreza 555) [15]
109 John Hickey/Michelle Hickey (Subaru Impreza 555) [15]
110 Ian Chadwick/Liam Fouhy (Skoda Fabia R2) [1]
111 Peter McDonnell/Neil Quinn (Honda Civic) [13]
112 Danny O'Leary/Daniel O'Leary (Ford Escort G3) [13]
113 Sean Enright/Kevin Doherty (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
114 Kieran O'Kane/Sean Devlin (Opel Ascona) [14]
115 Anthony O'Driscoll/Shauna O'Mahony (Peugeot 208 R2) [2A]
116 Aidan Kilkenny/Francis Rafferty (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
117 Pat Calnan/Katie Calnan (Ford Fiesta) [2A]
118 Gerard Tuite/Brian Sharkey (Ford Escort) [13]
119 Tom Dunne/Nicky Hegarty (Ford Fiesta) [2A]
120 Cyril Casey/Brian Martyn (Ford Fiesta) [2A]
121 John O'Reilly/Nick Sparks (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
122 Anthony Cronin/Killian Cronin (Honda Civic) [11F]
123 Jamie Boyle/Conor Carr (Honda Civic Vtec) [11F]
124 Jack Fennessy/Damien Price (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
125 Fearghal O'Donoghue/Alan O'Farrell (Honda Civic EK4) [11F]
126 John Cullinane/Jack Cullinane (Peugeot 205 RWD) [13]
127 Sean Hartnett/TBA (Ford Escort) [13]
128 Frank Hurley/Adrian Phelan (Ford Escort) [10]
129 Eddie Cogan/Ellie Cogan (Peugeot 106 Rallye) [10]
130 Shane Collins/Denny O'Riordan (Honda Civic) [1]
131 Gavin Walsh/Natasha Murphy (Renault Clio) [20]
132 Simon Donegan/Patrick Heffernan (Peugeot 106 GTi) [1]
133 Eoin Sheahan/John Fleming (Honda Civic) [11F]
134 Luke Caplice/Sean Mitchell (Honda Civic) [11R]
135 Mikie Morahan/Jenny Morahan (Subaru Impreza) [15]
136 Anthony Breen/Jill Breen (Subaru Impreza N12) [20]
137 Donal Dinneen/Keohane Donal (Honda Civic Type R) [2A]
138 Eugene Buckley/Ben O'Dwyer (Toyota Starlet) [9]
139 Niall Furlong/Oisin Joyce (Ford Fiesta) [2A]
Historics
201 Ray Breen/Damien Morrissey (Subaru Legacy RS) [19]
202 Neil Williams/Anthony O'Sullivan (Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800) [18]
203 Wayne Evans/John Smithwick (Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800) [18]
204 Philip Rogers/Sion Jones (Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800) [18]
205 Maurice Meskell/Stephen Meskell (Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600) [18]
206 Adrian Evans/Martin Henry (Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800) [18]
207 Peadar Walsh/Grace Walsh (Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600) [18]
208 Walter Dick/Meabh Griffin (Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800) [19]
209 Gwyndaf Evans/Jordan Jones (BMW M3) [19]
210 Craig MacWilliam/Guy Macwilliam (Ford Escort Mk1 RS1600) [18]
211 Paul Ahern/Kieran Murphy (BMW M3) [18]
212 Berian Richards/Frank Curtin (Ford Escort Mk2 RS1800) [D5]
213 Alan Watkins/Eoghan McCarthy (Ford Escort Mk2 RS2000) [18]
214 Ian Davies/Ryland James (BMW M3) [19]
215 John Meade/Owen Mulcahy (Peugeot 205 GTi) [17]
Organisers of this years O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally are
delighted to share the exciting news this morning that fresh
from an outstanding performance at the recent WRC Acropolis
Rally securing a top 10 finish, FIA World Rally Championship
WRC2 contender & Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver
Josh McErlean will contest the ITRC 2024 season ending
counting round, the iconic Cork 20 Rally this month [29
September], marking his first appearance in the ITRC series
since 2019.
