It’s all to play for in this weekend’s AceSigns Cork 20 International Rally.

The scene is set for a monuental battle on the stages of County Cork. There are no former winners of the event on the seeded list, so unless there is a dramatic late entry there will be a new name inscribed on the Cork 20 Perpetual Tray in 2016.

Top seeds are Alastair Fisher and Gordon Noble in their Ford Fiesta R5 who are currently leading the Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Championship as it heads into the final round. Fisher hasn’t competed on the event since 2010, while his closest rivals and number 2 seeds Keith Cronin and Mike Galvin have more recent experience of the rally.

Cronin has finished in the runner up spot in Cork for the past two years in his Citroen DS3 R5. Newly crowned national champions Roy White and James O’Brien are the only WRC car amongst the entry and they are at three in a Fiesta. The Moffett brothers Sam and Josh are at four and five in their respective Fiesta R5s and are set to give the leading pair a serious challenge in Cork.

The modified, historic and junior categories are also well represented with Phil Collins, Ross Marshall, Jason McSweeney and Eugene Meegan amongst the forerunners in the national rally. James O’Mahony and Frank Cunningham are set to do battle for the first time since Killarney in the Historic Rally while there are sixteen entered for the Junior Rally with Fergus Hurley one of the favourites in his beautiful Escort Mk2.

Seeded at 67 is Motorsport Ireland Sport Development Officer Art McCarrick who will be tackling his first Cork 20, and he is using the event to raise awareness about platelet donation. McCarrick, a platelet donor himself is entered in a Honda Civic and will contest the national section of the event with co-driver John McCay. Speaking ahead of the event Art said; "Being fortunate enough to work for Motorsport Ireland, I always make an effort to contest a few rallies a year. There is no stronger endorsement of our sport than competing yourself. I'm looking forward to working with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service over the weekend in Cork to try and raise awareness about platelet donation and if we can get a finish I'll be delighted."