Posted: August 20, 2023 4:52 AM - 6001 Hits
Round 4 - 2023 Irish Forest Rally Championship
Round 7 - 2023 Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series (J1600, JR2, Rally4/5)
Round 5 - 2023 Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series (J1000)
Live Results (Cork Forest 2023)
Results by irallyresults.com
Facebook Live Reports from Onthepacenote.com
SS1 09:23
Posted: August 17, 2023 4:02 PM
1 IN MEMORY OF CRAIG BREEN
2 Mark Donnelly/Sean Ferris (VW Polo GTI R5) [5]
3 Ryan Caldwell/Arthur Kierans (Skoda Fabia R5) [5]
4 Jordan Hone/Paul Hone (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
5 Vivian Hamill/Cathal Mulgrew (VW Polo GTI R5) [5]
6 Owen Murphy/Anthony Nestor (Citroen C3 R5 Rally2) [5]
7 Conor McCourt/Caolan McKenna (Citroen C3 R5 Rally2) [5]
8 David Condell/Enda Kennedy (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
9 Derek Mackarel/Eamon Creedon (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
10 Jason Mitchell/Paddy McCrudden (Volkswagen Polo GTi R5) [5]
11 Martin Cairns/Peter Ward (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
12 Pete McCullagh/Killian Mc Ardle (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [20]
14 Lukasz Czapnik/Piotr Szadkowski (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
15 Jenna McCann/John McCabe (Ford Fiesta R5) [5]
16 John Reid/Enda Shiels (Toyota Corolla WRC) [7]
17 Michael O'Donghue/Dan Murphy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
18 Eoin Neville/Brendan Quinn (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
19 James Dunphy/Alan Mc Cormack (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [4]
20 Michael O' Connor (Snr)/Joe Shinnors (Snr) (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7) [15]
21 Mark O 'Connor/Chloe Kelly (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [20]
22 Damien Quinn/Karl Smyth (Subaru Impreza) [20]
23 John Cullinane/Mark Linehan (Subaru Impreza) [20]
24 James Lowry/Killian Cronin (Subaru Impreza) [15]
25 Alan Whelan/Alan Keena (Subaru Impreza) [20]
201 Adrian Hethrington/Ronan O'Neill (Ford Escort Mk2) [14]
202 Shane McGirr/William Lynch (Lada Riva) [13]
203 Mickey Conlon/Paul McPhillips (Ford Escort MK2) [14]
204 Hugh McQuaid/Declan Casey (Ford Escort MK2) [13]
205 Michael McDaid/Anthony Sullivan (Ford Escort RS1800 Mk2) [18]
206 Mike O'Connor Jnr/Barry Attridge (Opel Manta GTE) [13]
207 Damien McGauran/Shane Maguire (BMW 320) [13]
208 Donal Connolly/Danny McLaughlin (Ford Escort MK2) [12]
209 Ruairi Maguire/Grace O'Brien (Vauxhall Corsa B) [11F]
210 Michael Fitzgibbon/Carrie Ryan (Honda Civic) [11F]
211 Ciaran Mc Cullagh/Denny Greaney (Honda Civic) [11F]
212 Ian McCarthy/Patrick O’Sullivan (Honda Civic) [11F]
214 Dylan Eves/Ryan Farrell (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
215 Conor Wilson/Sean Marsh (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
216 Cian Caldwell/Liam Egan (Ford Fiesta Rally4) [2]
217 Keelan Grogan/Ayrton Sherlock (Peugeot 208) [2]
218 Raymond Benskin/Nicky Hegarty (Ford Escort Mk2) [12]
219 Danny McEvoy/Aaron McEvoy (Ford Escort G3) [12]
220 Richard Aczel/Allan Harryman (Porsche 911) [18]
221 Diarmuid Lynch/Maebh Griffin (Ford Escort Mk2) [13]
222 Mike Garahy/Iarla Mc Carthy (Ford Escort Mk2) [10]
223 Christy Butler/Ann Hutchinson (Honda Civic) [11F]
224 Mossie Costello/Megan Costello (Ford Fiesta) [2]
225 Lorcan Moore/TBA TBA (Vauxhall Nova) [9]
226 Ed Muldoon/TBA TBA (Suzuki Swift Sport) [11F]
227 Jack Brennan/John McGrath (Renault Clio) [1]
228 Sean William Benskin/Angiee Michniewicz (Ford Escort MK2) [12]
229 Brian Little/Niall McCarron (Ford Escort G3) [12]
230 Graeme Colfer/Alex Cudden (Peugeot 206) [11F]
231 Graham Kelly/Pauline Kelly (Citroen C2) [11F]
232 Eugene Ward/Eoin Collins (Ford Fiesta) [11F]