The FIA World Rally Championship WRC2 contender will tackle the event in a C&M Motorsport Škoda
Fabia RS Rally2 with regular co-driver James Fulton alongside and the pairing will go toe-to-toe with
the top ITRC series regulars at this years staging of the event.
The rapid Irishman has enjoyed a stellar rise through the ranks since his last ITRC outing at the West
Cork Rally some five years ago on his way to clinching the Junior British Rally Championship title, which
offered a springboard into four-wheel drive machinery and several seasons behind the wheel of a
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 in the FIA European and World Rally Championships.
This season, a switch to the Toksport World Rally Team Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 has paid dividends with
some very impressive results and a sensational turn of pace, with McErlean’s maiden WRC2 podium
coming at Rally Portugal, taking second place after a thrilling final stage shootout for the win.
Just last weekend, McErlean secured a top 10 overall result at the renowned gruelling WRC Acropolis
Rally in Greece, one of the toughest events in the world. Less that a week later, he heads for the
Overmountain Rally Tennessee in the USA to contest the ARA round.
Now, McErlean will step back on home soil into the very car that secured him the impressive result
thanks to leading motorsport sales outlet C&M Motorsport, who secured the car after Greece, but has
offered it back to McErlean for the weekend.
The outing at the O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally will serve as an extended test for the upcoming Central
European Rally in October which is McErlean’s next event in his WRC2 campaign this season. Cork
provides a dynamic location for his maiden outing on asphalt in the Fabia RS Rally2.
“I’m really excited to be heading for Cork and to compete at home once again, it feels like a lifetime
since we were last in the region rallying on those classic roads and to be there in the Škoda Fabia RS
Rally2 provided by C&M Motorsport is very special,” says McErlean.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a career since I was there in the Peugeot 208 R2, but events in the ITRC and
Cork in particular hold some great memories so to be back in the championship in front of such
passionate fans and representing the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy feels like an honour”.
McErlean has been keeping an eye on the Irish Championship during his WRC campaign and has been
impressed by the competitive nature of the series this season. But he also acknowledges that the Cork
20 offers an important opportunity for his 2024 plans.
“There has been a great battle between the likes of Callum [Devine] Keith [Cronin] and Matt [Edwards]
this year and the pace out front looks good. But we do have a goal here of getting valuable seat time
on asphalt, it would be a tough ask to turn up at the Central European Rally with no understanding of
the Fabia on tar. So, we will be there to do a job, but also to have fun and it will be great getting back
amongst the Irish rallying fraternity again. “I must thank the Academy and all our partners for this
opportunity, especially C&M Motorsport, Woodland NI, JMA Ventures and Fire Protection Ireland who
have come together to make this project possible. I’m looking forward to this”.
Speaking this morning, Clerk of the Course, Kevin O Riordan stated that he and his organising
committee are delighted to share the exciting announcement that the pairing of Josh McErlean and
James Fulton will be lining up alongside the ITRC regulars on this years events, Kevin noted that the
2024 event has secured an outstanding entry across the board and the inclusion of the WRC star will
futher add to the spectacle of the event. With the entries closing date pending there is a lot of
excitement waiting to unveil the seeded entry list this evening. We would like to thank all competitors
who have shown their support for the event in putting in an entry.
McErlean & Fulton head for Cork 20
Posted: September 13, 2024 3:14 AM
Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy driver Josh McErlean will make a shock return to the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship this month [29 September], contesting the popular Cork 20 Rally and marking his first appearance in the series since 2019.
The FIA World Rally Championship WRC2 contender will tackle the event in a C&M Motorsport Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 with regular co-driver James Fulton alongside and the pairing will go toe-to-toe with the series regulars at the one-day event.
The rapid Irishman has enjoyed a stellar rise through the ranks since his last ITRC outing at the West Cork Rally some five years ago. Then, McErlean was on his way to clinching the Junior British Rally Championship title, which offered a springboard into four-wheel drive machinery and several seasons behind the wheel of a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 in the FIA European and World Rally Championships.
This season, a switch to the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 has paid dividends with some impressive results and a sensational turn of pace, with McErlean’s maiden WRC2 podium coming at Rally Portugal, taking second place after a thrilling final stage shootout for the win.
