Allen is leader of both the Northern Ireland and Irish national championships while Moore is well clear at the top of the Irish forestry series as well as being Allen's closest challenger north of the border.

Allen, from Cookstown, takes his Toyota Corolla to Sunday's Carlow Rally, fourth round of the Irish national series in which he has a 10-point lead over Kevin Barrett and former champion Niall Maguire.

But the major threat is expected to come from any of the three different winners of the first three rounds ? Ray Breen, Patrick Elliott and Michael Barrable ? all of whom are close behind in the points table.

Elliott won the Kerry round of the series but last weekend's return trip to 'the kingdom' for the international Rally of the Lakes proved dramatic with a heavy accident which has forced him to switch from his current Subaru S11 to an older S10 for Carlow.

The rally will also feature the appearance of the S11 Impreza in which Kris Meeke won the Lakes event, this time in the hands of English driver Jim Harrison, and will see two of the latest S12s in action in the hands of Noel Redmond and Liam McCarthy.

The top 10 also includes Bangor's Michael Curran who is the runaway leader of the Group N production category in his Mitsubishi Lancer. He has an interesting challenger this weekend ? Barry Clarke, the Stobart Ford team's Fiesta driver, who is turning out in a Mitsubishi.

Moore, meanwhile, heads into the Cork forests in his Ford Focus for the Munster Moonraker Rally based in Midleton carrying maximum points from the first three rounds - but he won't be expecting to win this one.

He'll be facing British World championship star Guy Wilks who is making a guest appearance in a McKinstry Motorsport Subaru.

But Moore has the consolation of knowing Wilks won't affect the points positions wherever he finishes.