Sport

McGarrity going for four-in-a-row in Derry

Motor Sport : Derek McGarrity chases his fourth consecutive Circuit of Ireland win in Derry over the Easter weekend

Brian Foley
Fri Apr 14 2006 - 01:00

Motor Sport: Derek McGarrity chases his fourth consecutive Circuit of Ireland win in Derry over the Easter weekend. Eugene Donnelly hopes to add to his Galway International and Rally Ireland wins.

Tim McNulty (Meath) poses the biggest threat to the two Ulstermen. After crashing out of the Galway Rally, McNulty missed Rally Ireland and then scored a confidence-boosting win on the recent Circuit of Kerry. The top 10 in a disappointing entry of 62 is completed by Austin MacHale, Eamonn Boland, Gareth Jones, Seán Devine, Paddy White, Garry Jennings and Nigel Hicklin.

A major disappointment is the withdrawal of Gareth MacHale, the top seed opting out of the circuit to concentrate on the next round of the WRC in Argentina.

This is round two of the Pirelli Tarmac Rally Championship, led by reigning Irish champion Donnelly on 15 points from Boland 12, Peadar Hurson 10, McGarrity 8, Ray Breen 7, Andrew Nesbitt 6, Austin MacHale 5 and Gareth Jones 4.

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Derry is the new HQ for the three-day Meteor Electrical-sponsored event which really should no longer be called the "Circuit of Ireland" as the rally no longer covers a large part of the country as in the heyday of the Easter classic. This is now a much shorter event and this year is confined to the Sperrin Mountains on Easter Saturday and Sunday and to Co Donegal on Easter Monday.

By contrast with the Derry race, Easter Sunday's Circuit of Wicklow (another misleading title) has attracted 88 crews. Kenny McKinstry heads the top 10 in this third round of the National Forestry Championship, followed by John McCarthy, Kevin O'Kane, Pat Norris, James Murphy, Stephen Moore, Owen Murphy, Brian Lawlor, Trevor Harding and Peter McCullagh.

Seeded number 13 is Donie O'Sullivan who has not rallied for two years, but should be competitive in a new Subaru.

The rally starts from Wicklow town and will cover stages in the Glenealy, Laragh and Rathdrum areas.

Pat Doran defends his British Rallycross Championship title against Dermot Carnegie, John McCluskey, George Tracey and Christopher Evans, who spearhead the strong Irish attack on the series, which starts on Easter Monday at Lydden, near Canterbury in Kent.

We regret to record the death last week of Frank O'Rourke of Wexford. He won many races and championships driving Opels, including a hat-trick of Sexton Trophy Irish Championship wins from 1979-1980. He was also scored successes in cycle racing.

WEEKEND FIXTURES: Today - Circuit of Ireland, ceremonial start, Derry, 7.30pm. Saturday - Circuit of Ireland, starts Derry, 9am; Carlow CC, Autotest, O'Brien's Rd, Carlow, 1pm. Sunday - Circuit of Ireland, starts Derry, 9am; MEC Circuit of Wicklow, starts Grand Hotel, Wicklow, 10am. Monday - Circuit of Ireland, starts Derry, 9am.