Author: monaghanmotorclub

McNulty and Sheridan success on Spring Rally

            Coalislands’ Enda McNulty with Scotstown man Paul Sheridan claimed their maiden win on the Omagh MC Fivemiletown Spring Rally after many years of trying on Saturday last. This longstanding partnership never looked back after gaining top spot with an impressive 7 second stage win on the second stage. Gareth Sayers was their nearest rival throughout the day but had to settle for 2nd o/a. Shane McGirr and Jackie Elliott were 3rd overall in the super quick starlet, and lifting the two wheel drive honours.

Frank Kelly traded his baby blue escort for an EVO on this event as he was without an engine and put up some great times in an unfamiliar car and was up to 3rd overall on stage 5 but a soft roll put an end to his charge. Gregory McDaid with Monaghan’s Stephen Tierney on the notes were 23rd overall and 3rd class 5 in a nova.

Daniel McKenna and Arthur Kierans were sporting their new fiesta in Fivemiletown, ahead of the impending British Rally Championship but it was a day to forget with retirement on the second stage with cam shaft sensor failure. Upcoming Cavan navigation CoC Thomas Wedlock was on the notes for Sean McAuley in a nova but they also failed to finish while lying 2nd in class after 3 stages.

Cousins on the Boyle in Abbeyleix

Donegal cousins, Declan and Brian Boyle (Subaru WRC) took victory in the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Birr Stages Rally that marked the beginning of the Dunlop National Rally Championship on Sunday last. At the conclusion of the eight stage rally, they finished 34.8 seconds ahead of the similar Subaru of Welshman, Mel Evans and his Limerick co-driver, Sean Mullally. Wexford’s, James Stafford/Amy Ryan (Darrian T90) were a further 19.1 seconds behind in third and won the Dunlop” Drive of the Day” award.

Monaghan’s Niall Maguire and Enda Sherry had a number of mechanical issues over the first four stages but recovered to take fourth overall and a valuable points haul on the opening round of this years championship. It was a great day for the Monaghan crews in the group N class as once again the Moffett brothers stole the show. After a battle royale throughout the day it was Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly who took an 11 second victory and 9th overall over younger brother Josh Moffett and John Rowan in 10th o/a, both in EVO 9’s.

Brother and sister team of Stephen and Susanne Wright were on the pace throughout the day but a turbo problem on stage 6 dropped them back to 5^th in group N. Eugene Meegan and Brian Sharkey were setting top times in group N but unfortunately road penalties put them back to 6^th in class. Barry Ryan and Tydavnets Emmet Sherry teamed up once again and put in a super performance to claim the class 11 honours and 18^th overall. Jim McKenna/Thomas Treanor were on the ball throughout the day and setting top times in the highly competitive class 14, but eventually had to settle for the runner up spot and 20^th overall, just 6 seconds behind class winner Rodney Wilton.

Shane Maguire and Martin McGarrity had to settle for 7^th in group N and 21^st overall. Paddy Kiernan and James McCarville put in a steady performance over the 8 stages and claimed 3^rd in class 13 in their immaculate escort. Liam Bowhan with Damien Connolly on the notes once again finished 7^th in the highly competitive class 13 in their starlet. Conor Foley and Damien McKenna returned to the stages after a two year layoff and claimed the runner up spot in class 12.

There was hard luck for Michael Carbin and Evin Hughes when their event ended on stage 1 in the new EVO 4.  Seamus Connolly and Gary McCrudden recent run of bad luck continued in Birr as they also failed to make the finish.

Donegal MC Mini Stages Top 10

1 Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Impreza WRC) 55m 50s

2 Melvyn Evans/Sean Mullally (Impreza WRC) 56m 25s

3 James Stafford/Amy Ryan (Darrian T90 GTR) 56m 44s

4 Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry (Impreza WRC) 57m 25s

5 Kevin Kelleher/Martin Kelleher (Impreza WRC) 57m 27s

6 Roy White/James O’Brien (Rover S2000) 57m 43s

7 Steve Simpson/Patrick Walsh (Impreza WRC) 57m 56s

8 James Belton/Mark Glennerster (Impreza WRC) 58m 18s

9 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N)58m 34s

10 Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 58m 45s

Motorsport Safety Team Group N Production class:

1 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly

2 Josh Moffett/John Rowan

3 Danny Barry/Gordon Noble (Lancer Evo 10) 59m 04s

Rally.ieTwo wheel drive award:

1James Stafford/Amy Ryan

Dunlop National Escort Mk 2 award:

