VETERAN Ken Lyons – of title sponsors Lyons Motorgroup – is among the field for Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally, which takes place in and around Askeaton/Ballysteen/Cappagh/Pallaskenry.
Lyons, whose son Keith is also entered, competed in his first Munster way back in 1977.
Other interesting local entries are those of a couple of husband-and-wife partnerships, such as Gerard and Mary O’Shea (Kilfinny) and Tom and Helen Slattery (Hospital), and there is a grandfather-granddaughter pairing with Bill Fitzgerald of Pallaskenry and Kathln Meade.
Also entered are the Mulcaire family (Rathkeale) of dad Liam, and children Jenna and Cathal, a rising star of the sport.
Associate sponsors are Edward and Hazel O’Callaghan (Kilcornan) of Morenane Transport, who, along with their children Chris and Kirsty will also compete.
Others of note include Paul Purtill, Ed Synan and Kevin O’Connor.
Josh Moffet of Monaghan, who has Abbeyfeale’s Keith Moriarty as navigator, is the top seeded driver.
The rally gets underway with an early service at Northern Trust (9am), Ballysimon.
Stage 1 at Cartown is a quick 6km blast through the countryside that is sure to test the crews from 10am. They will move to stage 2 soon after arriving at Bushy Island while the final stage of the opening loop will be Ballintridida, a tricky 18km test underway from 11am.
It’s then back to Northern Trust for service at 11:50am before heading back out to those same three stages for a repeat run at lunchtime.
The crews will have a final service halt at around about 3pm before going again for the final three stages, stages 7, 8 and 9 before an overall winner will be crowned back at Lyons Motorgroup, Ballysimon, at around tea-time (5.30pm).
