Triton Showers National Rally Championship: Kelly Claims Mayo Opener

Wining co-driver Paddy McCrudden. Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship manager Laura McMenimim and winning driver David Kelly at the finish ramp of the WEST TYRES/ Westport Woods Hotel and Spa Mayo Rally on Sunday evening.  Photo by James Burke

David Kelly and Patrick McCrudden secured a clinical debut victory for their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 at a rain-soaked Mayo Stages Rally, as deteriorating weather conditions forced a premature end to the opening round of the Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship.

What began as a high-speed chase through the lanes around Westport descended into a battle of attrition against standing water, leading the Mayo Motorsport Club to make the difficult but universally supported decision to curtail the event after stage eight.

 The all-Donegal pairing of Kelly and McCrudden established their intent early, trading times with the heavy hitters before moving into a lead they would not relinquish.

By the time the field reached the first service, they had carved out a narrow 5.6-second cushion over the chasing pack. It was a flawless performance from Kelly, who managed the changing grip levels with a maturity that belied his first competitive outing in the new Skoda.

Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy brought their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 home in second place, trailing the winners by a mere tenth of a second in the final standings. Doherty, the defending national champion, used the event as a high-speed shakedown for the upcoming West Cork Rally but found his progress hampered by a failing gearbox linkage. Despite the mechanical handicap and the lack of a functional gear selection at times, the Kilkenny man remained upbeat, noting that the priority was seat time ahead of his return to the Irish Tarmac Championship trail. His fastest time on the final running stage served as a reminder of the pace within the new car.

The final step of the podium was claimed by Matthew Boyle and Gary Byrne in another Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. It was a milestone result for the youngest of the Boyle dynasty, marking his second career podium and a first for co-driver Byrne. Having only taken delivery of the car the Thursday prior to the event, Boyle was the sole member of the family to reach the finish after his father Declan and brother Michael both retired earlier in the day. Michael Boyle’s challenge ended on stage three when a puncture was compounded by a collapsing jack in the soft roadside verge, leaving him unable to change the wheel.

Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty finished fourth in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, missing the podium by less than a second. Moffett was among many drivers who expressed relief at the event’s cancellation, describing the conditions on stage six as the worst he had encountered in his career. A nominal time issued for the cancelled stage seven ultimately favoured Boyle in the battle for third, leaving Moffett to continue his adaptation to the Toyota on what was only his second outing in the car.

Shane Quinn and Stephen Reynolds produced one of the drives of the day to finish fifth overall in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. In only his third event in the car, Quinn was consistently on the pace of the regular championship frontrunners. He finished just ahead of Cathan McCourt and Barry McNulty, who took sixth in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. McNulty had arrived late to the event directly from Portugal and worked off Brian Hoy’s notes to guide McCourt through the deluge.

Further down the top ten, Jason Dickson and Martin Brady brought their Ford Fiesta home in eighth, while Kevin Eves and Chris Melly finished ninth as they continued their transition into a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. One of the most talked-after performances came from car 25, as Ryan McHugh and Declan Boyle brought their Ford Fiesta into a superb tenth overall. McHugh, out of the seat since Donegal last year, wiped away any concerns of rust by picking his way through the field, though he admitted to backing off late in the day to ensure the car remained in one piece for his planned national campaign.

In the modified ranks, Brian Lavelle and Jack Kelly were the class of the field. Driving a Ford Escort Mk2, the Achill Island man claimed the Class 14 win and finished 11th overall, a result inspired by the single-stage rallies held on his home island decades ago. Lavelle finished 35 seconds clear of the experienced Gary McPhillips and Ger Conway.

The Rally4 category was dominated by Oran England and Darragh Mullen in their Peugeot 208. Following the announcement that the Stellantis Cup would move to Michelin tyres, the former champion chose Mayo as a strategic shakedown. England’s decision to move early on the new rubber paid dividends as he finished over two minutes clear of John O'Rourke and Derek Lynch’s Opel Corsa.

While the standing water claimed several high-profile retirements, including Daniel Cronin and Cal McCarthy who both withdrew to protect their machinery for West Cork, the consensus in the Westport service park was that the right call had been made. As the crews now turn their attention to round two, David Kelly leaves Mayo with maximum points and the momentum in the national title race.

Round two, the Birr Stages Rally, in Nenagh County Tipperary is scheduled for March 29.