Galway Summer Stages Rally Report

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Josh Moffett & Keith Moriarty (Hyundai i20 R5) took a start finish win on the Bluebird Care Galway Summer Rally, but it was no easy task. They were pushed hard all day by Sam Moffett & James O’Reilly who only finished 11.2 seconds behind in the newer model Hyundai. They in turn were challenged by the Skoda Fabia of Eddie Doherty & Tom Murphy who were just 4 seconds further back in third place after nearly one hundred kilometres on competitive driving. Daniel McKenna & Andrew Grennan took the overall Group 4 Fabrications King of the Mark 2 as well as eighth overall. Stephen Greaney & Jonathan Folan (pictured in their Citroen C3 Rally 2) were sixteenth overall and won the Conroy Cup for the best Galway Motor Club crew.

There was a competitive edge at the top of the entry list for the Galway Summer Rally with several drivers still in contention for the National Championship title. Josh Moffett led the way having reverted to his trusty Hyundai for the event with older brother Sam in the newer spec Hyundai following him at two. Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy at three have been one of the revelations of the year to date and was looking to put up a serious challenge to the Moffett siblings. After the first 10km stage at Ballynahowen there was little to separate the top three, with Josh holding a slender 0.7 second advantage over Doherty, with Sam just 0.8 seconds further back. Weather conditions were perfect with the roads dry, but that first stage saw two notable names sidelined. Paul Barrett was first to go having clipped a rock and broke the front suspension of his Citroen, coming to a halt at the third junction of the stage. Kevin Eves & Chris Melly did not even get that far, their borrowed Garry Jennings Fiesta blocked the first stage a couple of kilometres in. Damage was restricted to a rear wheel and suspension after a trip back to service, they rejoined the event in Rally 2.

The second and third stages at Kilconnell & Fohenagh saw Josh take a slender six second lead into service with brother Sam now in second place having edged ahead of Doherty. James Ford and Daniel Cronin were locked in battle for fourth place with Michael Boyle in sixth. Boyles father Declan was giving a debut to his new Skoda Fabia and survived an overshoot on the third stage but was starting to get used to the car. Steve Wood (Citroen) and James Stafford (Darrian) were the latest to join the retirements list, with both stopping on the third stage. Michael Boyle was another to shortly join the lost of retirements. The Group 4 Fabrications King of the Mk2 battle was a hot as expected, and Daniel McKenna was only four seconds clear of Jonathan Pringle with Conor Murphy just behind in third place.

The same pattern followed on the middle loop with the battle still raging between the top four, James Ford taking fastest time on the fourth stage to put pressure on Doherty in third place. Daniel Cronin was slipping back a little bit still holding fifth place overall. By the end of the sixth stage Josh was still leading by just under ten seconds from Sam, but only seventeen seconds separated the top four places. McKenna was still leading the Mk2s and held eighth overall, just over twelve seconds clear of Michael Carbin. The pressure was ramped up on the final loop as the threatened rain never materialized, but Josh had done enough to take victory. Doherty had closed in on Sam going into the last stage, but the older Moffett sibling had enough in hand to stay second. Fords challenge for the podium continued to the end but he fell short by just eight seconds. Daniel Cronin, Declan Boyle & Gary Kiernan took the next three places while King of the Mark 2 went to Daniel McKenna & Andrew Grennan with an excellent eighth place overall. Michael Carbin battled with McKenna all the way and eventually finished ninth as Conor Murphy was a late retirement, with Kevin Gallaghers Darrian rounding off the top ten. 148 crews started the event and there were 108 finishers.

Clerk of the Course Gary Leonard, thanked Sean Lyons from Bluebird Care for his generous sponsorship, Maurice Doherty of Domac Plant & Tool Hire for the use of their premises for Rally HQ, An Garda Siochana, Galway County Council Roads Department, Ballinasloe Mart, businesses and residents in the area and on the stages for all their help and support during and in the lead up to the event. He also thanked all the competitors who entered the event, and to all the team, officials, marshals, timekeepers who gave up their free time to help out on the event.

Top 10 Overall

1 – Josh Moffett & Keith Moriarty Hyundai i20 R5 0:51:52.2

2 – Sam Moffett & James O’Reilly Hyundai i20 N Rally 2 0:52:03.4
3 – Eddie Doherty & Tom Murphy Skoda Fabia 0:52:07.6
4 – James Ford & Neil Shanks Citroen C3 Rally 2 0:52:16.2
5 – Daniel Cronin & Donnchadh Burke VW Polo Gti R5 0:52:57.9
6 – Declan Boyle & Andy Hayes Skoda Fabia 2 0:53:30.3
7 – Gary Kiernan & John McCabe Ford Fiesta Rally 2 0:53:39.9
8 – Daniel McKenna & Andrew Grennan Ford Escort Mk2 0:54:05.2