National Rally Championship battle resumes on Sligo Stages

The narrow roads of County Sligo will echo with rally fury this Sunday as the Sligo Stages Rally ignites the second half of the 2025 National Rally Championship.

A stellar entry list of 165 cars will converge on Sligo, eager to tackle the challenging stages put together by Clerk of the Course, Ultan McGowan. The route features a loop of classic Sligo stages, many returning after a considerable absence, ensuring a fresh and demanding test for all competitors.

With three distinct stages, each run three times, crews will face nine competitive tests throughout the day, covering approximately 108 kilometres. Find Rally Insight’s Sligo stage analysis courtesy of Onthepacenote at the end of our preview.

Leading the charge at car number one are Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy. Kilkenny-based Doherty previously held the championship lead after securing their maiden event win in Ireland’s National series at the Circuit of Kerry Rally and will be keen to bounce back after a disappointing Ravens Rock Rally result less than two weeks ago.

Doherty dominated the opening six stages with fierce pace, only to suffer a six-minute penalty after stopping to repair a power steering issue just before stage seven.

Hot on their heels are Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty in their Hyundai i20 R5. They finished second overall in the 2023 Sligo Stages Rally, and Moffett holds the advantage over his brother Sam in the eight-round series when dropped scores are considered. Moffett, who secured victory at the Cavan Stages Rally in May and notably won the last round, the Ravens Rock Rally, has found renewed form in his Hyundai i20 R5.

Sam Moffett is tied on points with Josh but is unable to make the championship’s fifth round.

Portglenone’s Desi Henry is seeded fourth in his Ford Fiesta Rally2, eager to improve on his faultless runners-up finish on the Ravens Rock Rally. Co-driver Dean O’Sullivan is no stranger to success in Sligo, having won Class 20 and nailing a top ten finish with Michael Carbin at the 2023 event.

The top five is rounded out by the experienced Donegal driver Declan Boyle in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, with Declan’s son Michael Boyle close behind at number six. Both Declan and Michael Boyle enjoyed close competition at the Ravens Rock Rally.

Further down the top ten, Kevin Eves and Chris Melly in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, who impressed with a podium in Cavan, will be keen to make their mark after missing Waterford.

Darren Gass makes a welcome return to the National series in a Citroen C3 Rally2. Other notable entries are Cavan’s Gary Kiernan and Monaghan’s Niall Maguire and Molly Maguire in a Subaru Impreza S12B.

The Modified ranks are once again set to deliver edge-of-the-seat action. Cavan winner Barry Morris and Dylan Doonan are back after sitting out Raven’s Rock, ready to challenge for another win in the Darrian T90. Tyrone’s Morris holds a seven-point lead over Chris Armstrong thanks to finding a new level of speed in 2025, claiming two runner-up finishes in the National Championship and a memorable two-wheel-drive win on the Circuit of Ireland.

Fresh from a coveted national win on their Donegal International Rally debut, Aaron McIntyre and Derry Long will also be pushing hard.

The Ford Escort Mk2 challenge is spearheaded by Chris Armstrong and Darren Curran, with drivers Daniel Breslin, Tim Flood, and Mike Quinn close behind.

The Billy Coleman Award hopefuls will also be battling fiercely in Sligo’s Rally4 category.

Ravens Rock Class 2 winner Cian Caldwell starts round five in his Peugeot 208 Rally4 and will face stiff competition from Oran England and Darragh Mullen in their Ford Fiesta Rally4.

Another Moffett family member, Tommy Moffett, will be sharing a Ford Fiesta Rally4 with Domhnall Lennon.

National Junior championship leaders Ronan Dorrian and Mickey Joe Browne are Class 16’s top seeds in their Honda Civic. Other key Junior entries include Donegal’s Jason Wilkinson and Ciaran McGinley, along with Aaron Reid and Caolan Reid, also from Donegal.

The Dacia Sandero Challenge continues to intrigue, with the winner in Cavan, Oscar Mangan, topping the contenders. Kilkenny’s Cillian Doherty starts just behind, fresh from his victory in Ravens Rock, while championship leader Caolan Doyle will be eyeing up his first victory of the year on the Sligo-based event.

Ladies Brae (13.1 km) - SS1/4/7

The rally kicks off with Ladies Brae, a fantastic stage that demands commitment from the outset. Crews will find a good level of grip for most of its 13 kilometres. There are plenty of challenging corners that require significant driving.

Clonacool (12.9 km) - SS2/5/8

Next up is Clonacool, another mighty stage boasting a brilliant surface. There are a few places, however, with a freshly chipped surface that may be loose.

The stage features technical narrow sections with corners that are linked together, providing a demanding test. A few faster areas on main roads will mix things up.

Knocknashee (10.8 km) - SS3/6/9

Knocknashee completes Sligo’s set of three cracking stages. This deciding test will again provide plenty of driving for crews. It features a mix of narrow sections that are corner after corner, and faster, busier sections where pacenotes will be flying.

A few wider roads with chicanes add to the variety, making for a challenging finale with everything a rally stage could offer.

National Rally Championship standings after Round 4/8:

Josh Moffett - 61 points
Sam Moffett - 61 points
Eddie Doherty - 51 points
Desi Henry - 48 points
Declan Boyle - 44 points

2025 Sligo Stages Rally top ten:

1 Eddie Doherty / Tom Murphy
🏁 Skoda Fabia – Co. Kilkenny / Co. Limerick

3 Josh Moffett / Keith Moriarty
🏁 Hyundai i20 R5 – Co. Monaghan / Co. Limerick

4 Desi Henry / Dean O’Sullivan
🏁 Ford Fiesta Rally2 – Co. Derry / Co. Donegal

5 Declan Boyle / Patrick Walsh
🏁 Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 – Co. Donegal / Wales

6 Michael Boyle / Dermot McCafferty
🏁 Skoda Fabia Rally2 – Co. Donegal / Co. Donegal

7 Kevin Eves / Chris Melly
🏁 Ford Fiesta Rally2 – Co. Donegal / Co. Donegal

8 Darren Gass / Neil Shanks
🏁 Volkswagen Polo – Co. Armagh / Scotland

9 Paul Barrett / Darragh Kelly
🏁 Citroen C3 Rally2 – Co. Kildare / Co. Monaghan

10 Jason Dickson / Martin Brady
🏁 Ford Fiesta Rally2 – Co. Tyrone / Co. Galway

11 Gary Kiernan / John McCabe
🏁 Ford Fiesta Rally2 – Co. Cavan / Co. Cavan

---

Photos by D Harrigan Images