1 Jonathan Pringle/Martin Byrne 59m 34s

 

Upcoming Events

Cavan motor club run their annual night navigation trial this Saturday, 2nd March. Thomas Wedlock is CoC and the event is based in Gallonreagh House, Maudabawn. Munster forestry stages Rally this Sunday 3rd March. Ciaran Tynan is CoC for the upcoming Monaghan Night navigation Trial on 9th March based in Newbliss. This is the final round of both the National and Squealing Pig Border Navigation championships and as always there are up on 50 marshals required so if your available please text Ciaran on 0877827918. Mayo Stages Rally kick starts the Sligo Pallets Border Rally championship on Sunday 10th March. Draw for Daniel McKenna BRC fundraiser will take place this Sunday night, 2nd March in Connolly’s, Scotshouse. An enjoyable night of music and banter is guaranteed with MC on the night Sean McCaffery. Proceedings start at 8pm. Tickets are still available.

Co. Monaghan Motor club in association with the Northern Standard held their annual club autotest on Sunday last. Once again Wrights Quarry at Swanns Cross was the ideal venue and CoC Brendan Flynn set out some difficult and demanding tests for the 21 starters in the Hewison Autotest championship. Bright and sunny weather conditions made for an enjoyable day on the smooth concrete surfaced tests. Paddy Power proved the man to beat in his mini moke, taking a 6 second win from Daniel Byrne after 12 complex tests.  Mark King had a great run throughout the day to take 3rd overall in a nova and win class D.

            JJ Farrell was winner of class B with Timmy Lynch the class C winner in his immaculate westfield. Last years winner Steven Ferguson had to settle for 13th overall on the day despite 7 fastest test times as he hit trouble over the final three tests to drop back down the leader board. Nevertheless Stephen has won the 2012/13 hewison Autotest championship for the second successive year.

            Once again, well done to all the award winners and to Coc Brendan for a well run event. Brendan would like to take the opportunity to thank all hewison and club members for their support. Monaghan Motor Club are pleased again this year to have received sponsorship from our local newspaper “The Northern Standard”. Our thanks to Cathal Smith and his staff for their support.

To David Wright of Wrights Quarry for the use of his premises, which is popular with all the competitors. Brendan would also like to thank the many marshals and time keepers who turned up on the day, it may have been dry and sunny overhead but it was a cold day to be standing around nonetheless. Also a big thank you to Cora and all her little helpers for the much needed soup and sandwich’s, they were much appreciated! Thanks also to anyone else who helped out in any way prior to and on the day of the event. 

 

Monaghan MC Autotest Top 12

1 Paddy Power (Mini Moke) 645.5s

2 Daniel Byrne (Mini) 651.7s

3 Mark King (Nova) 653.0s

4 Norman Ferguson (Mini) 653.4s

5 David Thompson (Nova) 658.4s

6 J J Farrell (Mini) 663.3s

7 Robin Lyons (Mini) 665.0s

8 Guy Foster (Mini) 667.1s

9 Chris Grimes (Mini) 667.1s

10 Timmy Lynch (Westfield) 693.4s

11 Paul Phelan (Mini Special) 694.7s

12 Darren Quille (Westfield) 699.1s

 

Mixed fortunes Monaghan Crews at Donegal Mini Stages Rally

Local Donegal men Martin Doherty and Damien McCauley won Donegal Motor Clubs mini stages rally on Sunday last, based in the picturesque town of Ballyliffin. This event had 66 starters tackle the Malin Head and Coolcross tests which are classic Donegal stages. Doherty/McCauley were fastest on all 6 stages to take the win by just over a minute from Daniel Barry and Gordan Noble, both in Evo’s. Daniel and Michael Doherty were 3rd overall, and claimed the highly competitive two wheel drive honours by 9 seconds. Patrick Mc Hugh and Pauric O’Donnell were 4th overall and class 13 winners. Joe McGonigle and Ciaran Geaney rounded off the top 5 and a class 7 win in their Clio R3 maxi.

            Monaghan men Raymond Conlon and Darren McCague had a great run through the Hills of Donegal and were up to 4th overall after 2 stages, eventually finishing 6th overall and 2nd in class 13. Arthur and Mac Kierans got their 2013 rally season off to a good start in the class 12 escort with 7th overall and a class win to boot. Barry Mc Kenna and Emmett Sherry had a 9th fastest stage time on the opening test but undid all the their good work on the second stage when the escort failed to slow enough for a square right and slid off, dropping over 4 minutes to their class rivals. Nevertheless they battled on and set some good times to climb back up to 30th overall.

