Coyne, McArdle, and Mullen complete challenging Circuit of Ireland Rally

Motorsport Ireland Rally Academy co-driver Darragh Mullen achieved a top-five finish alongside Michael Boyle on this year’s Circuit of Ireland Rally after a tough couple of days of rallying.

The Volkswagen Polo R5 crew braved wet and wild conditions, with a few spins and overshoots along the way, to finish the demanding two-day event.

Mullen and Boyle upped their pace through the 11 stages, ending with a fourth-fastest time on the final Sweathouse test. They survived gruelling conditions on Saturday afternoon to climb from 10th to 5th on the second round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

Co-founder and Patron of the MI Rally Academy, John Coyne, was also in action on the Circuit with academy co-driver Killian McArdle calling his pacenotes.

The duo continued in the PCRS-prepared Hyundai i20 Rally2 in which they finished 11th on the Moonraker Forest Rally a week earlier.

A misheard pacenote resulted in an off on the Circuit of Ireland’s opening Ivy Hill test but with the help of spectators, Coyne and McArdle were able to rejoin to complete the slippery stage. The Hyundai crew climbed up ten places on the next test to end day one in 59th overall.

Coyne adjusted to the conditions on Saturday to end the event in a creditable 18th overall, with an 11th-fastest time on stage ten.

“Heavy rain throughout Friday and Saturday morning meant my first tarmac rally in six years proved to be a daunting challenge,” Coyne reflected.

“Running down the order on Saturday meant we faced lots of mud and debris on the road, so taking cautious lines to avoid punctures was paramount.

“Although it was a shorter Circuit of Ireland than those I have done in the past, this was one of the toughest in my memory.

“Killian delivered an exemplary performance, and once again, a totally reliable car from PCRS RallySport made the weekend a pleasure.”