Monaghan Motor Club News
The annual Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG awards night took place in the Four Seasons Hotel Monaghan Town recently.
Local radio presenter Seán McCaffrey was the MC for the event and did a fantastic job interviewing the winners and the numerous special guests on the night.
In the Gary Nesbitt navigation championship
Cillian Mulligan and David Acheson finished 3rd place in the beginner class, Robert Graham and Raymond McMahon took 2nd place. Taking the class win by twelve points was Larah Connolly and Justin Smyth.
In the novice class,
3rd place went to Adam Jordan and Nathan Mohan, Elijah and Abraham Dixon took 2nd place with Darren Lavery and Aaron McGorman finishing in 1st place.
In the semi-expert class,
Isaiah Dixon and Ray O’Neill took 3rd place. Eoghán Farrell and David Dixon took 2nd and winning the class by some 16 points were Ben Mohan and Damien Hagan.
In the Expert class,
Conor Mohan and Peter Deery finished in 3rd place, David McCrudden and Michael Carbin took 2nd and winning the class was Conor Boylan and Derek Mackarel.
Overall winners of the 2025/26 Gary Nesbitt navigation championship
Evin Hughes and Pakie Duffy who remarkably took the victory on a 66-point tiebreak win over Conor Boylan and Derek Mackarel. Evin and Pakie took two wins in the four-round championship to Conor and Dereks one.
There were a number of perpetual cups presented on the night.
Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly received the Maguire International Cup for being the best placed Co. Monaghan Motor Club crew overall on the Ronnie Hawe Monaghan Stages Rally.
Dessie Keenan and Jason ‘wee pete’ McKenna were awarded the Keenan Stainless Steel Cup for being the best placed Co. Monaghan Motor Club crew in class 14.
The Squealing Pig Cup went to James McCarville and Arthur Kierans for being the best 2ltr crew on the day.
Darren Lavery received the Novice Navigator Perpetual Cup for being the winning novice navigator in the Gary Nesbitt navigation championship.
Darren’s driver Aaron had previously taken the cup for himself as he finished as the best placed novice navigator in 2024.
Molly Maguire received the Ladies Cup for being the top placed County Monaghan Motor Club CLG lady in the overall motor club traders championship.
Michael Carbin and Conor Mohan received the McElvaney Cup for finishing the endurance trial as the top placed Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG crew.
This cup formally was presented to the top placed Monaghan club member in the Group N class in the then annual stages rally. But as the Group N class no longer exists, it was decided along with McElvaney Motors to give the award a new lease of life.
Daniel McKenna received the inaugural Brian McKenna award for being the top placed modified driver on the fourth stage to be ran on this year’s Ronnie Hawe Monaghan Stages Rally.
Recently, Killian McArdle was in Portugal navigating for Casey Jay Coleman on the 39. Rally Six Cities North of Portugal 2026.
The Portuguese event acted as the final round of the European Rally Championship.
On this event, Killian guided Casey Jay to 44th overall having rejoined the event following retiring on SS4 with mechanical issues in the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Jack Treanor has been announced as the winner of the RallySport Association summer series 2026. Jack’s focus now turns to the J1000 series in the Irish Forest Rally Championship for 2027.
Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship
The Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship awards night took place in the Sligo Park Hotel Sligo last weekend.
On this six round tarmac series, Cathal Sheridan finished 1st in class 10 using his trusty Vauxhall Nova.
Jack Maguire finished 2nd in class 11F while his navigator Keith McConnon finished in 4th place.
In class 12, Justin Smyth and Ciaran McGorman finished 2nd and Michael Conlon finished 4th driver, while Domhnall Lennon finished 3rd navigator.
Pierce O’Callaghan finished 1st navigator in class 14 and Johno Doogan finished 4th driver in the class.
In the Skibbereen and District Car Club endurance trial Evin Hughes guided Karl O’Donoghue to a 2nd place finish after the twenty selective event. They finished just 4s off the overall win.
