Author: monaghanmotorclub

Three Monaghan men contested the Ypres Rally in Belgium last weekend, a counting round of the European Rally Championship. Josh Moffett & John Rowan and Sam Moffett & Karl Atkinson competed in Ford Fiesta’s while James O’Reilly was navigating for Martin McCormack in a Skoda Fabia S2000. McCormack/O’Reilly would be the only crew to finish coming home an excellent 8th overall.

The opening day was contested over seven stages on Friday. Josh Moffett/John Rowan led the early Monaghan charge and would hold 9th place after four stages but then lost a minute with a puncture and would be drop to 18th overnight. Martin McCormack/James O’Reilly finished the day in 8th place. Sam Moffett & Karl Atkinson held 15th place overnight despite being on the wrong tires for the second loop.

A further ten stages were contested on Saturday. Josh Moffett & John Rowan and Martin McCormack/James O’Reilly were setting similar stages with Sam Moffett & Karl Atkinson not too far adrift. Both Moffett brothers reported some small concerns with Sam having an overshoot and Josh complaining of brake fade. Sam would retire on stage 11 and more drama would occur on stage 15 with Martin McCormack/James O’Reilly losing several minutes after getting stuck in a ditch.

The final drama occurred on the final stage as Josh Moffett & John Rowan crashed out of 8th place after cutting a corner too tight which launched the car into a roll. Luckily, neither occupant was seriously injured. This left McCormack/O’Reilly to take 8th place after going 2nd fastest overall on the final stage. Overall honours went to Belgian ace Freddy Loix who won the event for the tenth time.

Carrick-on-Suir Ravens Rock Rally

A number of Monaghan crews made their way to Waterford to contest Round 5 of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship. Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry were debuting their recently acquired ex Declan Boyle Subaru WRC. This event was to be a learning curve for this crew in the new car.

Peader Hurson & Damien Connolly were expected to challenge for honours but a fuel leak put them out before the opening stage. Maguire & Sherry put in a steady drive to finish 5th overall and cement their 2nd place in the championship. Championship leader Donagh Kelly & Kevin Flanagan made it five maximum scores in a row with yet another victory to move closer to securing the overall title. Michael Conlon & Ciaran McPhillips brought their Mk2 Escort home 13th overall and 3rd in class 13. Pauric Duffy & John Higgins finished 19th overall and 2nd in class 5. Seamus Connolly & Gary McCrudden were back at the wheel of their Toyota Corolla and took 2nd in class 11R and 34th overall. Barry McKenna & Declan Tynan retired at first service after a long delay on stage two.

The next round of the Triton National Rally Championship is the Sligo Stages Rally in two weeks time.

ALMC Stages Rally

This weekend ALMC are running their stages rally out of Trim, County Meath. Jack Maguire, Barry McKenna/Mac Kierans and Padraig Connolly/Padraig Corrigan are entered to compete. Monaghan also need to provide marshals for this event and those able to help are asked to contact Kerry Stevenson.

Upcoming events:
July 12th Sligo Stages Rally
July 25th Cookstown Stages Rally
July 26th Imokilly Mini Stages Rally

Richard Moffett & Martin Connolly were the stand out Monaghan performers on last weekend’s Donegal International Rally. The Ballinode men took class 13 honours and 7^th overall in the National Rally. This was a great performance from this crew as Richard hasn’t competed on a rally since last October. In the International Rally, Conor Foley guided Martin Doherty to 8^th overall and Group N honours in their Mitsubishi Lancer. Pauric Duffy & John Higgins finished just behind in a fine 9^th overall in their Ford Fiesta R5. They also finished 2^nd in class 5.

Stephen Thornton guided Tyrone’s Vivian Hamaill to 9^th overall in the National Rally and 4^th in class 14. They recovered from 83^rd place at one point on Friday after suffering gear linkage problems. Anthony Hand/Peter Derry put in a storming drive to take 14^th overall and 1^st in class 11R. They were involved in a terrifice battle with local man Patrick Boyle and the Monaghan men came through to take the class by just over 30 seconds. David Moffett/James McCarville finished 18^th overall and 6^th in class 13. The pair put in a steady drive as David got back into the swing of things after his Cavan off. Raymond Conlon & Adrian Treanor finished 27^th overall and 8^th in class 13 in their Toyota Corolla. They could have finished higher but for a 2 min 30 seconds road penalty from Friday.

