Longford’s Pakie Duffy and Ballybay navigator Evin Hughes took overall victory on last weekend’s Cavan Navigation Trial, based at Maudabawn. The event was the penultimate round of both the National & Border Night Navigation Championships. The pair came home two penalties clear of the opposition after one of the toughest navigation events this season. This win was enough to clinch another National title for the pair with one round remaining.
COC Thomas Wedlock ably assisted by his cousin Andrew, laid out a challenging 75 mile route through some classic navigation terrain in East Cavan. The opening section which included a visit to Wedlock’s yard and a tricky tulip diagram at Mountain Lodge caught out a number of crews. Duffy/Hughes and Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan were level pegging on two penalties each at this point. Another tulip diagram between TP17 and TP19 also proved challenging while TP23 was missed by the majority of the field after failing to find a hidden slot to the timepoint. Cassidy & Phelan moved into a clear lead at this point from Keith McConnon/Micheal McCluskey & Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin.
The lead changed hands dramatically over the closing timepoints. Plot & Bash at TP30 & TP31 were back in Wedlock’s yard and caught out a number of crews with Cassidy/Phelan the main victims. McConnon/McCluskey dropped out of contention after going OTL. Tynan/Clerkin held the lead right to the final timepoint but missed their slot and arrived at the timepoint with a wrong approach.
So it was Duffy & Hughes who took overall honours with a two penalty advantage over Michael & Ciaran Tynan. This result kept the Tynans in the hunt for the Border Championship title with the final round in Monaghan in a fortnight’s time. Tynan/Clerkin had to settle for third overall with Cassidy/Phelan 4th and Semi-Expert class winners, Eoghan Corr/Ruaidhri Nash in 5th.
McConnon/McCluskey & Peter Farrell/Shane Farrell finished 2nd and 3rd Semi-Expert respectively. Novice class honours went to Aiden Sherry/Oisin Sherlock from Mark Deery/Patrick O’Leary and Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan. Philip & Conor Smyth won the Beginner’s class from fellow locals John Agnew/Alan Cullinan and Hugh McBrien/Patrick Corcoran.
Results
1 Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 37 marks,
2 Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 39m,
3 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 46m,
4 Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan (Vauxhall Vectra) 49m,
5 Eoghan Corr/Ruaidhri Nash (Subaru Impreza) 75m,
6 Keith McConnon/Micheal McCluskey (Subaru Impreza) 81m,
7 Aidan Sherry/Oisin Sherlock (Subaru Impreza) 107m,
8 Brendan Treanor/Garry Farrelly (Subaru Impreza) 116m,
9 Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy (Subaru Impreza) 124m,
10 Philip Smith/Conor Smith (Subaru Forester) 126m,
11 Mark Deery/Patrick O’Leary (Subaru Impreza) 132m,
12 Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 139m.
Fivemiletown Spring Rally
Omagh Motor Club hosted their annual Spring Rally based in the forests around Fivemiletown last Saturday. The clubman event was well supported with over 70 entries for the event. Sam Moffett & Jason McKenna used the event as a test session prior to their BRC Championship assault next weekend. The pair took their R5 Fiesta to a comfortable 48 second win from the Lancer of Mark Donnelly & Stephen O’Hanlon. Josh Moffett/John Rowan were forced to retire whilst leading.
Michael Carbin/Emmet McCooey finished 7th overall in their Lancer. Robert Moffett & James O’Reilly finished 13th overall in the WRC Fiesta. Emmet Sherry guided Tommy O’Connell to 18th overall in their Ford Escort. Arthur Kierans guided Marty McKenna to 20th overall in his Subaru WRC on his first event since his huge off at the Glens rally two years ago. Johno Doogan/Ciaran Marron finished 23rd overall and 2nd in class in their Escort. Damien Hagan/Conor Hagan took 33rd overall with Maurice Moffett/Martin Connolly in 35th place.
Results
1 Sam Moffett/Jason McKenna (Ford Fiesta R5) 31:31.0
2 Mark Donnelly /Stephen O’Hanlon (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX) 32:19.0
3 Niall McCullagh/Ryan McCloskey (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) 32:44.0
4 Frank Kelly/Sean Ferris (Ford Escort MkII) 32:44.0
5 Frank O’Brien /Steven O’Brien (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI) 32:44.0
6 Shane McGirr/Jackie Elliott (Toyota Starlet) 32:45.0
7 Michael Carbin/Emmet McCooey (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IV) 33:09.0
8 Adrian Hetherington/Gary Nolan (Ford Escort MkII) 33:12.0
9 Vivian Hamill/Paul Hamill (Ford Escort MkII) 33:17.0
10 Niall Henry/Damien Duffin (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X) 33:20.0
County Monaghan Motor Club 