The Cork 20 International Rally 2024 was anything but a straightforward finale for the 2024 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Battling not only each other but also the relentless elements, Callum Devine and Keith Cronin put on a masterclass in perseverance and skill. In the end, it was Devine who emerged victorious in a rally cut short due to treacherous weather conditions, but it was Cronin who walked away with the championship crown.
The event’s start was marred by “biblical” rain, as described by many drivers. With waterlogged roads, misting windscreens, and aquaplaning vehicles, the rally was curtailed after just five of the scheduled stages. Rally organisers made the difficult decision to halt proceedings after SS5, declaring it the final result due to deteriorating conditions that posed a significant safety risk. The decision was made in consultation with all stakeholders, and the Clerk of the Course, Kevin O’Riordan, affirmed that safety had to take precedence.
The first five stages were nothing short of harrowing. Drivers were forced to navigate standing water and dangerously slick surfaces. Even experienced Rally2 competitors found themselves with heart-stopping moments. Championship returnee Meirion Evans retired after the morning loop, citing water ingress and a misting-up windscreen that hampered his visibility in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
Callum Devine and his co-driver Noel O’Sullivan delivered an exceptional performance despite the hazardous conditions. They needed a win and for Cronin to finish lower than third to retain the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship crown, but Cronin’s smart and measured approach meant that the title slipped through Devine’s fingers. Nonetheless, Devine led the rally by 12.1 seconds when the event was halted, demonstrating his prowess in wet-weather conditions. The pair’s Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 car even survived hitting a chicane on the opening stage and a windshield wiper malfunction on stage four—issues that would have ended the rally for less experienced crews.
“We came here to do a job and we did it. It would have been all too easy to let the guard down and get into a battle for the rally win and run the risk of throwing it all away,” reflected Cronin on his approach, emphasizing the need for consistency over outright speed.
Despite finishing second on the rally, Keith Cronin, paired with co-driver Mikie Galvin in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, managed to secure his second Irish Tarmac Championship title. His three wins earlier in the season—Galway, West Cork, and Ulster—gave him a narrow advantage over Devine’s two (Killarney and Donegal) heading into the Cork 20.
The championship standings became even more dramatic when both crews ended the season tied on 100 points. However, Cronin’s superior number of second-place finishes clinched the title on a tiebreaker. It was a satisfying end to the season for Cronin, who last tasted championship glory in 2016.
The podium spots were rounded out by Matt Edwards and his co-driver David Moynihan. Edwards initially seemed at ease with the treacherous conditions, praising his “perfect” car setup. But as the rain continued to pour, even he began to question whether it was prudent to push on.
Meanwhile, WRC2 regular Josh McErlean struggled with a puncture on SS2 and a spin on SS1, which dashed his hopes of a higher finish. Nevertheless, the Škoda driver managed to salvage a commendable fourth place, capitalising on late retirements by David Kelly and James Ford due to a crash and mechanical failure, respectively.
Overall Results
01: C. Devine/N. O’Sullivan (Škoda Fabia Rally2) – 38m 12.3s
02: K. Cronin/M. Galvin (Ford Fiesta Rally2) + 12.1s
03: M. Edwards/D. Moynihan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) + 37.3s
04: J. McErlean/J. Fulton (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 1m 11.8s
05: J. McSweeney/L. Brennan (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 1m 41.9s
06: D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Škoda Fabia Rally2) + 1m 41.9s
07: M. Boyle/D. McCafferty (VW Polo GTI R5) + 1m 59.7s
08: K. Eves/C. Melly (Ford Fiesta Rally2) + 2m 02.1s
09: O. Murphy/A. Nestor (Citroen C3 Rally2) + 2m 08.8s
10: F. Kelly/L. Kelly (Ford Escort Mk2) + 2m 16.8s