County Monaghan Motor Club

 

Clontibret’s Josh Moffett made a winning return to the Irish forests on last weekend’s Limerick Forestry Rally. Scotstown’s Emmet Sherry was in the navigator’s seat on this occasion. The event was the penultimate round of the Irish Forestry Championship. The pair dominated the event from start to finish, completing the six stages over a minute clear of their nearest rival. This was Sherry’s first overall win, while Josh made it two wins in a row after his success in Cork a fortnight ago.

The writing was on the wall from the opening stage where Moffett took 26 seconds out of everyone. Another blinding time on Stage 3 saw him complete the opening loop 1 minute 16 seconds clear of the opposition. Smithborough’s Michael Carbin & Scotstown navigator, Darragh Kelly, were chasing vital championship points. They were 6^th overall after three stages. Derek Mackarel & Daire Hayes were out front in the Junior class, embarrassing many competitors in their 1600cc Nova.

Moffett/Sherry consolidated their lead over the second loop to take an emphatic victory. Carbin/Kelly’s championship aspirations took a blow after differential failure sidelined them. Mackarel/Hayes secured the Junior class win and 11^th overall. Michael Conlon & Ciaran McPhillips suffered a rare non-finish when they retired on the opening stage.

The Irish Forestry Championship concludes with the Glens of Antrim Rally on 5^th November.

Limerick Forestry Rally Top 10

1 Josh Moffett/Emmet Sherry (Fiesta R5) 45m 20s,

2 Desi Henry/Liam Moynihan (Fabia R5) 46m 23s,

3 Darren McKelvey/Graham Henderson (Lancer Evo 9) 48m 26s,

4 Shane McGirr/Aileen Kelly (Starlet) 48m 31s,

5 Dermot Kelly/Greg Shinnors (Lancer Evo 9) 49m 07s,

6 John Gordon/Thomas Wedlock (Escort) 49m 11s,

7 John Byrnes/Brian Grant (Lancer Evo 8) 50m 16s,

8 David Crossen/Chris McSherry (Escort) 50m 32s,

9 Ian Graham/Liam McIntyre (Lancer Evo 9) 51m 16s,

10 Ed Muldoon/Mark Byrne (Lancer Evo 9) 51m 31s.

Startrek Navigation Trial

 

Whitechurch, Co. Cork played host to the opening round of the 2016-17 National Night Navigation Championship. As always a number of Monaghan club members made the trip south hoping to get their National campaigns off to a good start. COC Aaron O’Regan laid out a challenging 80 mile route including some forestry sections which were popular with the crews.

Defending champions, Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes, led the crews away. A missed slot on a long gravelly lane would prove costly for this crew, resulting in two penalties into TP8. Derek Mackarel, who was to compete in the Limerick Forestry the next day, was joined by local ace Muireann Hayes. This pair also dropped two early penalties but found their footing as the event wore on. Three plot & bash timepoints in the forests of the Nagles Mountain caught out a few crews while even more lost time over the final three timepoints, which incorporated a tulip diagram.

Skibbereen’s Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy took the event win on 4 penalties holding off Mackarel/Hayes by a single penalty. Duffy/Hughes secured 3^rd place on 6 penalties.

Aiden Sherry/Oisin Sherlock had a faultless run in the Novice class taking the class win and 7^th overall. The South-Monaghan pairing of Keith McConnon/Michael McCluskey finished 9^th overall. Peter & Shane Farrell finished 2^nd in the Semi-Expert class, securing some useful championship points. Colm & Conor Mohan took 2^nd in the Novice class, ending their disappointing run of luck in Cork. Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin were unfortunate to pick up 50 penalties for a timing error which cost them a top 5 finish. Mechanical problems sidelined Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan & Jonathan Treanor/Christopher McMahon.

The National Championship continues with the Drumlin Navigation Trial on 12^th November.

Cork Startrek Navigation Trial Top 10

1 Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy (Subaru Impreza) 4 marks,

2 Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 5m,

3 Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 6m,

4 Johnny Casey/Patrick O’Sullivan (Peugeot 306) 7m,

5 Donal Healy/Denis O’Donovan (Subaru Impreza) 7m,

6 Colm O’Mahony/Ken Carmody (Subaru Impreza) 12m,

7 Aidan Sherry/Oisin Sherlock (Subaru Impreza) 14m,

8 Patrick Murphy/Mikey Walsh (Subaru Impreza) 18m,

9 Keith McConnon/Micheal McCluskey (Subaru Impreza) 20m,

10 Ray O’Neill/Stephen O’Neill (Subaru Impreza) 20m.

Down Rally

 

The Castlewellan-based Down Rally was a counting round of the Northern Ireland Rally Championship. James O’Reilly was the top finishing Monaghan man, guiding multiple Tarmac & Northern Ireland Champion Derek McGarritty, to 3^rd overall. Mac Kierans, who would make the long trip to Cork after the event, guided Alan Smyth to 8^th overall. Brendan Cumiskey/Ronan O’Kane had a troubled run to 29^th overall in their R5 Fiesta. Liam McFall/Matthew McKenna failed to finish.