Monaghans infamous Drumlin night navigation trial was the place to be on Saturday night last as a full entry of 50 starters faced the 110-mile route through the drumlin hills of North Monaghan. Sean Mac Dermotts GAA centre in Threemilehouse was the ideal venue as CoC Stephen Thornton and Garreth Beagan laid on fabulous route to test man and machine to the max. Michael Carbin and Evin Hughes had an almost faultless night to take the event win on a total of 9 penalties. In doing so they also clinched the Gary Nesbitt club navigation championship from Michael and Ciaran Tynan, both crews finishing on the same points but 2 event wins for Carbin and Hughes give them the outright win. For Michael Carbin it was double success as he lifted the traders club championship trophy for the first time. 2nd over-all on the night went to the Tynan’s finishing on 13 marks. Any other night 2nd over-all on the drumlin would be a great result but not this time as they missed out on the traders and gary nesbitt championships by the slenderest of margins. Kevin Keenan and Barry Garvey had an excellent run to take 3rd over-all on the night on 15 marks, although their car had some battle scares to prove how hard they were trying.
The first 10 time points of the event were fairly straightforward although an inviting lane to time point 4 caught out 26crews for a wrong approach. Time points 11 and 12 also caused some confusion for a lot of crews. Known locally as Corr’s lane, a slot right between two turkey houses and then a lane round the farm to 12 saw all but 5 crews drop time. Time points 13 to 20 were in the Aghabog area with absolutely no time for error, even the slightest slip up would surely result in dropped minutes. Tp 21 & 22 was plot and bash sections with muddy and flooded lanes coming thick and fast. Event winners Carbin and Hughes only dropped a single minute through this section, as did Trevor Farrell and Noel Hall leaving them joint leaders at petrol halt. Kevin Keenan and Barry Garvey were on 2 pens and leading the semi experts ahead of midlands men Packie and Colin Duffy. Arthur and Macartan Kierans were using their local knowledge to great effect as they were also on 2 penalties and 3rd over-all at mid point. Midlands men Shane Dalton and Michael Reilly were streets ahead in the beginners class by mid point on 38 penalties. Expert crew of Andy Mackarel and Liam Higgins were forced into retirement at mid point with a burst fuel tank.
The second half of the trial snaked Southwards again from Monaghan to the outskirts of Ballybay and then west towards Aghabog and Corcaghan. If the first half of the trial lacked anything, then the second half surely made up for it. Lane after lane mean’t the times were very hard to make up. Tp’s 32 and 33 saw all crews dropping time, the same lane being used twice with two different departures. There was always going to be a sting in the tail on this event as tp 40 to 42 were all plot and bash sections. The approach to tp 39 was very tricky as miss your slot right deemed you inside 50 yards of the time point and the reward was 15 for a wrong approach or 30 for double visit penalties. The following plot and bash sections could only be described as going “round the world for a short cut”. A lot of thought went into this by the CoC’s as 3 of the time points plotted within a quarter of a mile of each other, while two more time points on the approach roads left figuring out the route very difficult. With precious minutes ticking away it eventually became apparent that two lanes had to be traversed three times each just to make the time points in the correct order without going through other time points which were all within close proximity. All sounds very confusing and indeed it was even for the experts but all that remained was to get the time points without any more time delays. Event winners Carbin and Hughes were now first on the road and dropped 6 minutes through this section while the Tynan’s dropped 7 and with the short run back to Threemilehouse they finished 1st and 2nd respectively. Keenan and Garvey dropped a massive 12 penalties from tp’s 38 to 43 but still did enough to hold onto a well deserved 3rd over-all.
Arthur and Macartan Kierans rounded off a great months rallying with 4th over-all, a great result considering Mac is only on the maps for less than a year. A wrong approach to tp39 meant they could have been 2nd over-all but nevertheless a great result for the Aghabog men. Trevor Farrell and Noel Hall rounded off the top 5 on 33 penalties and 2nd expert, another victim of the approach to tp 39. Donegal brothers Rory and Ciaran Coyle took 3rd expert on 39 pens. Keenan and Garvey took the semi-expert class win with Packie and Colin Duffy 2nd, Colin picking up a massive 50 for an early clock in to Control D, dropping him from 4th to 11th over-all. Another midlands crew Chris Kelly and Sam Johnston were 3rd in class but a long way back on 108 pens, a poor result by their high standards. Ciaran Mc Elroy and Damian McCabe took 2nd novice award behind the Kierans’ with Brendan Ward and Sean Kelly 3rd.
On a tough night for a beginner it was Keith McConnon and Martin Swinburne who held their nerve to take the class win on 129 pens. Another midlands crew in the form of Shane Dalton and Michael Reilly took 2nd beginner on 159 pens with Paul McKenna and Gary McCrudden 3rd beginner on 224 pens.