Michael Carbin & Emmet McCooey had a difficult event. They held 19^th overall after Friday but dropped several minutes on the opening Saturday stage before retiring on stage 10. They rejoined the Rally under Rally 2 and set some good times on Sunday enrotue to 53^rd overall and 5^th in class.

Emmet Sherry guided Tommy O’Connell to 4^th in the Historic Rally while Martin Swinburne/Gretchen Fegan took 4^th overall in the Junior Rally.

Stephen Wright/Mickie Galvin had been leading the Monaghan crews until mechanical problems dropped them out on Saturday afternoon. They rejoined on Sunday only to retire on the final stage. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan’s bid for three National wins in a row came to end after an accident on stage 7, thankfully with no injury to either occupant. John McQuaid/Stephen Hagan had been up to 9^th overall in the National Rally until their retirmenet on stage 17. Brendan McDaid/Mac Kierans had climbed to 14^th place until their stage 16 retirement. Gerard McQuaid/Gary Quinlan suffered a heart-breaking final stage retirement whilst holding 13^th in the National Rally. Brendan McAree & JP McAree retired from the Historic Rally on stage 19.

Raven’s Rock Rally

The Triton Showers National Rally Championship resumes with the Waterford based Raven’s Rock Rally. Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry will be hoping to keep the pressure on championship leaders, Donagh Kelly & Kevin Flanagan. Damien Connolly is again teaming up with Peader Hurson and they will be hoping to repeat their Cavan Rally win. Michael Conlon & Ciaran McPhillips are amongst the leading two-wheel drive crews in their Mk2 Escort. Shane Maguire/Mac Kierans are seeded at No.24 in their Lancer and will be gunning for glory in Group N. Pauric Duffy is also competing and is seeded at No.28 in his Fiesta R5. David Moffett & Fintan Sherry continue their National campaign and start at No.31. Barry McKenna & Declan Tynan are seeded back at 69 in their Escort.

Upcoming events:

July 5^th ALMC Stages Rally

July 12^th Sligo Stages Rally

July 25^th Cookstown Stages Rally

The Joule Donegal International Rally takes place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a strong contingent of Monaghan crews are making the trip north to contest the event. Stephen Wright/Mickie Galvin head the Monaghan crews. They are the top seeded class 5 crew at No.8 and will be favourites to take the class on this event. Conor Foley is in line to navigate for local man Martin Doherty and they head the Group N entries at No.9. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan will be going for a three in a row in the National Rally after their successes in 2013 and 2014. Hot on their heels is Daniel McKenna who is set to take the wheel of the Toyota AE86 owned by Brendan Kelly. Daniel and Gary have had mighty battles over the years but it remains to be seen how Daniel adapts to the new car.

Arthur Kierans is the hot seat for Phil Collins at No.23. Collins is another former winner of the National Rally. Pauric Duffy/Kevin Glynn are making the trip from Australia to compete and start at No.36. Michael Carbin/Emmet McCooey are to start at No.41 in their Evo4. Richard Moffett & Martin Connolly are at No.47 in their Starlet and will hope to retain the class 13 trophy they won last year. Raymond Conlon/Adrian Treanor start at 48 with John McQuaid/Stephan Hagan at 50. James McCarville is sitting with Enda McNulty at 51 while Mac Kierans is navigating for Brendan McDaid at 60. David Moffett/Fintan Sherry are seeded back at 65 but will be keeping a close eye on big brother Richard’s times over the weekend! Gerard McQuaid/Gary Quinlan will also be pushing hard in class 13 and hope to improve on their No.81 seeding. Anthony Hand/Peter Deery start at 84 and will be gunning for glory in class 11R.

Emmet Sherry is sitting with Thomas O’Connell in the Historic class which contest 10 stages over the weekend. Brendan McAree & JP McAree are also entered in this class. Finally, Gary McKenna & Nicola McKenna are competing in the Junior Rally which will contest Sunday’s six stages.

Kierans Guides McGeehan Through Dust in Lithuania

Arthur Kierans made the long trip to Lithuania to contest the Samsonas Rally Utena. The two day event was contested over 11 gravel stages and Arthur and driver Derek McGeehan finished a respectable 8^th overall.

