Tough Carlow stages to decide latest National Rally winner
Three challenging stages provide a tricky test for round four of the National Rally Championship – Sunday’s Carlow Stages Rally.
2022 Carlow Stage Rally winners Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty will start this year’s event as favourites after recent wins in Monaghan and Birr aboard their Citroen C3 Rally2.
Round one winner Sam Moffett is seeded just behind his brother in a Hyundai i20 Rally2. Sam leads the National Rally Championship but knows he’ll have to stem Josh’s winning streak if he is to snatch his brother’s National Championship crown.
Daniel Cronin and Eddie Doherty continue their National campaigns in Carlow. The Cork and Kilkenny drivers are ever-present threats in their Volkswagen Polo R5 and Skoda Fabia Rally2 respectively.
Seeded fifth is perhaps the most intriguing entry of all as Meirion Evans returns to Irish competition in his Toyota Yaris Rally2. Carlow will be the Yaris’s Irish rallying debut as Evans prepares for an assault on June’s Donegal International Rally.
Declan Boyle, Aidan Wray, Michael Boyle, and Paul Barrett have enjoyed close battles so far this season and fans will be hoping for more of the same on Sunday.
Gary Kiernan continues his year of learning in M-Sport’s Ford Fiesta Rally2 while Enda O’Brien will be hoping for a strong result after a promising run on the Rally of the Lakes earlier this month.
Kevin Gallagher and Ryan Moore top Carlow’s top-wheel-drive entry in their Darrian T90. A strong of rapid Ford Escort Mk2s will chase Gallagher down Carlow’s opening stage in a bid to take Carlow’s Mk2 Challenge honours.
Ed O’Callaghan faces stiff competition as he bids to defend his 2022 Mk2 Challenge crown. Daniel McKenna, David Condell, Jonathan Pringle, and Frank Kelly are just some of the names lining up in pristine Escorts.
Rally of the Lakes modified winner Colin O’Donoghue has form on his side while Chris O’Callaghan doubles the chances of the Mk2 Challenge trophy staying within the O’Callaghan household.
Seskin (11.9 km) – SS1/4/7
Carlow’s opening test has so many different characteristics. Seskin starts off with a fast section before moving to lower-grip corners covered in loose stones.
The final part of the 11.9-kilometre stage resembles a bog road with plenty of undulations, bumps, and jumps as crews approach the finish-line.
Old Leighlin (12.1 km) – SS2/5/8
The Carlow Stages Rally challenge ups its ante on the tough Old Leighlin test. The 12.1-kilometre stage features plenty of corners that are waiting to catch out Carlow’s crews.
The roads run downhill at the midpoint and end of the stage. This mixed with gravelly corners is a challenging prospect as crews look to push towards a strong result.
Seskin is a nice stage but crews will need to put in a bit of effort if they are to master it.
Kellymount (12.2 km) – SS3/6/9
Kellymount is going to be another challenging finale for the fourth round of this year’s National Rally Championship.
Fast, sweeping corners bring Carlow’s competitors from Kellymount’s start-line to an early bus-stop chicane. Similar to the preceding tests, Kellymount features gravelly sections and a few deceptive corners.
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Photo by D Harrigan Images
