County Monaghan Motor Club

Monaghan Motor Club hosted their annual prizegiving last weekend in the Four Seasons Hotel in Monaghan. The event commemorated club members success throughout the past Motorsport year. Ciaran Tynan was presented with the Trader’s Trophy as the 2019 Overall Club Champion.

Ciaran achieved this primarily in the navigator’s seat competing in Navigation events with his Uncle Michael Tynan, the Stages Rally with Martin McPhillips & Endurance Trial with Kieran McCarra. Ciaran secured overall wins on the Drumlin & March Navigation events as well as the Endurance Trial to secure the title with a round to spare. Ciaran has been competing for over 15 years and this is his first Trader’s success after consistently challenging for the title in recent years. Ciaran takes over as Club Champion from his cousin Martin ensuring the Traders Trophy remains in the Tynan household.

Other successes included Josh Moffett winning the National Rally Championship after a dominant year with his navigator Andy Hayes. Michael & Ciaran Tynan won the Gary Nesbitt Club Navigation Championship. Eoghan Corr received the Gerry McNamara trophy for his immense contribution to local motorsport.

There was a great turnout on the night and a great night was had by all. It was once again a very successful year for club members both locally and Nationally.

Sherlock is Endurance Champion

 Ballinode Navigator Oisin Sherlock has won the 2019 Irish Endurance Championship at last weekend’s Birr Endurance Trial. Needing only to start the event to clinch the title proved sufficient as retirement followed with a damaged radiator. His driver Derek Bulter has already secured the drivers crown before the event.

Kevin O’Rourke/Dave McAuley took event honours from Karl O’Donoghue/Evin Hughes. The latter crew secured 2^nd overall in the championship after rival Peter Barrable retired with gearbox failure. Nicole Drought/Aaron McElroy moved up to the 1.4 lite Endurance class for the first time and finished 7^th overall and 1^st in the Semi-Expert class. Robert Graham/Ryan Treanor finished 10^th overall and 1^st Novice. Danny McKenna guided Peter Cummins to 11^th overall and 1^st in class A1. Colm McKeever/Sean Marron took 22^nd overall and 2^nd in Novice. Darragh & Josh Kelly took 8^th in class B for Navigation cars with Shane Maguire/Killian Murphy, making their driving debut just behind in 9^th.

Adam Langan/Martin McPhillips & Ciaran Duffy/Pauric Duffy claimed  39^th and 40^th overall while Gordon Parker/Killian McArdle made it home in 48^th.

Wright Keeps N.I. Title hopes alive

 Stephen Wright remains firmly in contention for the Northern Ireland Rally Championship after last weekend’s Tyrone Stages Rally. Stephen was partnered by Cork navigator Liam Moynihan. The event was based at the Benone complex and consisted of multiple short sharp stages repeated and reversed throughout the day giving 14 stages in total.

Desi Henry & Conor Mohan led much of the event but a series of spins and stalls dropped them back and they eventually finished 4th. Derek McGarritty/Paddy Robinson held off Wright/Moynihan by just 2 second to win the event. These two crews will now battle it out with Wright at the final round, the Glens of Antrim Rally, with Derek McGeehan also having an outside chance.

Oisin Sherlock guided Peter Greenlee to 23^rd overall before heading to Birr via the the club prizegiving on a very busy weekend of Motorsport.