Upcoming Events:

June 30^th Carrick-on-Suir Ravens Rock Rally

July 5^th ALMC Stages Rally

July 12^th Sligo Stages Rally

There was mixed success for Clontibret brothers, Sam & Josh Moffett, on last weekend’s Sata Rally Acores. Sam & navigator, Karl Atkinson finished 7^th overall while Josh & co-driver, John Rowan retired on day two from 4^th position.

The event was the fourth round of the 2015 European Rally Championship and was contested over 17 gravel stages between Thursday and Saturday. At the end of Thursday’s three stages Josh held 4^th overall, 24 seconds behind event leader Craig Breen. Sam was in 9^th place overnight. Drama was to strike the Moffett/Rowan team on stage four. Josh was caught out over the flying finish and crashed the car ending their event. Sam had a steady drive and held 7^th overall at the end of the day, a position which he would hold until the end of the event. Waterford’s Craig Breen took the event win which was his third successive win in the Championship.

Both Josh & Sam intend to compete on the next round of the championship, the Ypres Rally in Belgium at the end of the month.

Laois Heartlands Rally

A number of Monaghan crews competed on the Laois Heartlands Rally last Sunday. Paul Sheridan was the top finishing CMMC member, guiding Vivian Hamill to 4^th overall and 1^st in class 14. James O’Reilly was sitting with Gary Kiernan and they took 5^th overall and 1^st in class 13. They had led after stage four but a delay on stage five dropped them back. Michael Conlon & Ciaran McPhillips were 7^th overall and 2^nd in class 13. Thomas Treanor guided Graham Kelly to 16^th overall and 4^th in class 14.

Duffy/Hughes Crowned National Champions

The National Night Navigation Championship prizegiving took place last Saturday in the Gandon Inn in Emo, Portlaoise. Winners Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes collected the overall trophy and announced their intention to defend the title next year. This was Pakie’s first ever National title after many years of competing, while Evin has added to his first title won in 2012. Laurence Keenan’s Monaghan event was voted the best event of the 2014/15 Championship. Other club members receiving trophies were Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan, Laurence Keenan, Keith McConnan & Micheal McCluskey, Derek Mackarel, Paddy & Oisin Sherlock, Colm & Conor Mohan and Conor Boylan.

Upcoming fixtures:

June 19^th-21^st Donegal International Rally

June 28^th Carrick-on-Suir Raven’s Rock Rally

July 5^th ALMC Stages Rally

July 12^th Sligo Stages Rally

Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry suffered a set-back in their Triton Showers National Rally Championship campaign after electrical problems forced them to retire on last Sunday’s Circuit of Munster Rally. After six of the nine stages, they were in a strong 2^nd position only for their event to end just metres into stage 7. Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan extended their championship lead after taking overall victory. They are now 37 points clear of Maguire/Sherry with four of the eight rounds completed.

Shane Maguire with Mac Kierans on the notes brought their Lancer home 20^th overall and 5^th in Group N in Shane’s first event since his Monaghan off. Paul Kelly guided local man Paul Purtill to 14^th overall and 5^th in class 13. Barry Ryan/Emmet Sherry retired after an off on stage two after holding a sensational 2^nd overall after the first stage.

National Night Navigation Open Forum & Prizegiving

The annual National Night Navigation Open Forum & Prizegiving takes place this Saturday night in the Gandon Inn, Emo, Portlaoise. The forum will commence at 8pm where organisers & competitors have the opportunities to have their say in the running of the sport. There will also be  a discussion on Endurance Trials. The forum will be followed by the National Championship prizegiving. Club members Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes took overall honours last season after a close battle all year with defending champions, Colin Duffy & Sam Johnston. Other club members to place in the championship included Michael Tynan & Ciaran Tyann who finished 1^st Expert crew, Laurence Keenan was 3^rd Semi-Expert navigator, Keith McConnan was 1^st Novice driver, Micheal McCluskey 2^nd Novice navigatior and Derek Mackarel 3^rd Novice driver. Paddy & Oisin Sherlock won the Beginners class from Colm & Conor Mohan with Conor Boylan 3^rd Navigator.

Upcoming events:

June 7^th Laois Heartlands Rally

June 19^th-21^st Donegal International Rally

June 28^th Ravens Rock Rally

July 5^th ALMC Stages Rally