County Monaghan Motor Club

 

It was a great weekend for Monaghan crews on last weekend’s Mayo Stages Rally. The event was the opening round of the 2016 Triton National Rally Championship and the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. Monaghan Motor Club had three members on the podium. Damien Connolly guided Peadar Hurson to 2^nd overall while Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry finished just behind in 3^rd overall. There was also success for Niall’s son, Shane who won Group N with his navigator Mac Kierans.

 

The event consisted of three stages repeated three times. The opening loop saw Gary Jennings open up an impressive lead. Maguire/Sherry were on a charge in 2^nd place, 14 seconds clear of Hurson/Connolly in 3^rd. Maguire/Kierans moved into a 15 second lead in Group N from Paul Barrett. Monaghan’s Seamus Connolly/Gary McCrudden were already over 30 seconds clear of their rivals in Class 11R.

 

The race for 2^nd overall continued on the second loop with Hurson/Connolly moving to within a second of Maguire/Sherry. Hurson/Connolly surged through on the final loop to claim 2^nd ahead of Maguire/Sherry in 3^rd. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan took class 14 honours in a fine 7^th overall in their Escort. Shane Maguire/Mac Kierans took 10^th overall and 1^st in class 4 in their Lancer. Arthur Kierans guided Donegal’s Conor Harvey to 16^th overall in his first run in the Toyota AE86. Seamus Connolly/Gary McCrudden flew through to 23^rd overall and 1^st in class 11R in their Escort. Padraig Connolly/Kaine Treanor were 62^nd overall and 3^rd in class 10 in their Peugeot. David Moffett/Darragh Kelly and John Kelly/Niall Kelly both failed to finish the event.

 

The National Rally Championship continues with the Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally on April 3^rd. The Border Rally Championship continues with the Monaghan Stages Rally on April 24^th.

 

Results

1 Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Impreza WRC) 63m 41s,
2 Peadar Hurson/Damien Connolly (Impreza WRC) 65m 16s,
3 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 65m 57s,
4 Roy White/James O’Brien (Fiesta WRC) 65m 59s,
5 Gary Kiernan/Ryan Moore (Escort) 67m 56s,
6 Ed O’Callaghan/Ger Clancy (Escort) 68m 52s,
7 Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan (Escort) 69m 09s,
8 Frank Kelly/Paul Twomey (Escort) 69m 35s,
9 Russell Woods/Martin Byrne (Escort) 69m 42s,
10 Shane Maguire/Mac Kierans (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 69m 47s.

 

Moffett Top Irishman on Mid-Wales Stages

 

Josh Moffett & John Rowan were the top Monaghan finishers on the opening round of the revamped British Rally Championship. The Mid-Wales Stages rally contained the classic Hafren, Sweet Lamb and Myherin Stages synonymous with Rally GB.

 

Moffett/Rowan were on the pace on the opening night stage through Hafren slotting into a fine 5^th overall. Not so lucky was his brother, Sam and Karl Atkinson, who lost several minutes which left them 34^th overall. Josh dropped a couple of places on the next few stages but another good run through the Hafren Stage elevated him to 6^th overall by the finish. Sam set some solid top 10 times on Saturday to recover to 16^th overall.

 

The Moffett brothers will continue their BRC assault on the Circuit of Ireland rally in early April. Before that both are scheduled to compete on the West Cork Rally this weekend, which is Round 2 of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

 

ALMC Endurance Trial

 

Monaghan’s Evin Hughes guided Karl O’Donoghue to 2^nd overall on last weekend’s ALMC Endurance Trial based in Luttrellstown, Co. Dublin. Conor Mohan navigated for local man, Peter Barrable and they came home 5^th overall.

 

Results

1 Robert Barrable/Ciaran Larkin (Toyota Starlet) 2m 16s,
2 Karl O’Donoghue/Evin Hughes (Toyota Starlet) 3m 54s,
3 Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors (Toyota Starlet) 4m 54s,
4 Kevin O’Rourke/Craig O’Rourke (Toyota Starlet) 5m 56s,
5 Peter Barrable/Conor Mohan (Toyota Starlet) 6m 18s,
6 Robert Howard/Andrew Stewart (Toyota Starlet) 6m 20s.

 

Navigation Season Finale

 

Newbliss is the venue for this weekend’s Navigation Trial, which is the final round of the National & Border Night Navigation Championships. COC Peter Deery and his team are organising an 85 mile route in some classic navigation terrain in west Monaghan. The Border Championship is up for grabs between Michael & Ciaran Tynan and Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes, who are hoping to add to their National success. Marshals are required for this event and those available are asked to present to the Acorn Centre in Newbliss for 7.30pm.