County Monaghan Motor Club

Bushwhacker Forestry Stages Rally 

Omagh Motor Club held their annual Bushwhacker Forest Stages Rally on Saturday last. This event has proven very popular over the years with its fast flowing, Finland type gravel stages. This year’s event had the added bonus of being a counting round of the Valvoline Southern Forestry championship. Series leader Owen Murphy had to finish the event in the top 3 southern contenders to confirm his championship win. Conor McCloskey and Francis Regan took a memorable win in their Impreza from the hard charging Donnagh Kelly and Kevin Flanagan in an EV09. Kenny McKinstry and Kenny Hull rounded off the top 3 in their WRC spec impreza. The entertainer of the day award surely went to Frank Kelly who won the 2 wheel-drive category and showed a tremendous pace through the fast flowing Fermanagh Forests.

            Monaghan’s Paul Sheridan once again teamed up with Enda McNulty in an impreza and were on the pace throughout the day to eventually take a well earned 5^th over-all and 2^nd in class 9. Vincent and JP McAree started the event with one thing on their mind, to keep the pressure on southern championship leader Murphy. They certainly gave him a good run for his money and finished highest registered Southern Forestry competitor in 6^th over-all and 1^st in class 2. Unfortunately for the Ballinode men their efforts still wasn’t enough and Owen Murphy and James O Brien survived a few scares throughout the day to finish in 10^th over-all and lift the 2011 Valvoline Irish Foresty Rally title. Dublins Robert Barrable and Monaghans Damian Connolly were late entrants and slotted in at number 2 on the road. This crew seemed to get off to a poor start but gradually worked their way up the leader board to take 7^th over-all and 3^rd in class 9. Michael Conlon and Paddy McCague had a fraught day through the stick’s with alternator problems resulting in a massive 2-minute loss on ss6. Their stage times suggest however that they were really on a great pace through the remainder of the stages and would surely have been inside the top 5 two-wheel-drives.

            Unfortunetly there are always a list of none-finishers in every rally and the Monaghan men didn’t escape this one either! Arthur Kierans was re-united with Colin Britton in a group N impreza but there luck never shone. They encountered turbo problems through the first loop but a broken gearbox eventually ended their day through the middle loop. Stephen & Suzanne Wright’s luck eventually ran out on Saturday when the rear diff eventually cried enough in their usually trusty EVO 6. Any Cox and Emmett Sherry had another frustrating day in the woods with a broken prop shaft. 

 Monaghan Motor Club Night Navigation Trial

Saturday night next 1^st October see’s Monaghan Motor club open the night navigation season. This event is the penultimate round of the traders club championship and with a single point separating Michael Tynan, Michael Carbin and Andy Mackarel this years championship seems to be going to the wire. Coc for the event is Francis Keenan, ably assisted by Darren Babbington with the Community Centre in Corduff, Carrickmacross as their HQ. Route card 1 is out at 6.30pm with first car away at 9.01pm. Marshals are required and are asked to be in the Corduff Community Centre by 8.00pm latest

Night Navigation Classes

Following yet another successful year in running night navigation classes, Monaghan Motor Club would like to convey their sincere thanks and appreciation to Damian Connolly for presenting these classes. Damian has injected a lot of time and effort into the preparation of notes for these classes and received a very positive response from participants. Thanks must also go to Sean MacDermotts GAA for the use of their facilities and for the many people who turned up each night to lend a helping hand.

 Munster Night Navigation Championship

Congratulations to Ashley McAdoo and Arthur Kierans who received their awards for 1^st over-all in the 10/11 Munster Night Navigation Championship on Saturday night last. Ashley and Arthur made the trip to Cork to attend the prize giving ceremony. This championship consisted of five rounds and with 3 wins and a 2^nd place this crew once again showed they were a dominant force throughout last season. Well done also to Macartan Kierans who took 3^rd in the beginner’s class on his first year of trying.

 Cavan Autocross

Michael Conlon once again showed he is the man to beat around Cavan’s Hutcross quarry with a 4 second win in his escort from Darren O’Brien in a civic. Dry conditions for the first run quickly changed to wet and slippy as torrential rain fell upon the Latton track. Nonetheless Michael survived a spin on the 2^nd loop to punch in another fastest time on the 3^rd loop and claim the win. Other Monaghan men to fair well were Richard Cassidy in his astra who finished joint 6^th over-all and 1^st in class 5. Shane Marron took a class 2 win and 9^th over-all with Justin Smyth just behind in 10^th. Francie McKenna was 12^th and 3^rd in class 2 in his 205. Conor Maguire also slid his immaculate Mk1 escort around the Latton track and finished 14^th over-all and 5^th in class 3.