The Irish stage rally scene got underway last weekend with the Jeremy O’Connor Longford Arms Hotel Stages Rally 2025.
The event was organised and promoted by the Midland Motor Club, with all nine stages based around Longford town. The event was the opening round of five separate championships, namely, Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship, Dacia Sandero Challenge Cup, Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship, Hugo Loonam Midlands East Rally Championship and the
Motorsport Ireland Junior Rally Series (Rally4/R2/R2T).
Defending Triton Showers National Rally Championship champions, Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty took their Citroën C3 Rally2 home in 3 rd place overall (OA). Cathan McCourt/Barry McNulty finished 7 th OA in their Hyundai i20 N Rally2. Sam Moffett/Shane Buckley finished right behind them in 8 th OA, in a similar i20 N Rally2.
Brendan Cumiskey/Martin Connolly finished in 11 th OA in
their VW Polo R5. Paul Barrett/Darragh Kelly finished in 16 th OA in their Citroën C3 Rally2. Johno Doogan/Paul Lennon finished 20 th OA and 1 st in class 14. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan finished 28 th OA and 6 th in class 14. Michael Carbin/Dean O’Sullivan finished 32 nd OA and 7 th in class 14. Niall and Molly Maguire finished right behind them in 33 rd OA, in their stunning Subaru Impreza S12B WRC. They also finished 1 st in class 7.
Shane and Paul Maguire finished 37 th OA. James McCarville/Arthur Kierans finished 45 th OA and 4 th in class 13. Tommy Moffett/Domhnall Lennon finished 50 th OA and 4 th in class 2.
Mickey Conlon/Adam Langan finished 58 th OA and 1 st in class 12. Anthony Hand/David McCrudden finished 61 st OA and 2 nd in class 11R. Peter and Eoghán Farrell finished 118 th OA and 3 rd in class 10. Gary Cassidy/Damien Sheridan
retired after SS2. Killian McArdle navigating for Michael Cahill retired on the road section after SS1 with alternator failure. Oisín Sherlock navigating for Francis Kelly, retired after SS7 following the driver’s door window blowing off. It really was a pane in the glass.
Damien Connolly navigating for Oran England retired on the final stage of the rally.
The event was won by World Rally Championship contenders with M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, Josh McErlean/Eoin Tracey in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.
The 2024/25 Motorsport Ireland National Navigation Championship comes to an end this weekend with the Monaghan March Navigation Trial. Conor Mohan and Michael Carbin have organised an 85-mile event based out of Ballinode Community Centre. Tydavnet man Ryan Treanor and his County Longford driver Shane Dalton have provisionally won this season’s championship on the
previous round in Cavan.
This event will also be Round 4 of the Squealing Pig
Border Navigation Championship and Round 3 of the 2024/25 County
Monaghan Motor Club, Club Navigation and overall Club Championship.
Regulations and entry forms are currently available.
Oisín Sherlock
County Monaghan Motor Club 