            Late entrants, Richard Moffatt and Martin Connolly had a good start and were up to 8th overall after 2 stages but unfortunately gearbox gremlins set in and they failed to finish the middle loop in the starlet.

 

Donegal MC Mini Stages Top 10

1 Martin Doherty/Damien McCauley (Lancer Evo 9) 48m 11s

2 Danny Barry/Gordon Noble (Lancer Evo 10) 49m 12s

3 Daniel Doherty/Michael Doherty (Escort) 50m 18s

4 Patrick McHugh/Pauric O’Donnell (Escort) 50m 27s

5 Joe McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Clio R3 Maxi) 50m 37s

6 Raymond Conlon/Darren McCauge (Corolla) 50m 46s

7 Conor Watters/Gerry Hughes (Escort) 51m 08s

8 Arthur Kierans/Mac Kierans (Escort) 51m 17s

9 John Ward/Gary McNern (Corolla) 51m 18s

10 Gary McElhinney/Paddy McCrudden (Escort) 51m 23s

Andy Mackarel and Liam Higgins recorded their third win from three starts in this seasons Squealing Pig Border Navigation Championship in Dromard, Co. Longford last Saturday night. On what was deemed a truly enjoyable event in wet and windy conditions, Mackarel and Higgins pulled out all the stops to take a 3penalty win from Michael and Ciaran Tynan in 2nd overall on 7 penalties. Local semi-experts, Pickier Duffy and Nigel McCloughery were 3rd overall.

With only 4 experts starting the event their was enough crystal to go around but it wasn’t to be as championship chasers Colin Duffy/Sam Johnson and Daniel McKenna/Stephen Hagan both failed to finish the event. This left Michael and Ciaran Tynan taking the expert class. Pakie and Colin Duffy took a 7penalty win in the semi expert class ahead of Ashley Mc Adoo and Francis Keenan. Ciaran Coyle and Arthur Kierans teamed up at the last minute with Arthurs navigation skills coming along nicely to take 3rd semi-expert. Novice award winners were once again Martin Tynan and Fintan Clerkin with locals Michael Reilly and Shane Dalton 2nd. Dermot and Laurence Keenan rounded off the top 3 in novice class. It was a Donegal/Cork partnership which won the beginners class as Aidan Friel piloted Eoghan McCarthy to a class win and 5th overall to boot. Roscommon men Gerry Kelly and Seamus McTigue were 2nd with Keith McConnon and Michael McCluskey 3rd. Only two rounds remaining in this years Squealing Pig Border Championship with Cavan MC on 2nd March and Monaghan MC on 9th March

 

Midland MC Navigation Trial Top 12

1 Andy Mackarel/Liam Higgins (Subaru Impreza) 4 marks

2 Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 7m

3 Packie Duffy/Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Impreza) 10m

4 Ashley McAdoo/Francis Keenan (Subaru Impreza) 17m

5 Aidan Friel/Eoghan McCarthy (Subaru Impreza) 26m

6 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 35m

7 Shane Dalton/Micheal Reilly (Subaru Impreza) 40m

8 Dermot Keenan/Laurence Keenan (Honda Accord) 61m

9 Gerry Kelly/Seamus McTigue (Subaru Impreza) 70m

10 Ciaran Coyle/Arthur Kierans (Subaru Impreza) 78m

11 Keith McConnon/Micheal McCluskey (Subaru Impreza) 85m

12 Ryan Connolly/Martin Swinburne (Subaru Impreza) 104m

 

Locals Fair Well on Forestry Opener

Sunday last saw Limerick Motor Club host the opening round of the 2013 Valvoline Forestry Championship. This short 4 stage event proved popular with scrutiny on the morning of the event as a field of 85 entries crossed the start ramp. Michael O Brien and Greg Shinnors held the lead through the opening 3 stages but were pushed out to 2nd o/a by a mere second on the final test by Philip Morrow and Jonny Hart in an EVO 9. Corks Owen Murphy and James O’Brien were 3rd o/a, also in an EVO 9. Vincent and JP McAree made a return to the stick’s for another year and quickly got into their stride with a top 3 stage time on the opener and finishing in 4th o/a, just 13 seconds off the rally winner and taking a class win.

