Motor Sport: Northern rally rivals Eugene Donnelly and Derek McGarrity compete in a head-to-head for the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Championship crown in the weekend's final round, the Murphy Construction-sponsored Cork 20.
They shared the title last year, and this time the odds are in favour of Donnelly who has an 11-point lead over McGarrity, 84 and 73 points, respectively.
Donnelly will as usual drive his Toyota Corolla WRC flat out to beat McGarrity in a more modern Subaru WRC, and with 50 per cent bonus points on offer, there is an extra edge to the struggle.
Third-placed Meathman Tim McNulty (59 points) will no doubt push his Subaru hard for an overdue first big win and consolidate his advantage over Ford Focus WRC drivers Eamon Boland (53) and Austin McHale (51). Pieter Tsjoen (Belgium), Erik Wevers (Holland) and Cork's Liam McCarthy are seeded in the top 10 in a trio of Toyota Corolla WRC's.
West Cork winners Denis Cronin and Helen O'Sullivan are in a Subaru WRC, seeded in front of Dutch driver Tim Van Parijs in a Mitsubishi and reigning World Production Champion Niall McShea. In Group N Gary Jennings on 82 points leads Alan Nesbitt (64), Aaron McHale (51) and Colm Murphy (30).
At Mondello Park on Sunday 18 women take to the track for the first time to compete in the "Race Against Cancer". The regular Fiat Uno competitors have lent their cars for the race, and each driver has raised over €500 in sponsorship which goes to the Marie Keating Foundation. This end of season meeting also features non-championship races for Formula Libre, saloon and sports cars.
Eoin Murray is poised to win the European Alfa Romeo Challenge over the two final rounds in Valencia, Spain. The Dublin driver has a 29-point lead over Italian Maurizio Campani. Murray says: "There is a lot at stake this weekend but I will be adopting the strategy I have maintained all season, working to qualify as far up the grid as possible and trying to stay out of trouble in the two races."
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Saturday: Munster MC and CC, Murphy Construction Cork 20 International Rally, starts Showgrounds, Cork, 8am; Leinster MC, Sporting Trial, Valentines, Newcastle, Co Wicklow, 12pm; Co Monaghan MC, Navigation Trial, starts Aughnamullen GAA Centre, Co Monaghan, 9pm. Sunday: Murphy Construction Cork 20, restarts Showgrounds, Cork, 8.30am; Meath and District MC, Kart Racing, Athboy, Co Meath, 10am; MEC, Motor Racing, Mondello Park, 11.30am; MRCCI, Midget Car Racing, Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, 2.30pm
