Declan and Brian Boyle from Donegal took the overall honours once again on last Sundays Connacht Motor Club Sligo Park Hotel stages Rally. This win leaves the Donegal cousins in a commanding lead in the Dunlop tarmac championship as they enjoyed a start to finish lead in the sunny Sligo countryside. On what may be a first for Irish rallying the event was shortened by the organisers to six stages from the allotted nine as the blistering heat caused the tarmac to lift and the call was made to cancel the final loop of three stages to avoid any long term damage to the roads. However Declan and Brian Boyle had over a minute to spare so victory was within their sights anyway. It was a good day at the office for some travelling Monaghan crews with four inside the top ten. Niall Maguire and Enda Sherry finished second overall in their impreza WRC, despite the gearbox showing signs of malfunction through stage six they were relieved to make the finish. Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly continued their excellent form of late rounding off the top three in his group N EVO.
Josh Moffett and Jason McKenna had a good battle with older brother but was just edged out to 4th overall by 17 seconds and took the class 4 win. They also picked up the Sligo Pallets drive of the day award. Cavan’s Jonathan Pringle and Martin Byrne claimed the two wheel drive honours and 5th overall to boot in their class 13 escort. They now lie in 2nd overall in the Sligo Pallets border championship. Ian Gunning was 6th while Clones man Raymond Conlon teamed up with Sarah Whelan to take a great result in 7th overall and 3rd in class 13. Jack Maguire was just outside the top 10 in 11th overall and 2nd in class 20.
Gary Kiernan and Niall Tierney took the class 10 win and 25th overall. This win leaves the Cavan men at the top of the Sligo Pallets Border Championship classification with only the Donegal Harvest rally left to complete in October. Damien O’Reilly and Damien McCabe had a great battle with the Cavan club rivals and were only edged out by 4 seconds to take the class 9 victory and 26th overall. David Smith and Mark Deery were consistent as ever and finished 29th overall and 3rd in class 11R, thus leading their class in the border championship with one round remaining. Stephen and Suzanne Wright had an uncustomary bad day at the office when their brakes seemed to malfunction and Stephen was forced to slide his Evo into a bank to avoid going off altogether but picked up a puncture and dropped them right back. Despite finishing 43rd overall they still managed to take 3rd in class 4. Paddy Kiernan acquired the services of Paul Sheridan as navigator for the day but they left their luck at home, finishing 51st overall. The Monaghan/Cavan pairing obviously encountered some problems on stage 5 as they were as high as 5th overall after stage 4. Francie McKenna and Sean Craig took the class 1 honours in the trusty Rover MG ZR.
Unfortunately the bumpy Sligo stages did claim quite a few casualties throughout the day, with double border champions Arthur and Mac Kierans’ dominance come to an abrupt end on a Sligo ditch on stage 3 whilst lying in 14th overall. Last years winners of this event, Shane Maguire and Martin McGarrity were another retirement after the gearbox in the subaru cried enough. Richard Moffett and Martin Connollys rally came to an end on stage 2, lying in 13th overall after the opening test. Results sheets suggest Justin Smyth and Gregory McQuillan had a troubled day lying well down the leader board and eventually retiring after stage 5.
So all is to play for on this years Sligo Pallets Border Rally championship as Paddy Kiernan holds a slender lead from Jonathan Pringle with Declan Boyle in 3rd with the Donegal Harvest Stages remaining. But when dropped rounds are taken into account and should any of these fail to take a class win in Donegal it opens the door for a number of competitors to lift this years title with Dermot O’Hagan and Arthur Kierans still in with an outside chance to name but a few. Monaghan Motor Club would like to thank the many marshals which turned up and braved the blistering sunshine in Sligo.
Connacht MC Sligo Stages Rally Top 10
1 Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Impreza WRC) 50m 21s,
2 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 51m 27s,
3 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 52m 41s,
4 Josh Moffett/Jason McKenna (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 52m 58s,
5 Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne (Escort) 54m 02s,
6 Ian Gunning/Fred Holmes (Escort) 54m 33s,
7 Raymond Conlon/Sarah Whelan (Corolla) 54m 43s,
8 David Leonard/Darragh Mullen (Lancer) 54m 56s,
9 Enda Haran/Patrick Corcoran (Escort) 54m 56s,
10 Dermot O’Hagan/Pierce Doheny Jnr (Corsa) 55m 41s.
Motorsport Safety Team Group N Production class:
1 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly,
2 Josh Moffett/Jason McKenna,
3 Sean Gallagher/Claire Gallagher (Lancer Evo 9) 56m 07s.
rally.ie Two wheel drive award:
1 Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne.
Monaghan Endurance Trial
Monaghan Motor Club have postponed there upcoming endurance trial due to take place this Sunday as it clashes with the Ulster Football final. Next date due to be published shortly.
County Monaghan Motor Club 