Townparks Glens of Antrim Rally 2008 Preview and Entry List: Derek McGarrity enters as Devine and McCloskey battle for title

Posted by Scott Coursey 23 October, 2008

1st Conor McCloskey down rally Townparks Glens of Antrim Rally 2008 Preview and Entry List: Derek McGarrity enters as Devine and McCloskey battle for title

Image: Jonathan MacDonald/MEDIAJAM COMMUNICATIONS

The Pacenotes MSA Northern Ireland Rally Championship goes down to the wire next weekend when Conor McCloskey and Sean Devine go into the final round tied on points.

The Townparks Rally will be on tarmac this year for the first time, as a one off (it will return to the forests again in 09) and will incorporate the classic Torr Head and Glendun tests.

Derek McGarrity has entered his home event in the Subaru S12B and must be considered as favourite for the win. He will also score points but that shouldn't affect Devine and McCloskey (pictured above winning the Down Rally) who both need to finish ahead of each other to take the title.

Devine was annoyed about the circumstances surrounding his retirement on the Down Rally, where he went off the road trying to avoid a competitor, who was stopped and partially blocking the event's only rough stage. Devine got to the end of the stage but was forced to retire as he had damaged the steering on his S11. He will put that incident out of his mind though when he starts the Townparks.

McCloskey informed Rallybuzz on the Down Rally that he will use the Focus on the Townparks but he appears on the entry list in a Subaru. If he does use the Focus he may be at a disadvantage to the Subaru's on the long fast tarmac stages.

Other notable entries include John McKewon in his Group A Escort Cosworth, James Gillen, Kieron Gaffin, Sean Haveron, Cathal Rogers etc. There is a quality 2WD field with the likes of Patterson, Hetherington, Toner, Bradley etc, all entered.

In other Northern Irish rally news and it appears the Ulster Rally could be heading westward in 2009. Enniskillen or Omagh has been suggested as locations to base the rally and apparently Todds Leap will stay on board.

Glens of Antrim 2007 which was in the forests whereas this year it will be tarmac :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k8eA0JpMk0

Rally Schedule:

SS1 Glentaisie FCD 10.31 Dist. 3.20 Miles

SS2 Glenshesk FCD 10.54 Dist. 7.20

SS3 Torr Head FCD 11.40 Dist. 8.00

SS4 Glendun FCD 12.10 Dist. 8.25

Service FCD 12.58

SS5 Glentaisie FCD 14.16

SS6 Glenshesk FCD 14.39

SS7 Torr Head FCD 15.25

SS8 Glendun FCD 15.55

Finish FCD 16.19

Townparks Glens of Antrim Rally Entry List:

1 Sean Devine Damien Duffin Subaru Impreza 9
2 Connor McCloskey Francis Regan Subaru Impreza 9
3 Derek McGarrity James McKee Subaru Impreza 9
4 John McKewon Mandy McKewon Ford Escort 9
5 James Gillen Martin McFall Subaru Impreza 9
6 Kieron Graffin TBA Subaru Impreza 9
7 Sean Haveron VincentFergus Ford Escort 9
8 Cathal Rodgers Eoighan Rodgers Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
9 Neil McCance Sean Ferris Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
10 Alan Carmichael Ivor Lamont Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
11 John Walker Dessie Wilson Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
12 Brian McFall Ronnie Craig Mitsubishi Evo 7 2
14 Wesley Patterson Ruth Guest Ford Escort 8
15 Adrian Hetherington Gary Nolan Ford Escort 8
16 Damian Toner Paddy McCague Ford Escort 8
17 Des Moore Damian Connoll Ford Escort 8
18 Camillus Bradley Danny O'Neill Ford Escort 7
19 Rodney White Sorcha Kelly Ford Escort 7
20 James Kennedy John Rowan Ford Escort 7
21 Aidan Toner Damian Toner Ford Escort 7
22 Eoin McErlean Donard McCann Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
23 Rauri McCloskey Ronan O'Neill Mitsubishi Evo 8 2
24 Rodney McKnight TBA Mitsubishi Evo 6 2
25 Mark Massey Safron Thomas Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
26 Gary Rogers Brian Crawford Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
27 Seamus O'Connell TBA Ford Escort 8
28 Declan McNaughton Sean Hayde Ford Escort 8
29 William Cary Jimmy Graham Ford Escort 8
30 John O'Donnell Jonny Baird Ford Escort 7
31 Michael Conlon Adian Boyle Ford Escort 7
32 Alastair Cochrane Gary McElhinney Ford Escort 7
33 Drew Stewart Steven Park Ford Escort 7
34 Fintan McGrady Conal McCartan Ford Escort 7
35 Gerard McFall Brendan Boyle Ford Escort 9
36 Jack Maguire Paul Maguire Ford Escort 9
37 Philip Ewart Michael Hall Subaru Impreza 9
38 Frank Wray Joe McNulty Mitsubishi Evo 2
39 Brian Muldoon Sean Devlin Subaru Impreza 2
40 Trevor Ferguson David McElroy Subaru Impreza 2
41 Gary Cairns Justin Coyle Mitsubishi Evo 8 2
42 Paul Cooke Keefe Killoyne Mitsubishi Evo 6 2
43 Enda McNulty Declan Campbell Mitsubishi Evo 6 2
44 Glenn Williamson Keith McEvoy Ford Escort 6
45 James Wylie Linda Norris Ford Escort 6
46 Andrew Trotter Avril Magee Ford Escort 7
47 Gary Price Sharon McCarter Ford Escort 7
48 Stephen McFerran Ellen McFerran Ford Escort 7
49 Andrew Bushe TBA Citroen Saxo S16 5
50 Alyn Spiers Billy Regan Peugeot 106 5
51 Andrew Wilson Tommy Spears Toyota Starlet 5
52 Keith Chesire Derek Murdoch Mitsubishi Evo 4 2
53 Jody Patterson Jeremy Taylor Mitsubishi Evo 6 2
54 Toni Kelly TBA Honda Civic 7
55 John Keatley James McKeefry Ford Escort 7
56 Joe Gallagher TBA Ford Focus 7
57 Wilson McConkey Liam McAuley Ford Escort 6
58 Paul Mogey Rodney Torrington Ford Escort 6
59 Samuel Wilson Liam Quigg Renault Clio Maxi 6
60 Aaron Cunningham TBA Ford Escort 6
61 Joe McQuillan Nial lFulton Honda Civic 5
62 Jim McKenna Thomas Treanor Toyota Starlet 5
63 William Smith Victor Smith Honda Civic 5
64 Niall Henry Oliver McErlean Mitsubishi Evo 2
65 Mark McKinstry Rodney Wallace Mitsubishi Evo 9 2
66 Greg McGoary Keith Anderson Ford Escort 7
67 Eamon McCrystal Kevin Bann Ford Escort 7
68 Michael Magee John Magilton Talbot Sunbeam 7
69 Shane Cullen Keiron McKee Ford Escort 6
70 Gerry McGivney Brian Ruth Ford Escort 6
71 Alan Atcheson Dean Henderson Ford Escort 6
72 Adrian Grant Raymond Coulter Ford Escort 6
73 Eamonn McGuigan Michael Moran Ford Escort 6
74 Fearghal McDonald Damien McDermott Ford Escort 6
75 Robert Erwin Chris Ragg Talbot Sunbeam 5
76 Nigel Simpson Austin Grimes Peugeot 206 5
77 Philip Hamilton Derek Stride Peugeot 106 5
78 David Laird Mervyn Forsythe Fiat Punto S16 5
79 John Devlin Gavin Devlin Chrysler Sunbeam 4
80 Alan Faloon Andy Devlin Talbot Sunbeam 4
81 Mervyn Wilson Richard Gamble Ford Escort 4
82 John McHugh Bobby Trimble Toyota Corolla 4
83 Peter O'Kane Mark O'Connol Honda Civic 1
84 Joseph McGonigle Alan White Honda Civic 1
85 Stephen McFerran Cathal McGregor Ford Escort 6
86 Shane McLaughlin Stephen Boyle Ford Escort 6
87 Ian Duff Ian Hull Proton Compact 5
88 Conal Hegarty Hugh Gallagher Toyota Corolla 5
89 Patrick Carey Dave Birt Honda Civic 5
90 Dermot O'Hagan TBA Vauxhall Corsa 3
91 Oran Donnelly Paul Hughes Ford Fiesta 3
92 Joe Agnew Pau lMcErlean Talbot Sunbeam 4
93 Brian Crawford Finnan Hannigan Talbot Sunbeam 4
94 Desmond Henry Desi McErlean Ford Fiesta ST 1
95 John McKay John Hewitt Honda Civic 1
96 David Hutchinson Richard Hunniford Ford Escort 6
97 Alex McNaughton Con Carey Ford Escort 6
98 Gary Gallagher TBA Ford Escort 5
99 Cartha Boyle Pat Craig Ford Escort 5
100 Andrew McLoone Ray Green Ford Escort 4
101 Coner Carey JP Cunning Talbot Sunbeam 4
102 Jonny Leonard Jakie Donaldson Nissan Micra 3
103 Glenn Campbell Ray Fitzpatrick Nissan Micra 3
104 James Convery TBA Ford Ka 3
105 Ciaran McKay David Walsh Ford Escort 6
106 Ronan Lynn James Farell Honda Civic 5
107 Matthew McAuley Ambrose Givess Ford Escort 5
108 Declan Boyle Jason Boyle Toyota Corolla 5
109 Uel Montgomery Darren McClunney Vauxhall Astra 1
110 Sean Carr Shane Carr Vauxhall Corsa 4
111 Enda Carr Paddy Carr Ford Escort 4
112 John McCann Eddie Dugan Vauxhall Nova 3
113 Niall Donnelly Eamon Gallagher Vauxhall Corsa 3
114 Declan Quigley Paddy Duffy Ford Escort 3
115 Eamon McLaughlin Jerry McLaughlin Vauxhall Nova 3
116 Corey McKay Michael Gaffney Peugeot 106 3