Author: monaghanmotorclub

Co Monaghan Motor Club members were like ‘Daft Punk’ last weekend. Both Killian McArdle and Shane Farrell were around the world rallying. Killian McArdle was navigating for Casey Jay Coleman in Italy, on the latest event of the 2025 European Rally Championship, and Shane Farrell was navigating for Patrick O’Brien, all the way down in Australia, on an Australian Rally Championship event.

Casey Jay and Killian were taking part in Rally di Roma Capitale 2025, Round 4 of the 2025 M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy. The lads finished the two-day, thirteen stage tarmac event in 35^th position overall. They also finished 3^rd in Class ERC3, and 2^nd in the M-Sport Fiesta Rally3 Trophy. Their next event together will be the Barum Czech Rally Zlín 2025, which takes place in August.

Meanwhile, Patrick and Shane were ‘Men at Work’ in a land ‘Down Under’, taking part in the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland 2025. The event was based around the City of Gympie in Queensland Australia. The event was divided into two parts, day one being Heat 1 and day two being Heat 2. On both heats of the event, they finished in 5^th place overall. Travelling in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, on a gravel trail, head full of pace notes, they met a strange water-splash, it made them nervous. Nervous as they had just landed a bit off centre after a big crest jump, and Patrick had to quickly gather himself to avoid sliding off. This moment was caught on camera too. Shane also met an Australian guy who works in IT. Shane asked him, do you come from a LAN down under? The technician just smiled and gave him a megabyte sandwich.

Closer to home, Adam Langan navigated Ewan Murdoch to 9^th overall and 1^st in Class 8 on the Loughgall Stages Rally 2025, onboard a Ford Escort MKII. Andrew Mackarel and Ciaran McGorman took their Opel Ascona home in 36^th overall. Thomas Treanor navigating for Damien Toner finished the event in 48^th position overall.

Down in Waterford, Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty won the 2025 Ravens Rack Rally back onboard the trusty Hyundai i20 R5. Josh’s brother Sam, with Shane Buckley on the notes finished 4^th overall and 1^st in Class 5. Paul Barrett and Darragh Kelly finished 7^th overall and 4^th in Class 5.  Johno Doogan/Paul Lennon finished 13^th overall and 3^rd in Class 14. Paul McPhillips guided Cian Caldwell to 17^th overall and 1^st in Class 2.

Kaine Treanor navigating for Jason McSweeney retired after SS2, James McCarville/Arthur Kierans retired after SS4. Daniel McConnon, navigating for Gavin McGivney retired after SS6.

Shane and Molly Maguire were competing in a Rallysport Association event at Shackleton, Co. Derry last weekend. Shane took his Citroën C3 Rally2 home in 30^th overall. Molly unfortunately was forced to retire with mechanical issues on her Peugeot 206.

The Co. Monaghan Motor Club Endurance Trial 2025 is fast approaching. The event will take place on Sunday July the 27th. The event Regulations and Entry Form will be available soon.

Oisín Sherlock.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG hosted their annual Charity Static Car Show and Shine last weekend.

The event took place in the Long Stay Car park of the Monaghan Town Shopping Centre.

There was a great turnout of cars for display and a large number of spectators to meander around viewing the displayed cars. They also had the opportunity to ask the vehicle owners about the history of their vehicle and the restoration process.

All monies raised on the day will be donated between two charities, namely, SOSAD and the Monaghan Branch of Crocus.  A huge thank you to everyone who put a car on display and to those who came to view all the beautiful vehicles. Your donation is greatly appreciated.

Acropolis Rally of the Gods

Conor Mohan was in Greece last week, taking part in the latest round of the 2025 Junior World Rally Championship, EKO Acropolis Rally 2025. Conor and his driver Eamonn Kelly, finished the very demanding event in 5^th place overall.

Demanding, doesn’t just describe the events rocky surface, because the temperature was up on 42°C, before factoring in the in-car temperature and the wearing of a three-piece fire suit. The competitive part of the event began on Thursday with a Super Special Stage in Athans. On the opening Super Special, Conor and Eamonn finished a fantastic 3^rd fastest, a minuscule nine tenths of a second in arrears of the fastest. They were in 3^rd position overall, heading into the 11.58kms of SS7 ‘Elatia’, when the lads were unfortunately forced into retirement.