Just last weekend, McErlean secured a top 10 overall result at the gruelling WRC Acropolis Rally in Greece, one of the toughest events in the world. Less that a week later, he heads for the Overmountain Rally Tennessee in the USA to contest the ARA round.
Now, he will step back on home soil in the very car that secured him the impressive result thanks to leading motorsport sales outlet C&M Motorsport, who secured the car after Greece, but has offered it back to McErlean for the weekend.
The outing will also serve as an extended test for the upcoming Central European Rally in October which is McErlean’s next event in his WRC2 campaign this season. Cork provides a dynamic location for his maiden outing on asphalt in the Fabia.
“I’m really excited to be heading for Cork and to compete at home once again, it feels like a lifetime since we were last in the region rallying on those classic roads and to be there in the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 provided by C&M Motorsport is very special,” he says.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a career since I was there in the Peugeot 208 R2, but events in the ITRC and Cork in particular hold some great memories so to be back in the championship in front of such passionate fans and representing the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy feels like an honour”.
McErlean has been keeping an eye on the Irish Championship during his WRC campaign and has been impressed by the competitive nature of the series this season. But he also acknowledges that Cork offers an important opportunity for his 2024 plans.
“There has been a great battle between the likes of Callum [Devine] Keith [Cronin] and Matt [Edwards] this year and the pace out front looks good. But we do have a goal here of getting valuable seat time on asphalt, it would be a tough ask to turn up at the Central European Rally with no understanding of the Fabia on tar. So, we will be there to do a job, but also to have fun and it will be great getting back amongst the Irish rallying fraternity again.
“I must thank the Academy and all our partners for this opportunity, especially C&M Motorsport, Woodland NI, JMA Ventures and Fire Protection Ireland who have come together to make this project possible. I’m looking forward to this”.
Press Release #5 – “Entries Flood In”
Posted: September 13, 2024 3:10 AM
With entries only open less than a week, the organisers of the O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally,
Munster Car Club Ltd have indicated that they are delighted with the take up of entries since
the regulations were published and with 75 completed entries received todate within a week
is looking very encouraging for a strong entry. Speaking this morning Margaret Browne, Entry
Secretary said the club is delighted with interest in the event to date and again stressed that
any crews intending to compete in the event to submit their completed entries as soon as
possible so to avoid disappointment.
Speaking earlier, Clerk of the Course, Kevin O Riordan stated that he and his organising
committee are delighted with the entries up take so far and are very encouraged with the mix
of entries received, the modified classes across the board are very strong from Class 9 right
down to Class 20, with a combined 20 entries already received in the Class 13 and Class 14
categories along with a very strong influx of Class 11F and Class 11R entries having been
received todate promises that competition is sure to be intense across all classes through the
entire modified field. Commenting on the Homologated entries, again a strong influx of entries
across the very hotly contested Class 2 / Rally 4 categories as well as the top flight R5 / Rally 2
classes is very encouraging. The Historic Section is again looking strong with entries received
todate as well as the ITRC Championship contenders indicating their intentions to enter. ITRC
Junior Championship contenders Dylan Sheehan and Kyle Browne are amongst the early influx
of Junior entries. Kevin stated that preparations are well advanced at this stage and everything
is looking very positive on that front. The event is also a counting round of the hotly contested
Acesigns Southern4 Rally Championship, and with the overall and class points all very much
still up for grabs and tight on points, the event is shaping up to be a classic Cork 20 Rally.
Elsewhere, work on the official event programme is well under way under the editorship of
Martin Walsh who is preparing some really interesting articles and interviews which will make
this year’s O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally programme a must for the rally enthusiast and motor
sport historians alike, the programme will be available in all the usual outlets in the weeks
prior to the event, a list of programme sales outlets will be published.
Preview / Promotional Video
Posted: August 6, 2024 5:43 AM
Press Release #4 – “Entries Open – Don’t Miss Out” !!
