Committed Cork 20 tests could decide Irish Tarmac champions

August 4, 2023 Rallyinsight

The penultimate round of the 2023 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship takes place this weekend – the Cork 20 International Rally.

Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan enter the southern classic knowing a strong result would put them in a supreme position to lift their first Irish Tarmac title. The Volkswagen Polo R5 crew have won ITRC’s last three rounds in formidable fashion.

Devine missed out on Cork success last year – resigned to second after one of Josh Moffett’s sensational displays of out-and-out speed.

Moffett and Wales’ Meirion Evans realistically need a Cork 20 victory to keep pressure on the runaway Devine. Robert Barrable and Jonathan Greer will be keen to throw their hat in the Cork 20 mix as well – it’s going to be two days of fast and furious action.

With Modified, Historic, and Junior battles brewing too, Cork is the place to be this weekend if you fancy some top class rally action.

Onthepacenote’s Killian Duffy offers his opinion on this year’s stages:

Caherduggan (15.97 km) – SS1/3

The first half of Caherduggan is almost identical to last year. There is a bit of fresh resurfacing at the start before the stage goes into that famous left-hander which hosted a few incidents last year.

They will go straight on at that junction this year as the stage has been lengthened by five kilometres.

The ditches are very overgrown so the crews are really going to have to trust their pacenotes from the rally’s opening corners.

Ballynoe (16.86 km) – SS2/4

Ballynoe is a fast, committed stage with similar characteristics to the first one. It is also overgrown, I suppose it is that time of year!

There will be a bit of time available in here for crews to take advantage of.

Curraglass (8.00 km) – SS5/7

A new stage for Cork 20 with quite a few traps in it even though it is shorter than the others.

Curraglass’s last junction will be nice for spectators, the junction comes up quite suddenly – it’s a long right-hander before it tightens up to a hairpin.

Inch (17.38 km) – SS6/8

This is one of the more famous Cork tests – known by the grotto located in the middle of it.

Inch is gravelly at the start with a few committed uphill sections. There are a number of really long continuous corners that tighten slightly at the end. They are definitely corners that will reward the most committed crews.

Mullentaura (18.24 km) – SS9/12/15

This is a brilliant stage, the best of the rally for me. It starts off in a forestry area but it has so much driving in it through the whole test.

There is a lovely flow through its many bends with a few different sections to mix things up.

It will be a great start to the second day.

Badgers Hill (17.62 km) – SS10/13

Badgers Hill is almost identical to last year’s version so crews will be familiar with it. Like the other stages, it is not an easy test but it is based on nice pieces of road that will be very rewarding to tackle.