Enniskillen Motor Club has attracted a top class entry for Saturday’s Samdec Security Lakeland Stages Rally.

The event is the only forestry round of this year’s Northern Ireland Rally Championship, and it looks set to be one of the most hotly contested in recent years with international rally winners Donagh Kelly and Sam Moffatt both taking their place in an 80 strong entry list.

The drivers and co-drivers will tackle eight stages, covering 44 competitive miles around Derrygonnelly and Garrison, and spectators look to be in for a thrilling spectacle with some of the most entertaining drivers in the country set to do battle.

The two wheel drive category is always fiercely contested and Frank Kelly and Adrian Hetherington are likely to be among the front runners in their Ford Escorts, but there is quality throughout the entry list with the fights for class honours set to entertain the crowds.

Local drivers are well represented and although the odds are against an overall winner from Fermanagh, there will be plenty looking to exploit their local knowledge in pursuit of class success. Johnny Leonard finished third in the Northern Ireland Championship last season, and although he will not repeat that achievement this year he will be looking for a good finish on his home event. The group N battle features a host of Mitsubishi Evos and Subarus and Marc Johnston will be looking to match the times of both Sam and Josh Moffatt, and will face local competition from the likes of Nigel Hodgins and Gerry Farmer. Among the entertainers on Saturday will be the Ford Orion of Paul McShea, and he will be joined by plenty of rear wheel drive cars including the Escorts of local men Declan Campbell, and Andrew Trotter. Among the dozens of local drivers, rising talent Jon Armstrong will back in action in his giant killing Fiesta and James Donnelly will be hoping to mix it with the front runners in his Subaru.

Scrutiny for the competing cars will take place on Friday evening and Saturday morning at the old Grosvenor Barracks at Coleshill before the first car departs the start ramp at 10am.

The winner will be crowned just after 4pm on Saturday evening at the Enniskillen Hotel, where the club will also have on display a collection of photographs from club events over the years.

The rally organisers are still looking for marshals to help out on the event. Anyone available and interested should contact Gerry Cavanagh on 07851 052322.