Posted: August 6, 2024 5:39 AM
The organisers of this years event are delighted to announce the Event Regulations have been published and Entries are now open for this years O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally, scheduled to
take place on Sunday September 29th and the organisers report entries are coming in at a steady rate with across all the categories with such top names in the modified category, ITRC Championship leader Frank & Lauren Kelly one of the early entrants for the single day 8 stage event which will run out of the Corrin Events Centre / Cork Marts complex at Rathcormac near Fermoy.
Munster Car Club Ltd, organisers of this long standing iconic event under the stewardship of Clerk of the Course Kevin O Riordan, say preparations are well advanced for the September 29th showdown between all the top ITRC competitors in the various categories who have battled for precious championship points since the beginning of the series starting with the ITRC Historic championship last november and the ITRC International, Modified & Junior championships along with the new and exciting Stellantis Cup Rally championshp in February of this year, combined with the events other major championship, the Acesigns Southern4 Rally Championship at just over the halfway point in the championship with tight battles across all the categories, the competition promises to be a classic and exciting event.
Regulations and online entry details below and on Sportity
Press Release #3 – “The Countdown is on” !!
Posted: August 6, 2024 5:36 AM
With just weeks to go preparations are well under way for this year’s O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally taking place Sunday 29th September, this year’s event will comprise of a compact 8 stage format with Documentation, Scrutiny, Service Park & Parc Ferme all centralised in the outstanding Corrin Events Centre complex outside Rathcormac just off the Cork - Dublin motorway.
Speaking earlier, Mr Kevin O’Riordan, Clerk of the Course once again for the Munster Car Club flagship event commented that preparations are at an advanced stage for this exciting event with a lot of behind the scenes work already completed & final preparations well under way. Kevin stated, “this is a really compact but yet challenging route of 8 stages with Recce on the Saturday 28th and Rally on the Sunday which will make it easy for competitors, both local and competitors travelling from overseas and other parts of the country to arrive down Friday evening, Recce on Saturday, compete on Sunday and be back to work for Monday morning.”
The Cork 20 is the final counting round of the ITRC Championship and as we go press the majority of the categories of this exciting championship are still up for grabs with the likelihood of a final round shout-out on the Cork 20 Rally.
Event regulations are almost ready for release and entries will be open by this weekend through all the usual channels, so the advice to intending competitors is get your entries in early to avoid disappointment. Further details will be available in the coming weeks via the event sportity channel.
For visiting spectators, a detailed event programme will again be available in the usual retail outlets in the weeks prior to the event, containing some exciting articles and containing all event and competitor details for spectators to enjoy a safe weekend of top end rallying
O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally 2024 Press Release #3 – “The Countdown is on” !!
Posted: July 23, 2024 9:10 AM
With just 10 weeks to go preparations are well under way for this year’s O’Connell Group Cork 20 Rally taking place Sunday 29th September, this year’s event will comprise of a compact 8 stage format with Documentation, Scrutiny, Service Park & Parc Ferme all centralised in the outstanding Corrin Events Centre complex outside Rathcormac just off the Cork - Dublin motorway.
Speaking earlier, Mr Kevin O’Riordan, Clerk of the Course once again for the Munster Car Club flagship event commented that preparations are at an advanced stage for this exciting event with a lot of behind the scenes work already completed & final preparations well under way. Kevin stated, “this is a really compact but yet challenging route of 8 stages with Recce on the Saturday 28th and Rally on the Sunday which will make it easy for competitors, both local and competitors travelling from overseas and other parts of the country to arrive down Friday evening, Recce on Saturday, compete on Sunday and be back to work for Monday morning.”
The Cork 20 is the final counting round of the ITRC Championship and as we go press the majority of the categories of this exciting championship are still up for grabs with the likelihood of a final round shout-out on the Cork 20 Rally.
Event regulations are almost ready for release and entries will be open by this weekend through all the usual channels, so the advice to intending competitors is get your entries in early to avoid disappointment. Further details will be available in the coming weeks via the event sportity channel.
For visiting spectators, a detailed event programme will again be available in the usual retail outlets in the weeks prior to the event, containing some exciting articles and containing all event and competitor details for spectators to enjoy a safe weekend of top end rallying
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