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West Cork Rally - Saturday Recap
The Saturday stages of the 2024 Clonakilty Park Hotel West Cork Rally proved some of the most challenging ever experienced on this iconic event. After the fine spring weather of the previous day, it was a damp and extremely foggy start to day 2, as the crews headed to the Clogagh stage. Keith Cronin who had been second overnight set a blistering pace from the work go, and after the Clogagh and Castletown stages had turned a six second deficit into a fourteen second lead. Matt Edwards, William Creighton and Josh Moffett completed the top five going into the first service, but nobody was coming near Cronin’s pace.
Heavy rain made life even more complicated for the crews on the second loop, but Cronin was still the master. Devines hopes took a tumble with a puncture that cost ninety seconds and dropped him to sixth. Declan Boyle who had been seventh overnight went off the road on Clogagh and retired as the heavens opened and torrential rain fell for over twenty minutes. Eventually the stage was cancelled on safety grounds due to a large amount of standing water throughout the test. The completion of the second run over Castletown saw Cronin with a very healthy lead of almost 70 seconds over Matt Edwards with William Creighton in third place.
Ring and Dunworley were next up as the rain eased but the foggy and damp conditions intensified, and Creighton took an impressive fastest time on Ring. However Cronin put that to rights with a blazing time over Dunworley with only Edwards coming within ten seconds of the Cork driver. Devine was setting some good times too and had Moffett in his sights in his attempt to regain lost ground. Creighton again took fastest on the second run over Ring as Devine moved into fourth place with only one stage remaining for the day. That repeat of Dunworley ended Devines hopes as he hit a bank and damaged the rear suspension badly enough to force him out of the rally. Cronin was again fastest to lead overnight by almost 80 seconds from Edwards. Creighton in third place is a further thirty seconds behind Edwards, but is forty seconds ahead of Moffett. Jonny Greer & David Kelly round off the top six places overnight.
Kevin Eves is the best of the modifieds after some stunning times to overhaul Jonathan Pringle, but both drivers have driven superbly despite the conditions. Colin Byrne is now in third place in the category following the retirements of Conor Murphy and John Dalton, both of whom had mechanical issues. The competitive RC4 class sees Ryan McHugh hold a lead of over a minute from a hard charging Ioan Lloyd with Cian Caldwell in third place. Keelan Grogan, Kyle McBride and Craig Rahill were amongst those to drop out of contention for a variety of reasons. The Historic category is being led by Tomas Davies from Neil Williams, just sixteen seconds separating the pair with Ray Breen in third place. Amongst the retirements were Gareth James, Meirion Evans, Tommy McDonagh and John O’Donnell.
Top 5 Overnight
1 – Keith Cronin & Mikie Galvin Ford Fiesta Rally 2 1:24:04.3
2 – Matt Edwards & David Moynihan Ford Fiesta Rally 2 1:25:23.1
3 – William Creighton & Liam Regan Ford Fiesta Rally 2 1:25:54.9
4 – Josh Moffett & Andy Hayes Citroen C3 Rally 2 1:26:34.0
5 – Jonny Greer & Niall Burns Citroen C3 Rally 2 1:27:06.8
We have six stages remaining today, Starting at 10:58am
SS13 Ardfield 1 - 13.10 km - 10:58am
SS14 Glandore 1 - 17.50 km - 11:30am
SS15 Sam's Cross 1 - 15.90 km - 12:05pm
SS16 Ardfield 2 - 13.10 km - 13:50pm
SS17 Glandore 2 - 17.50 km - 14:22pm
SS18 Sam's Cross 2 - 15.90 km - 14:57pm
Conditions drastically improved today, But despite the dry weather the stages will still be tricky with some standing water and damp patches.
SS13 Ardfield 1 - 13.10 km
Moffett fastest on SS13
Top 3 fastest times on SS13
Overall top 10 after SS13
CRONIN AND GALVIN PAY IT SAFE IN WEST CORK RALLY
Day three of the West Cork Rally, the second round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, got underway a short time ago, with crews due to tackle six stages before the event finishes in Clonakilty this evening. The morning has brought bright sunshine, in extreme contrast to the torrential rain and fog the crews had to contend with yesterday, although the roads remain wet in places. Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin held the overnight lead in the M O'Brien Group of Companies/Lyons of Limerick/Shane Casey Electrical Services Ford Fiesta Rally 2, a healthy one minute, 18.8 seconds ahead of Matt Edwards and David Moynihan, and they added 3.6 seconds to their advantage on the opening Sunday stage.
"We're playing it safe", said Cronin. "You get the same points for winning by a second, we'll just try to use the time we have to not take any big risks".