233 Eamon OConnell/Paul Bruton (Ford Escort MK2) [11R]
234 Padraig Mc Carthy/Eoghan Mc Carthy (Peugeot 206 Cup Car) [11F]
235 Michael Murphy/Robbie Walsh (Talbot Sunbeam) [10]
236 Derry Long/Mark O'Leary (Honda Civic) [11F]
237 Chrisy Corry/Dwayne McPhillips (Ford Fiesta ST) [2]
238 Francis Kelly/Charlotte Egan (Ford Ka) [9]
239 Aaron Whelan/Dan Nash (Nissan Micra) [9]
240 Sean O 'Shea/Diarmuid O 'Shea (Honda Civic) [16]
301 Jack Harris/Aaron O'Regan (VW UP) [21]
302 Tommy Moffett/Domhnall Lennon (Toyota Aygo) [21]
303 Ross Ryan/Peter Keohane (Citroen C1) [21]
304 Tommy Cronin/Derek Butler (Toyota Aygo) [21]
305 Kalum Graffin/Richard Morton Crozier (Škoda Citigo) [21]
306 Danny Brady/Conor Smith (Peugeot 107) [21]
307 Jack Kennedy/Colin O’Toole (VW UP) [21]
308 Conor Ryan/Conor Hade (Skoda Citigo) [21]
309 Charlie Browne/Justin McCauley (Nissan Micra) [21]
310 Cameron Crozier/Geraldine McBride (Nissan Micra) [21]
311 Tommy Furlong/Niall Furlong (Skoda Citygo) [21]
312 Patrick Gahan/Sean McCarthy (Toyota Aygo) [21]
314 Ryan Caldwell/Darren Caldwell (Skoda Citigo) [21]
315 Ger Hartigan/Conor Kelly (Citroen C1) [21]
316 David Travers/David Byrne (Peugeot 107) [21]
317 Ciara Duggan/Damien Duffin (Toyota Aygo) [21]
318 PJ McDermott/Andrew Curran (Toyota Aygo) [21]
319 Aaron Hughes/Des Sherlock (Nissan Micra) [21]
Posted: August 16, 2023 4:55 PM
With three exciting events in the bag, the 2023 Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship has been chock full of drama so far this year as we head to this weekend fourth round, the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally.
At the head of the Championship, the battle for the Irish Forest title is razor sharp with just a single point separating Mark Donnelly and Ryan Caldwell, with both having tasted success already this year. For Donnelly, he started his campaign perfectly by claiming victory on the Killarney Forest Rally and the Sean Conlon Tipperary Forest Rally.
An off-day on Round 3, the Moonraker Forest Rally, saw Donnelly bring his Ford Fiesta R5 home in 5th place, allowing rivals to claw some of his point advantage back. Chief among them was Ryan Caldwell, the Motorsport Ireland Academy driver racing to a dominant victory on what was only his third appearance on Gravel in the R317 Motorsport run Skoda Fabia R5.
Right behind the leading pair are last year’s Championship runner-up Jordan Hone, who’s season was boosted by a strong 2nd place finish in Tipperary, while Vivian Hamill, Niall McCullagh and championship debutant Stevi McCann all remain in with a chance having finished in the podium places so far this season.
In the 2WD battle, each of our three rounds so far have seen a different winner crowned, but its Shane McGirr in the incredible Lada VFTS that holds a single point advantage over long-time rival Mickey Conlon in his Ford Escort Mk2, while Killarney 2WD winner Hugh McQuaid is four points adrift having not competed on the Moonraker.
Alongside the Sligo Pallets Irish Forest Rally Championship, this weekend is a vitally important round of the 2023 Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series (MIJRS). Irelands national Mixed-Surface rally series catering to aspiring talent under the age of 25, the marquee Rally4/R2 Class has seen incredibl battles played out across both Tarmac and Gravel all year, and with only a pair of events left on the calendar we are truly at the crunch point.
With this weekend in Cork and one final Tarmac round, its Cian Caldwell who currently leads the way, holding a two-point advantage over Dylan Eves and Keelan Grogan sits third. In the J1600 class, its been a year of utter domination by Jack McKenna, with a 100% win rate on Tarmac backed up by a really strong showing on his first ever Gravel Rally at the Moonraker.
