MOTOR SPORT: Gareth MacHale and Paul Nagle are certain of a hero's homecoming when they line up for this evening's Sligo ceremonial start of Rally Ireland after their sixth-place finish in last weekend's WRC Rally Mexico.

The Irish crew are seeded fourth in a Ford Focus WRC behind Daniel Carlsson (Sweden) in a Mitsubishi Lancer WRC, Chris Atkinson (Australia) in a Subaru Impreza and current French Rally Champion Nicholas Bernardi in a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Carlsson finished fourth in the first Rally Ireland, but this time he will be under intense pressure to hold off the strong Irish challenge headed by MacHale (3rd last year) and reigning Irish Champion Eugene Donnelly in a Toyota Corolla WRC.

Andrew Nesbitt (Subaru WRC), Eamonn Boland (second last year) in a Ford Focus WRC, Rory Galligan (Mitsubishi Lancer WRC), Ray Breen (Focus WRC) and the Subaru WRC trio of Peadar Hurson, Patrick Elliott and Kevin Barrett are also expected to be on the pace.

Rally Ireland is a stand alone event and with no championship points to be gained, Carlsson and Galligan in the two works Mitsubishi WRC's will no doubt mount a maximum attack.

MacHale is on a mission to gain experience and to build up his rally CV and Donnelly will no doubt give it his best shot in the bid for victory in this event which he missed out on last year.

Competition in Group N will be equally intense with Atkinson and Bernardi up against all the Irish tarmac rally experts headed in order of seeding by Gary Jennings, Shaun Gallagher, James Foley, Roy White, Mike Curran, Willie Fannin, John McGlaughlin and Paul Harris.

The second running of Rally Ireland is effectively a prototype event, a prelude to a possible World Rally Championship round in 2007, subject of course to FIA approval and Ireland's success in gaining WRC status in favour of such other strong contenders as Norway, Japan and Portugal.

From tomorrow's 7.30am start, the stages are in Donegal (Belleck), Tyrone (Lough Braden Forest, Drumquin) and Fermanagh (Irvinestown and Dromore). Sunday's stages are in Leitrim (Glenfarne/ Killarga, Manorhamilton/Mullaghar) and Sligo (Dromahair/Ballure). Service both days is at Enniskillen airport.

By contrast with the outstanding performance of MacHale and Nagle in Rally Mexico, A1 Team Ireland scored no points in the Mexican round of the inaugural World Cup of Motorsport two weeks ago.

The rather luckless Ralph Firman again races for Ireland in Sunday's penultimate A1 Grand Prix round at Laguna Seca, California, and has a lot of catching up to do as Ireland has slipped to ninth in the standings.

Donegal's Damien Faulkner competes in the 2006 Porsche Super Cup support race to Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix, round one of the Formula One world Championship.

For the rest of the season he will defend the Porsche Carrera Cup GB Championship title he won last year.

WEEKEND FIXTURES - Saturday: Rally Ireland, starts Sligo, 7.30am. Sunday: Rally Ireland re-starts Sligo, 6.30am.