West Cork driver, Keith Cronin, and his Killarney co-driver, Mikie Galvin, are the overnight leaders of the Galway International Rally, the opening round of the 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. They were fastest on four of today’s eight stages, and hold an advantage of 15.6 seconds in their Lyons Motor Group/Shane Casey Electrical Services/M O’Brien Group Ford Fiesta Rally 2 going into Sunday’s six further tests, which will take place in the area around Monivea. Their closest challengers are Callum Devine and Noel O’Sullivan, the reigning Tarmac champions, who set fastest time on Saturday’s final test in their Volkswagen Polo R5.
Cronin and Galvin were second fastest on stage eight, where Devine and O’Sullivan, on dry tyres, took back six seconds. “We were on the full wets for that last loop, it wasn’t ideal”, said Cronin. “I definitely didn’t expect to be leading overnight. We’ll review the pace notes for tomorrow and see what the weather will be like.”
Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes found the suspension set up on their Citroen C3 Rally 2 somewhat soft for the Galway bumps, but still hold third place overnight.
Sunday’s first stage will get under way at 08:55.
Keith Cronin previously won the Galway Rally in 2013, the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship in 2016, and has four British Rally titles to his name.
