The 2026 Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship enters its second half this weekend at the Dussmann Technical Solutions | STS Stonethrowers Rally. Based at the Talbot Hotel in Clonmel, the event marks round five of the series.
Organised by the Tipperary Light Car & Motorcycle Club, the 46th running of the rally features a new Clerk of the Course in Susan Sheehan. The event features a three-stage route repeated loops, with service, parc ferme, and scrutiny hosted at Powerstown Park.
Moffett leads the top ten contenders
Current championship leaders Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty head the seedings in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Moffett, the 2024 winner, holds 70 points after taking victories in Birr and Munster. Shane Quinn and Stephen Reynolds sit second in the standings on 63 points, chasing their first national win after recording podium finishes in Birr and Munster in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.
David Kelly and Shane Buckley return to national action for the first time since winning the opening round in Mayo.
Kelly lines up in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, looking to repeat that early-season pace. He faces stiff competition from fellow Donegal competitor Kevin Eves and co-driver Chris Melly, who secured a podium finish in Birr in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Daniel Cronin and Padraig O’Donovan enter in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, looking to improve on their season-best seventh-place finish in Munster. Derry’s Desi Henry and Donegal co-driver Dean O’Sullivan bring their Ford Fiesta to Tipperary, while Tyrone’s Jason Dickson and Martin Brady compete in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Joseph Kelly and Killian McArdle feature in another Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. Local focus rests on Tipperary’s Casey Jay Coleman, who handles a Skoda Fabia Rally2 on his home event, marking his first outing in the car since last year’s Cork “20” Rally following a season spent competing in Europe.
Mayo’s John Warren and Ruthann O’Connor round out the top ten seeds in their Ford Fiesta Rally2, fresh off a top-ten finish at the Circuit of Munster.
Just outside the top ten, Cork’s David Guest and Stephen Quin pilot a Ford Fiesta Rally2, while Derry’s Niall Henry and Peter Ward line up in a similar Ford Fiesta. Dublin’s Tim McNulty returns to national competition alongside Matthew McMahon in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Modified and two-wheel-drive battles
Jonathan Pringle leads the two-wheel-drive National battle in his Ford Escort Mk2,.
His main championship opposition comes from Chris Armstrong and Darren Curran in a Ford Escort, alongside Kerry’s Conor Murphy and Sean Collins, who finished second in Class 14 in Munster.
Daniel Breslin and Damian Doherty add further power to the Escort field in their RS Mk2 following a class victory in Limerick, alongside Wexford’s James Bradley and Shane O’Dowd. Defending national champion co-driver Eddie Doherty will sit in the hot seat navigating for Cork’s Cian Walsh in another Escort.
International interest comes from England’s James Ford and Scottish co-driver Neil Shanks, who bring the Porsche 911 they debuted in Donegal to a national round for the first time.
Local entries
Former national champion Roy White returns to his home rally for the first time in eight years. Reunited with Des Cooney in his MG S2000, White will contend Class 20 against Colum Browne and Kieran Carroll in a Mitsubishi Evo.
Local competitors targeting class awards include Michael Ormond Tom Sheehan, Willie Walsh, Ger Walshe, Jason O’Brien, Ger Clancy, Niall Keane, John Meade, Owen Mulcahy, and Michael Britton.