On the extremely rough surface of ‘Elatia’, a suspension component broke onboard their Rally3 Ford Fiesta, leaving the lads with no option but to immediately retire. The M-Sport Poland mechanics were able to get the car repaired, so Conor and Eamonn were able to rejoin the event on Saturday morning. The retirement the previous evening had dropped them from 3^rd overall, all the way down to 9^th at the beginning of Saturday.  The lads had a positive opening loop of stages on Saturday morning. But unfortunately, they would be hampered on the opening stage of the repeat loop, when they picked up a puncture just after the start of SS12, and with the stage being almost 20km in length, they had no choice but stop and change the tyre. Not long after replacing the wheel, the extremely rough gravel/rocky road surface, broke a brake disc and cylinder. Fortunately for the pair, they were able to do a temporary repair job, but that didn’t prevent them from having to complete SS13 without any brakes at all.

There was no let up in the ‘Rally of the Gods’ bad luck on Sunday however, as on the opening stage of that final day, the lads picked up yet another puncture. Despite the events awful bad luck, the lads still remain upbeat and are full steam ahead for the next event in the world championship, ‘Secto Rally Finland’, which takes place at the end of July, beginning of August. As disappointing as the Acropolis Rally of the Gods undoubtedly was for Conor and Eamonn, I’ve some mind-blowing information for them. The world’s first French Fry wasn’t actually cooked in France; it was cooked in Greece… Learning that there will be at least one positive to take away from the weekend. Conor can thank me later.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have just launched a new Club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. Please note, the App is continuously being updated, as it is in its early days yet. This App is for everyone; it’s not just for members and competitors.

The Co. Monaghan Motor Club Endurance Trial 2025 is fast approaching. The event will take place on Sunday July the 27^th. The event Regulations and Entry Form will be available soon.

Oisín Sherlock

Arthur Kierans guided David Kelly to a fantastic 3^rd place overall (OA) finish, on the ‘Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally Ireland’ last weekend.

The Donegal/Monaghan pair, finished the event’s twenty Special Stage’s, 7.1s better off than the Monaghan/Wexford pair of Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes.

Cathan McCourt/Barry McNulty took their Škoda Fabia R5 home in 12^th place OA.

Brendan Cumiskey/Martin Connolly took their VW Polo GTI R5 home in 17^th.

Michael Carbin/Dean O’Sullivan had a fantastic event, and took their Ford Escort MKII home in 20^th place OA.

Dessie Keenan/Jason McKenna finished 23^rd, driving a similar Ford Escort MKII.

Killian McArdle navigated Joseph Kelly to 33^rd OA and 2^nd in Class RC4.

Ryan Farrell navigated Johnnie Mulholland to 35^th and 1^st in Class RC3.

Anthony Hand/David McCrudden finished 48^th and 1^st in Class 11R. Justin Smyth/Ciaran McGorman finished 53^rd and 1^st in Class 12. Peter Farrell navigated Bernard McGinley to 74^th OA and 6^th in Class 11R.

Gerard McGivney/Donal Crossan finished 95^th in their Ford Escort MKII.

Domhnall Lennon guided Brian Bolger to 110^th and 6^th in Class 24, after restarting their event under Super-rally rules.

Paul Barrett/Darragh Kelly originally retired on SS3 with a damaged wheel hub. They had been in 12th place at that time. They did get the wheel hub repaired and rejoined the event, but unfortunately, they would retire for good after SS13 with a gearbox issue.

Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan retired after SS4, following a mechanical issue they picked up on that stage.

Kaine Treanor, navigating for Chris O’Callaghan, retired on SS3 following an ‘OFF’.

The ‘International’ event was won by Callum Devine/Noel O’Sullivan Jnr, for a third consecutive time, on board a Škoda Fabia RS Rally2. Well, third consecutive time for the lads, and second consecutive time for their Škoda. Their inaugural Donegal International win came, driving a VW Polo GTI R5. The ‘National’ event was won by the Co. Cavan/Cork pair of Aaron McIntyre/Derry Long. McIntyre/Long were competing in a Class 14 Toyota Starlet, serviced by none other than Stonebridge man Derek Mackarel.

