Stellar entry for Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship season-opener

The opening round of the 2025 Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship has attracted a bumper entry, with 165 cars confirmed and a lengthy reserve list. 

Midland Motor Club, organisers of the Jeremy O’Connor, Longford Arms Stages Rally released the entry list on Wednesday.

 Club secretary Patrick Brides paid tribute to the event's former Clerk of the Course and thanked competitors for supporting the event.

"We are very grateful to everyone who expressed interest in competing in our event," said Brides.

"The event this year has been named after our dear friend and club member Jeremy O'Connor, who passed away last year. Cyril Rollins has taken the position of Clerk of the Course, and we would like to thank him for all his hard work. Our club is small but dedicated and enthusiastic, made up of genuine motorsport fanatics. It was a joint effort by all club members with late nights, countless phone calls and emails under Cyril’s guidance.”

The entry list boasts a mix of national and international talent. Josh McErlean, fresh from his World Rally Championship outings in Monte Carlo and Sweden, will drive a Ford Fiesta Rally2 with co-driver Eoin Treacy.

They carry their WRC number 55 but will run first on the road. Reigning champion Josh Moffett, aiming for his fifth consecutive title, has opted for Citroen C3 Rally2 power and he and co-driver Keith Moriarty are seeded second.

Former British champion Matt Edwards (Hyundai i20 Rally2) adds to the competition on his second visit to Longford, with co-driver David Moynihan. They will start at three.

Eddie Doherty and Tom Murphy will be chasing a maiden win in their Skoda Fabia. Josh Moffett’s brother Sam, in another Hyundai, starts just behind with new co-driver Shane Buckley.

Daniel Cronin will finally debut his Citroen C3 Rally2 after the Galway postponement, with co-driver Donnchadh Burke.

The third in the top Citroen belongs to Desi Henry and Shane Byrne.

Robert Barrable makes a welcome return to the series in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.  “I will enter the first four rounds and take it from there,” said the Dubliner who has Gordon Noble on the notes.

Michael Boyle and Dermot McCafferty will drive a VW Polo GTI R5 while his father and former Irish National champion Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) returns with co-driver Patrick Walsh starting one car behind

Local driver Tommy Doyle and his Cork-based co-driver Liam Moynihan (Hyundai) will be aiming for a strong result and start just outside the top ten.

Triton Showers boss Paul Barrett and Darragh Kelly will drive a Citroen C3 Rally2 at 16. Local driver Shane Quinn starts at 18 in his first closed-road rally in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

John Warren, Gary Kiernan and Kevin Eves,  former modified class front runners are all potential overall contenders after making the switch to modern machinery.

MODIFIED CLASS

In the modified class, Kevin Gallagher is the top seed in his Darrian GTR T90. Gary McPhillips (Ford Escort) and Mickey Carbin (Ford Escort) are expected to be the main contenders in the Mk2 Challenge section.

LOCAL CREWS

Local crew Stephen Faughnan and club secretary Brides will drive a Ford Escort Mk2 in class 13.

Billy Coleman award winner Craig Rahill leads the hotly contested Rally4 class, with competition from local ace Keelan Grogan. Both drivers will field Peugeot 208 Rally4 cars.

Local natives Paul Rowley and Enda McCormack return from their New York base for their home event.

DACIA SANDERO CUP

The rally is also a round of the newly launched Dacia Sandero Cup, with Clare rally legend Anthony O’Halloran the top seed in the nine-strong category. The Dacia crews will join the rally after the first service and complete the final six stages.

Event Details:

Mechanical Scrutineering: March 1 13:00-18:00, Midland Engineering, Ballinalee Road, Longford

Documentation and Scrutineering: March 1, 13:30-18:30, Rally Office, Longford Arms Hotel

Competitors Safety Briefing: March 1, 20:30, Longford Arms Hotel

Start ramp: March 1,  18:30 Longford Arms Hotel

Rally Start: March 2, 08:30 from the service park

Rally Finish: March 2, 16:30, Finish Ramp Longford Arms Hotel