So that’s the Drumlin done and dusted for another year and well done to
Stephen and Garreth on an excellent, tough, tricky and well-run event. Also thanks to Stephen Hagan and Fintan along with anyone else who helped out in any way. Next up is Midlands navigation trial on 26th November in foxfield, approx 6 miles outside Ballinamore. Well done to Michael Carbin and Evin Hughes on winning the Gary Nesbitt club navigation championship and also to Michael on winning the 2011 traders club championship. Keep an eye on Monaghan club website for club navigation results with all awards being presented at our annual dinner dance on Saturday 3rd December in Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan. Hope to see you all there, more information next week.
Monaghan Drumlin Navigation Trial top 12
1 Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 9 marks
2 Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 13m
3 Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey (Subaru Impreza) 15m
4 Arthur Kierans/Macartan Kierans (Subaru Impreza) 25m
5 Trevor Farrell/Noel Hall (Subaru Impreza) 33m
6 Ciaran McElroy/Damien McCabe (Subaru Impreza) 39m
7 Rory Coyle/Ciaran Coyle (Subaru Impreza) 39m
8 Brendan Ward/Sean Kelly (Subaru Impreza) 48m
9 Stephen Wright/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 48m
10 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 61m
11 Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy (Subaru Impreza) 68m
12 Donal McArdle/Thomas Wedlock (Subaru Impreza) 74m.
Banna Beach Stages Rally
Shane Maguire and Sean Mullally made the trip south on Sunday last to contest the Banna Beach Kerry Mini Stages Rally. This event was the final round of the Top Part West Coast Rally championship. Shane was in 2nd over-all prior to this event but unfortunately the Gods weren’t with them on this occasion as a turbo fire put an end to Shane’s rally at the start of stage 2. The Ballinode man had set a great time on SS1, which was 4th fastest and only 8 seconds off the rally lead. But disaster struck as the turbo caught fire on SS2. Luckily for Shane at least 6 cars behind stopped and helped extinguish the blaze with their own extinguishers. Were glad to report that Shane’s group N Subaru is not much the worse thanks to the quick actions of all competitors involved. Despite the drama there was a silver lining as Shane managed to hold on for 2nd over-all in the Top Part West Coast Championship.
The rally was won by Barry Meade and Liam Moynihan in a class 14 escort followed by Mike Quinn and Grainne McEnery who take the West Coast championship win. Brian O’Mahony and Richard Talbot were 3rd over-all in the unique sounding Metro 6R4. Monaghan’s John McQuaid and Seamus O’Connor were just edged out of 5th over-all on the final stage but are sure to be satisfied with 6th over-all. This result rounds off a fantastic season for the Emyvale men who have consistently climbed the leader boards this year.
Gerard McQuaid and Gary Quilan had a great run in class 11 to take 3rd and 22nd over-all just ahead of fellow Monaghan competitor Anthony Hand with Laura Furey on the notes. 24th over-all for Anthony and Laura is also a good result considering he hasn’t competed regularly this year due to work commitments but the pace is obviously still there.
Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year
The nominees for the 2011 Motorsport Ireland Billy Coleman award have been announced and incredibly 5 of the 7 nominees are Monaghan motor club members, highlighting the calibre of young drivers within Monaghan at present. The Selection Panel for the Billy Coleman Award will meet on Thursday 17 November to interview the seven candidates for the title of Motorsport Ireland Young Rally Driver of the Year 2011.
The drivers who have qualified for the interview stage are: Gerard McQuaid, Glaslough, Co Monaghan (Highest Placed Junior driver overall in Dunlop National Rally Championship). Derek Butler, Mallow, Co Cork (Highest Placed Junior driver overall in National Forest Rally Championship). Douglas Stewart, Churchtown, Dublin (2nd Junior driver overall in National Forest Rally Championship). Johno Doogan, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan (Winner of Junior Category of Dunlop National Rally Championship). Vincent McAree, Ballinode, Co Monaghan (Wildcard). Sam Moffett, Clontibret, Co Monaghan (Wildcard). Daniel McKenna, Scotshouse, Co Monaghan (Wildcard)
The Billy Coleman Award is presented annually to the most outstanding young Rally driver during the current year. The award consists of a support package for Rally competition in 2012 to the value of €50,000. Funding for the award is provided jointly by Motorsport Ireland, its affiliated clubs, and the Irish Sports Council. The formal presentation of awards to the Champions of Irish Motorsport will take place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, Dublin on Tuesday 6th December 2011. Good luck to all the lads and hopefully Monaghan Motor Club will have another Billy Coleman award winner this year.
County Monaghan Motor Club 