County Monaghan Motor Club CLG, are hosting their annual ‘Charity Static Car Show and Shine’ this Sunday, June 29th. The event is taking place in the Long Stay Carpark at Monaghan Town Shopping Centre.

Car entries are €20. General admission will be by donation at the gate. All donations are going towards, Crocus Monaghan Branch and SOSAD Ireland.

Oisín Sherlock

Killian McArdle was competing in the latest event, of the 2025 European Rally Championship (ERC), last weekend. This latest event was the ORLEN OIL 81. Rally Poland. Killian and his driver, Casey Jay Coleman, finished the event in 24^th place overall. They also finished 6^th in Class RC3 and 4^th in the M-Sport Rally3 Trophy. There was more Irish interest in the event. Jon Armstrong/Shane Byrne, driving for M-Sport Ford World Rally Team, finished 3^rd overall, narrowly missing out on finishing in 2^nd place by 9.5 seconds. Annoyingly for them, they had incurred a 10s penalty for ‘Chicane Destruction’, following a ‘moment’ on Special Stage 12. Aoife Raferty/Hannah Mc Killop finished 31^st overall, and 4^th in the Junior ERC (JERC). Keelan Grogan/Ayrton Sherlock finished 36^th overall, and 8^th in the JERC. Unfortunately for Craig Rahill/Conor Smyth, a driveshaft broke on their Peugeot 208 Rally4, on SS10. This broken driveshaft, forced their early retirement. They had been in 4^th place in the JERC at that point.

The Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, resumes this coming weekend with the Wilton Recycling, Donegal International Rally Ireland. There will be a large Monaghan interest, as there is a plethora of Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG members, spread throughout the 212 car (including Historic & Junior), entry list.

Macartan ‘Mac’ Kierans was competing out in Australia recently. Mac and his Irish driver, Richie Dalton, took part in the ‘Bega Vally Rally 2025’. Regrettably, they had to retire on SS4, when their Toyota GR Yaris AP4, developed mechanical issues.

Co. Monaghan Motor Club CLG, have just launched a new Club App. The App will be the go-to location for all your motor club information. To download the App, just search ‘Monaghan Motor Club’ on your ‘Android’ or Apple’ device’s, App store. Please note, the App is continuously being updated, as it is in its early days yet.

County Monaghan Motor Club CLG, are hosting their annual ‘Charity Static Car Show and Shine’ on Sunday, June 29th. The event is taking place in the Long Stay Carpark at Monaghan Town Shopping Centre. Car entries are €20. General admission will be by donation at the gate. All donations are going towards, Crocus Monaghan Branch and SOSAD Ireland.

Oisín Sherlock

There were a brace of ‘Moffett Motorsport’ cars, on the podium of the Acesigns Signmakers Laois Heartlands Rally 2025, last weekend.

David Moffett and Martin Connolly finished the six stage, ‘Mini-Stage’ event in 2^nd place overall. David and Martin finished the event, 4.6s in arrears of the overall victors, Colin and Kieran O’Donoghue.

David’s brother Richard, navigated by Darragh Kelly, finished in 3^rd place, driving a similar Toyota Starlet. Michael Carbin and Dean O’Sullivan, just missed out on a podium finish, taking 4^th overall, and 1^st in Class 14.

Paul Kelly navigated Paul Purtill to 8^th overall and 1^st in Class 13. Ryan Farrell, navigating for Stephen Faughnan, finished just 2.4s in arrears, coming home in 9^th overall and 2^nd in Class 13. Killian McArdle guided Michael Cahill, to 16^th overall in their MKII Ford Escort. Daniel McConnon navigating for Thomas Lynch, finished 29^th overall and 6^th in Class 13. Martin McPhillips/Peter Farrell finished 40^th overall and 1^st in Class 11R. Unfortunately, Johno Doogan/Paul Lennon retired after Special Stage 2 and Domhnall Lennon, navigating for John Lynch, retired on Special Stage 4.

County Monaghan Motor Club CLG, are hosting their annual ‘Charity Static Car Show and Shine’ on Sunday, June 29th. The event is taking place in the Long Stay Carpark at Monaghan Town Shopping Centre. Car entries are €20. General admission will be by donation at the gate. All donations are going towards, Crocus Monaghan Branch and SOSAD Ireland.

Oisín Sherlock.