Kieran McCarra and Ciaran Tynan were the outright winners of the annual Monaghan Motor Club Endurance Trial, which was based at the Four Seasons Hotel on Sunday last 18th August.
After 19 selectives, the pair had 20 seconds to spare over Derek Mackarel/Kieran Deery, with Jack McKenna/Christopher McMahon completing the podium, all driving Starlets.
The event was a counting round of the Coffee Perfection Irish Endurance Championship and attracted an excellent entry of 60 crews, featuring the top Irish contenders.
Notably six of the top ten places were secured by Monaghan drivers who enjoyed some top quality tests around the Monaghan/Emyvale areas in the morning and in the Ballybay/Latton areas in the afternoon. Class winners were Ryan Brennan/Mac Kierans, Martin Tynan/Declan Tynan, Peter Barrable/Kevin Fagan, Thomas Wedlock/Darren Curran and Damien Hagan/Ryan Farrell.
At the conclusion, Clerk of the Course Fintan Keenan thanked all who helped to ensure the event was a success. He had particular mention for the landowners who agreed to provide the venues for the tests and for the marshals who volunteered their time.
Monaghan Endurance Trial Top 10
1 Kieran McCarra/Ciaran Tynan (Toyota Starlet) 7:57
2 Derek Mackeral/Kieran Deery (Toyota Starlet) 8:17
3 Jack McKenna/Christopher McMahon (Starlet) 8:35
4 Ryan Brennan/Mac Kierans (Mitsubishi Colt) 8:37
5 Martin Tynan/Declan Tynan (Toyota Starlet) 8:47
6 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly (Toyota Starlet) 8:48
7 Craig O’Rourke/Darren Buttle (Toyota Starlet) 8:53
8 Peter Barrable/Kevin Fagan (Toyota Starlet) 9:06
9 Robert Howard/Claire Murtagh (Toyota Starlet) 9:08
10 Derek Butler/Oisin Sherlock (Toyota Starlet) 9:08
Breen/Nagle Crowned Tarmac Champions
Craig Breen & Paul Nagle (Hyundai i20) secured the 2019 Irish Tarmac Rally titles after taking a start to finish victory in the Newry-based Ulster Rally on Saturday last 17th August. This was Breen’s fifth win of the season in the series which leaves him in an unassailable position in the points table with one round still to go. The winning margin was 20.5 seconds over Welsh driver Matt Edwards who was in a Ford Fiesta R5. Callum Devine & Brian Hoy were just over 20 seconds further back to take the final podium place in another Ford Fiesta R5.
Best of the Monaghan competitors was Paul Kelly who navigated Dave Condell to a close 2nd in the modified category and 9th overall. William Mavitty/Martin Connolly finished 22nd overall, Quentin Park/Shane Farrell were 40th overall, while Stephen Armstrong/Conor Boylan were 47th. There was no luck for Josh Moffett, Damien Connolly, Arthur Kierans and Conor Mohan who all retired at various satges.
County Monaghan Motor Club 