Monaghan Motor Club hosted its annual awards presentation on Saturday night last 21st October in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan. There was a good attendance considering that the International Tarmac Championship prizgiving was being held on the same night in Cork, where Sam Moffett was being feted.
Club Chairman Conor Maguire welcomed all present and congratulated all club competitors on their achievements in 2017. The most outstanding was that of Sam Moffett who clinched no fewer than four titles; the International Tarmac, International Celtic Trophy, National Stages and National Forestry championship titles. In the Sligo Pallets Border Rally championship, Michael Conlon is the champion driver and Darragh Kelly the champion navigator. Pakie Duffy and Evin Hughes wrapped up the National and Border Navigation titles with Derek Mackarel and Muireann Hayes winning the Munster Navigation championship.
Secretary Paul Hughes summarised the winners of the various club events and Clerks of the Course. The Gary Nesbitt Memorial Navigation championship was once again hotly contested. The class winners were: Donal McArdle/Killian McArdle (Beginner), Aidan Sherry/Oisin Sherlock (Novice), Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan (Semi-Expert) and Ashley McAdoo/Laurence Keenan (Expert). The overall title went to Martin Tynan and Fintan Clerkin. The Novice Navigator Award went to Oisin Sherlock, while Pamela McMahon was the winner of the Ladies Award for the second consecutive year.
Club President Charles McCollum made a special presentation to Paul Hughes to mark his retirement as Club Chairman after 19 years in the role.
The premier award on the night, the Traders Trophy, was presented to Clones driver Martin Tynan as overall Club Champion. This is Martin’s second Traders victory. During the course of a comprehensive and amusing speech, he thanked all who supported him and competed with him and against him and mused on a possible 3-in-a-row titles. The gauntlet has been laid down!
Maguire clinches Group N National title
Shane Maguire clinched the Group N title in the Triton National Rally Championship after last weekend’s Skibbereen Fastnet Rally. The Ballinode native had been having a year long battle with Cork’s David Guest. A steady finish was all the Maguire required and he and co-driver, Darragh Kelly, clinched the championship thanks to a 3rd place finish in Group N.
Michael Conlon/Ciaran McPhillips finished 10th overall and 2nd in class 13 in their Escort with Jonathan Treanor/Paul Sheridan taking a comfortable win in the Junior class. Aisling McArdle guided Des Lyons to 31st overall and 5th in class. There was disappointment for Stephen Wright/Karl Atkinson, John McQuaid/Thomas Treanor and Tommy O’Connell/Emmet Sherry who failed to finish.
County Monaghan Motor Club 