THE Irish Tarmac Rally Championship zooms in on Killarney this weekend for the Assess Ireland Rally of the Lakes.

All the main championship contenders are amongst the entry list that is headed by Derry's Callum Devine and his Killarney co-driver Noel O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), who are seeking a record-equalling five in a row on the event.

The late Bertie Fisher and his co-driver Rory Kennedy hold the all-time record of six wins (1990-1994 and 1996).

The big question is who, if anyone, can stop reigning Irish Tarmac champion Devine from achieving further success in Killarney?

This is round four of the ITRC that is led by West Cork Rally winner, Monaghan's Josh Moffett. But Moffett and his Wexford co-driver Andy Hayes have yet to win in Killarney. He leads the current ITRC campaign, four points ahead of Devine with Kelly another four points further behind in third.

Reigning national champion Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty is another seeking a first win in Killarney. Indeed, he awaits a maiden victory in a round of the ITRC. David Kelly arrives in Killarney fresh from his fine win on the Circuit of Ireland. Having crashed out during the second stage of the opening round in Galway, Donegal's Eamonn Kelly (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) makes a welcome return to the series – it remains to be seen how he adapts given the lack of seat time in comparison to his opponents.

There is also likely to be great interest in last year's Cork '20' Rally winner, Donegal's Michael Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2), who has proved he has the pace. Former Tarmac champion Donegal's Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) and Tyrone's Ryan Loughran (Ford Fiesta Rally2) are the remaining starters in the seeded top ten.

Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin is the top local entry and is seeded at No 15. Although it is one of his local events Cronin hasn't competed that much in the Rally of the Lakes, mainly due to his national rally championship commitments.

Outings in 2018 and 2019 were brief due to retirements while he was fifth overall in the 2022 iteration where he steered a VW Polo GTi R5. Previously in the Junior category he notched up a pair of third-place finishes in 2012 and 2013. Cronin will have a different co-driver on this occasion.

‘Killarney's Ger Conway will call the notes. I put in a late entry and Padraig (O'Donovan, his regular co-driver) had already committed to sit with Millstreet's Sean Moynihan (Ford Escort) so that's how it came about. Ger is a very experienced co-driver and is good at his job,’ Cronin said.

Clonakilty's David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) has withdrawn his entry.

Elsewhere in the top 20, Killarney's Rob Duggan and Conor Murphy, both in Ford Escorts, head the Modified entry that includes the Ford Escort of Ladysbridge driver Cian Walsh and his Barryroe co-driver Dylan Doonan. Banteer's Barry Meade (Ford Escort) has Colin Fitzgerald (Halfway) on the pacenotes.

Rosscarbery's Jason O'Mahony and Clonakilty's Andy Mahon (Ford Escort) are seeded at No. 56 in the ex-Philip Cross car.

Other West Cork entries are Glandore's Pat Calnan (Ford Fiesta Rally2); Skibbereen's Patrick Calnan (Honda Civic), Kilcrohane's Micheál O'Donovan (Ford Fiesta R2T), Schull's Frank Hurley (Ford Escort), Kilbrittain's Donal Dinneen (Honda Civic), Macroom's Barry O'Brien (Honda Civic) and Dunmanway's Fearghal O'Donoghue (Honda Civic).

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Meanwhile, Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney (Ford Escort WRC) and his Blackpool co-driver Liam Brennan are amongst the entries in the Historic category.

Victories in Galway and the Clonakilty Park West Cork Rally gave McSweeney an early lead in the series but retirement from the Circuit of Ireland stymied further progress.

‘The engine has been re-built and the ECU has been checked and hopefully, that will sort out the issues we had on the Circuit. Donegal's John O'Donnell (BMW M3) will be the man to beat, but it's important to score as many points as possible.’

Ballincollig co-driver Brian Dugan will partner Killarney's Fergus O'Meara (BMW M3), who will follow top seeds O'Donnell and McSweeney. The McCarthy brothers from Clondrohid, Iarla and Eoghan, are the respective co-drivers for overseas drivers Duncan Williams and Alan Watkins, both in Ford Escort RS1800's.

In the Junior category, Ardfield's Gary Lombard co-drives for Ladysbridge driver Darragh Walsh and Bandon's Daniel Seaman sits with Glanmire's Kyle Browne – the respective top two seeds in the category and both in Honda Civics.

Saturday's opening stage Moll's Gap starts at 8.35am and Sunday's opener (SS9) also at Moll's Gap, begins at 9.15am.

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Lissarda's Philip Cross is turning back the clock on this weekend's Rally of the Lakes where he will drive the ex-Jason O'Mahony Ford Escort G3 with Rathbarry's Joseph O'Sullivan calling the pacenotes. The pair finished last year's event and went on to take third in class on the Cork '20'. The finish in Killarney was a welcome result compared to previous occasions (2004-2007) with a run of non-finishes.

'The Ford Escort (Mk2) that I was planning to use isn't ready so I will drive the Escort G3, the ex-Jason O'Mahony car. It's been a while since I drove one and I'm looking forward to it. Joseph (O'Sullivan) will sit with me, he is a young co-driver and he sat with me last year.  He is very good, well organised and has great potential,’ Cross said.