County Monaghan Motor Club

 Saturday night last saw four Monaghan crews make the long journey South for round six of the National Navigation championship with a trip to Skibbereen, Co. Cork bringing mixed fortunes for the travelling Monaghan men. Arthur Kierans and Ashley Mc Adoo once again stamped their authority on the National Championship with a comfortable overall win, 13 penalties ahead of Cork men Alan and George Shinnors on 32 pens with Richard Cassidy piloting Dubliner Paul Phelan in there trusty vectra a distant third on 118pens. Michael Carbin and Evin Hughes started the event as Arthur and Ashley’s main rivals for the National title but all was to be in vain as early as time point 5 where they got stuck in a muddy lane and were forced to retire at the next control, running OTL. Monaghan beginner Macartan Kierans once again showed his enthusiasm for the sport as he also made the journey South, this time piloted by local Cork man Johnny Casey but they too ran into early difficulties and were forced to retire early on. This win for Arthur and Ashley means they have one hand firmly on the National Championship for the fourth consecutive year as Saturday night next sees Midland Motor club run the reserve round of the National Championship from Rooskey, Co. Roscommon which is also the 4^th round of the Squealing Pig Border Navigation Championship, closely followed by Donegal Motor Clubs first event of the border championship for many years the following weekend, with entry forms available on line.

Galway International Rally

Two Monaghan crews braved the elements to participate in the first round of the Irish international rally championship at the weekend as 9^th seeds Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly headed the Monaghan challenge in there Evo 9 ahead of Stephen Wright and Paul McGee seeded at 24 in their newly acquired Evo 6. First blood of the national rally championship went to Meath’s Tim Mc Nulty with Paul Kiely from Sligo on the notes followed by the triton showers backed Subaru WRC of Kevin Barrett and Sean Mullally with Cork man Alan Ring and Adrian Deasy 3^rd in their Group N Evo 9.

            It was a  case of mixed fortunes for the travelling Monaghan crews as Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly put in a fine display to take 5^th overall and 1^st in group N category while Stephen Wright and Paul McGee were not so fortunate and battled with a temperamental gearbox throughout the Saturday stages which eventually forced them to retire.