Of all the battles though, the tightest of all looks set to be played out in the J1000 series, where some of the true stars of tomorrow are tied in a pair of truly captivating battles. In the Sligo Pallets Forest Rally Championship, Tommy Moffett leads the way in Class 21 but he has Ross Ryan only three points behind, while Kallum Graffin sits in third in a remarkable rookie season.
In the MIJRS battle though, its truly a two-horse race between Moffett and Tommy Cronin, with the latter knowing anything less than victory on the final two rounds of the series will see the title slip agonisingly away.
The action kicks off Sunday Morning with the first car set to leave the Mallow Autograss complex at 9am with an 8-stage, 76km route laid on by Cork Motor Club in store.
Posted: August 16, 2023 4:54 PM
It’s getting to the crunch time now for the 2023 Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series, and the fight for the title is still very much in the balance as we head to this weekend’s seventh round, the Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally.
Being Irelands National Mixed-Surface Junior Rally series, this weekend will be the fourth and final loose surface round of the 2023 calendar, with the final stop on what has been a remarkable battle all year will take place on the flowing Tarmac of the Clare Stages Rally on September 24th.
Designed for future stars under the age of 25, the Rally4/R2 class is the spearhead of the Championship, and the winners here are competing for some incredible prizes that are designed specifically with their development in the sport at the core. Not only will the winner receive a Training & Coaching program to the value of €15,000 through the Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy, but they will also receive a nomination for the Billy Coleman Award. 2nd and 3rd place in the Class will also receive support packages.
With the Championship standings calculated on a bases of ‘Best 2 Gravel Scores’ plus ‘Best 2 Tarmac Scores’ plus ‘Best Other Score’, many have taken the opportunity to try and build a score early as the series transitions between both surfaces.
In the Rally4/R2 Class, the leading trio in the points standings head to Cork knowing that a strong haul of points may prove vital once the final tallies are completed. Cian Caldwell has had a remarkable year in his Ford Fiesta Rally4, and although the sadly curtailed Sligo Stages Rally would be his first maximum score, he sits at the top of the standings on 32 points.
Two points behind Caldwell is Dylan Eves in a similar Ford Fiesta Rally4 who will surely be boyed by his fantastic performance on the Tipperary Forest Rally which saw both a maximum score in the MIJRS added to by a 3rd Overall 2WD finish. Keelan Grogan scored strongly on Tarmac so far this year, taking the class victory on Rounds 2 and 4, but has not had a result on Gravel this year so it will be exciting to see how he goes in the Peugeot 208 Rally4.
Conor Wilson had a very strong start to the year and scored well on the opening two Gravel rounds, but having not started the last two rounds his points tally has not been built upon but the aim will definitely be to rectify that this weekend in Cork, while Mossie Costello in a very similar Rally4 Ford Fiesta will be using the event as yet more learning and experience in what is still quite a new car to him.
Both the Rally5 and J1600 classes will see the standout stars of the year take to the woods again, with Jack Brennan and Jack McKenna getting vital loose surface experience under their belts on what is set to be a tricky and exhilarating 76km route contested over 8 stages in the Ballyhoura mountains.
The J1000 Class will be as frantic as ever with all fifteen registered crews taking to the start line in Cork in what will be their penultimate event of the year with the upcoming Waterford Rally Sprint in just a weeks’ time being their finale. As things stand, Tommy Moffett holds a substantial 13-point lead, but victories in Cork and Waterford on the final two rounds could mathematically see his great rival and friend Tommy Cronin take the title on countback.
Currently in 2nd place, Ross Ryan will not have enough to beat Moffett in a Championship battle, but on relatively home territory the aim will be to claim the elusive J1000 event victory that he desperately wants. As one enters the last loose surface event of his debut season and the other the last of their J1000 career, Kalum Graffin and Jack Harris lie tied on points and both will look to impress on this weekend Cork Forest Rally, while Jack Kennedy will be desperately trying to turn around his luck which seems to have deserted him since victory right back on Round 1.
For Tommy Ryan, Tommy Furlong, Danny Brady and David Travers, this year has been one of frustration at times as they have all shown remarkable pace and achieved great results, but have perhaps lacked the scoring consistency of others in the class, while for the debutants this season like Charlie Browne, Ryan Caldwell, Aaron Hughes, Ciara Duggan and local ace Ger Hartigan, the year has been an incredible opportunity to learn a lot about their driving that has seen really impressive improvements on the times as the year has gone on.
The Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally will be based out of the Mallow Autograss complex, with the opening of eight stages starting at 9.23am Sunday Morning.