Ballinode’s Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry continued their recent form with 2nd overall on the Midland Stages Rally last Sunday. The event was the second round of the 2015 Triton Showers National Rally Championship. The pair had already taken 3rd overall on the opening round in Birr and had taken a win in Mayo since. They held a solid 3rd overall throughout the day but moved up to 2nd on the final stage after long-time leader Declan Boyle suffered a puncture. Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan took the overall victory to move into the championship lead.
Tricky wet conditions faced the crews on the 9 stage event centralised around Roscommon town. Maguire/Sherry slotted into 3rd place on the opening stage but were already 20 seconds adrift of the pace-setting Boyle. As Boyle and Kelly battled for the lead, Maguire/Sherry were fending off the challenge of Welshman Steve Wood and Killarney’s Alan Ring. When Boyle punctured on the final stages, Maguire/Sherry moved up to 2nd with Ring taking 3rd after Wood retired. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan made their first appearance since last year’s Donegal International. The pair led the two-wheel drive category from start to finish after a holding off the hard-charging Chris Armstrong. They were also 4th overall and 1st in class 14.
David Moffett/Fintan Sherry took their Toyota Starlet to 12th overall and 3rd in class 13. Arthur Kierans guided Englishman Simon Chapman to 17th overall and 2nd in class 20 making up for their last stage retirement in Birr. Michael Carbin/Emmet McCooey took 19th overall and 3rd in class 20 in their Evo4. Jim McKenna/Paul Kelly finished 5th in class 14 and 29th overall. South Monaghan brothers Johno and Padraig Doogan took 32nd overall and 8th in class 13. Barry Treanor/Gregory McQuillan finished 48th overall and 2nd in class 11R while Martin Swinburne guided Leitrim’s Colin O’Rourke to 50th overall and 11th in class 13.
Seamus Connolly/Gary McCrudden were forced into Rally 2 after retiring on stage two but recovered to 81st overall and 5th in class 11R which at least secured a few championship points. Shane Maguire/Stephen Thornton were in a similar situation. Re-joining under Rally 2 after retiring on stage one, they salvaged 88th overall and 6th in class 4. Paul Crosby/Gretchen Fegan finished 4th in the Junior Rally which was contested over the final six stages of the event. Retirements on the day included Martin McPhillips/Mark Sheridan, Brendan McDaid/Mac Kierans and Stefan McCann/Stephen McElroy. The National Rally Championship continues with the Monaghan Stages Rally on April 26th.
Circuit of Ireland
Easter is associated with one event in the Irish Motorsport calendar, the Circuit of Ireland Rally. This year the event is a round of the European Rally Championship as well as a counting round of the Irish Tarmac and Northern Ireland Rally Championships. Sam & Josh Moffett have switched their Fiesta WRCs to RRC specification in order to challenge the ERC regulars. The pair are seeded at 7 and 12 respectively. Damien Connolly and James O’Reilly will also be gunning for ERC success. Damien is navigating for Robert Barrable at 6, while James is sitting with Martin McCormack at 11. Former Billy Coleman award winner, Stephen Wright will be back in action with his Fiesta R5 and is seeded at no. 14.
The Circuit of Ireland National Rally runs in tandem with the ERC event. Monaghan entrants include Evin Hughes sitting with Rodney White at 116 and Mac Kierans sitting with Alan Smyth at 140. Derek McGeehan/Arthur Kierans are currently on the reserve list. Full Report next week.
Upcoming events:
April 12th Munster Forestry Rally
April 19th Circuit of Kerry Rally
April 26th Monaghan Stages Rally
May 2nd-3rd Killarney Rally of the Lakes
May 10th Carlow Stages Rally
County Monaghan Motor Club 