Edwards reported having a handbrake issue in his Fiesta, while third placed William Creighton and Liam Regan had a big moment near the start of the stage.
It was fourth placed Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes set fastest time in their Citroen, the gap between them and third place is just over half a minute.
(Keith Cronin Rallying)
SS14 Glandore 1 - 17.50 km
Matt Edwards fastest on SS14
CRONIN AND GALVIN MEASURE PACE IN WEST CORK
After two of today's six stages of the West Cork Rally, Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin continue to lead in the M O'Brien Group of Companies/Lyons of Limerick/Shane Casey Electrical Services Ford Fiesta Rally 2. Their advantage at the head of the leaderboard now stands at one minute, 16.4 seconds. Second placed Matt Edwards and David Moynihan, also in a Fiesta, set fastest time on the Glandore stage, the longest of the rally.
"We're just trying to find the right pace", said Cronin. "We're taking it very, very safe".
Current Junior World Champions, William Creighton and Liam Regan remain in third spot in the works M-Sport Fiesta, 31.3 seconds behind Edwards and Moynihan, and 34.4 ahead of Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in a Citroen C3.
(Keith Cronin Rallying)
SS15 Sam's Cross 1 - 15.90 km
Small delay to the start of the stage.
Matt Edwards sets back to back fastest stage times
Overall top 10 after SS15
CRONIN IN CONTROL IN WEST CORK
With half of the final day's six stages completed in the West Cork Rally, Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin are maintaining a steady lead in the M O'Brien Group of Companies/Lyons of Limerick/Shane Casey Electrical Services Ford Fiesta Rally 2. The have one minute, 14.9 seconds in hand over their nearest challengers, Matt Edwards and David Moynihan, who set fastest time on stage 15, Sam's Cross, 1.5 seconds quicker than Cronin and Galvin.
"In parts of that stage there is still water, and where there's water there's still muck, and you're throwing it up, but generally they're a lot cleaner than yesterday, it makes my job a lot easier today", said Cronin.
William Creighton and Liam Regan are over half a minute behind Edwards and Moynihan in the overall leaderboard, and there is a similar margin back to Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes in fourth. Jonny Greer and Niall Burns round out the top five.
The crews are now heading to Service in Clonakilty, before the loop of the Ardfield, Glandore and Sam's Cross stages is repeated during the afternoon. The podium celebrations are due to take place at Emmet Square in Clonakilty town centre, at 4pm
Keith Cronin Rallying
SS16 Ardfield 2 - 13.10 km
Top three fastest stage times on SS16
Overall top 10 after SS16
CRONIN AND GALVIN IN COMMAND IN WEST CORK
Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin lead the West Cork Rally in the M O'Brien Group of Companies/Lyons of Limerick/Shane Casey Electrical Services Ford Fiesta Rally 2 by one minute, 13.1 seconds, with two stages to go. Matt Edwards and David Moynihan remain in second place, and they are in turn 30.9 seconds ahead of William Creighton and Liam Regan in third.
Stage 16, Ardfield, saw Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes record fastest time in their Citroen C3, but they are 29.8 seconds off Creighton and Regan in the overall standings and therefore unlikely to finish in the podium positions.
"We're just being extra careful, not taking any risks", said Cronin. "I hit a bump on the first run through that stage, I actually drove around it this time, so we're very careful".
Stage 17, Glandore, is due to get underway at 14:22.
SS17 Glandore 2 - 17.50 km
Creighton fastest
Top 3 fastest times on SS17
CRONIN ONE FROM HOME AT HOME
Just one stage remains to be tackled in the West Cork Rally, and it is local driver, Keith Cronin, who leads in the M O'Brien Group of Companies/Lyons of Limerick/Shane Casey Electrical Services Ford Fiesta Rally 2. He and co-driver, Mikie Galvin, have an advantage of one minute, 4.5 seconds, with just the 15 kilometre Sam's Cross test lying between them and victory. Matt Edwards and David Moynihan also have a comfortable margin in second place, 28.7 seconds ahead of third placed William Creighton and Liam Regan, who set fastest time on the penultimate stage.
"It's been a long day, and there's one long stage to go", said Cronin. "Again, we just got through that one, very, very, steady, trying to take no risks. Sometimes you're trying to avoid things and you nearly put yourself into a danger zone, but other than that everything was okay", he added.
The final stage is due to get underway just before 3pm.
(Keith Cronin Rallying)
SS18 Sam's Cross 2
Cronin/Galvin take West Cork win
WEST CORK RALLY 2024
Top 3
Overall top 10 after SS18
Cronin & Galvin Take Resounding West Cork Win (rallyfish.co.uk)
Thats all from West Cork
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