Josh Moffatt and Jason McKenna were once again on the pace with very little experience on the gravel to take 7th overall. Paul Sheridan was navigating for Enda Mc Nulty in an impreza and finished in 8th overall. There was a great battle for two-wheel-drive honours throughout the day with Shane McGirr and Jackie Elliott just edging out Seamus O’Connell by 3 seconds to finish 12th and 13th respectively. Monaghans Michael Conlon with Sorcha Kelly on the notes were 3rd escort and 15th overall. Michael Carbin had his newly acquired EVO 4 on the loose surface for the first time and wasn’t long getting into the swing of things as he and navigator Stephen Thornton finished in 14th overall and 3rd in class. David Smith and Austin Hamill were also in Limerick and slid their EVO 4 home to 24th overall and 6th in the highly competitive class 20.

 

West Limerick Forest Rally Top 10

1 Philip Morrow/Jonny Hart (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 07s

2 Michael O’Brien/Greg Shinnors (Focus WRC) 22m 08s

3 Owen Murphy/James O’Brien (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 12s

4 Vincent McAree/J P McAree (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 20s

5 Martin Cairns/Barry McNulty (Impreza WRC) 22m 25s

6 Pat O’Connell/Mark Wiley (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 37s

7 Josh Moffett/Jason McKenna (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 22m 38s

8 Enda McNulty/Paul Sheridan (Impreza) 22m 58s

9 John Reid/Enda Shiels (Corolla WRC) 23m 09s

10 Liam Regan/Damien Duffin (Peugeot 206) 23m 10s

 

Daniel Mc Kenna Announces Plans for the 2013 Season

The 2012 Irish young rally driver of the year and recipient of the Billy Coleman

Award prize fund of €50,000, supported by Motorsport Ireland and the Irish Sports Council, will be competing in the 2013 British Rally Championship (BRC). Daniel and co-driver Arthur Kierans will commence their assault on the 7 round championship using a Ford Fiesta R2, with the goal of securing a good haul of championship points and trying to lay claim to a nomination for the coveted Pirelli Star Driver Shootout Competition (PSD). They will continue with this plan until such time as they secure the nomination for the PSD and from that point forward they will then upgrade to an R3 Class car in order to make an assault at the championship overall.

Daniel has recently completed an extensive gravel test in the Fiesta R2 and has adapted to the car quite quickly getting onto a good consistent pace with the new package and is feeling very confident on the approach to the championships first round in North Wales in April. Daniel plans on competing in an Irish gravel rally in the coming weeks to improve his pace in preparation for the championship and is also planning a full days testing in the rented Fiesta R2 he will be using in North Wales prior to the event.

Daniel has a few different options for the R3 class car he will compete in for the remainder of the championship, which will be announced in due course. Also he would like to say that tickets for the fundraiser to help support the crew in their BRC championship endeavors are still available and anyone interested in being Daniel’s Co-Driver for the day in his Trusty Escort Mk2 can get information on purchasing a ticket on Daniel’s website www.danielmckenna.net or on Daniel’s Facebook page.

Daniel is also seeking new sponsors for the BRC campaign and anyone that may be interested in promoting their business by getting their name on the car can contact Daniel via his website or Facebook page where all of his contact details are available.

 

Monaghan Motor Club Autotest

This Sunday see’s Monaghan Motor Club host their annual Autotest at Wrights Quarry, Swanns Cross. Once again Brendan Flynn is CoC and he and his team have laid on some challenging tests. As always their is a clubman’s section so we hope to see many members taking to the slippy concrete surface for a days competitive  fun. The test trial is also a counting round of the Hewison National championship with competitors from all over the country in attendance. Marshals are still required so please make yourselves available if at all possible. Sign-on starts at 10.30 with practice from 11am and competition starting at 11.30am.

Galway Motor Club kick started the 2013 Irish Rally calendar in earnest last weekend with their International Rally. Customary wet and mucky condition’s greeted the 100 strong field at the start of this 8 stage event. Reigning Tarmac champions Darren Gass and Enda Sherry were number 1 seeds but their day was short lived, getting stuck after a visit the scenery and unable to get back in the running. Eugene Donnelly emerged as the early leader in the Mini while three time British Tarmac champion Keith Cronin used the early stages to get acquainted with the all new WRC right hand drive Subaru. Once the Cork man found his rhythm he was unstoppable and posted 3 fastest stage times through the final five stages to record a memorable win. Eugene Donnelly and Mark Kane had a consistent run through the Galway lanes to record another 2nd overall in Galway. Donegal cousins Declan and Brian Boyle had a great result in their WRC Impreza to take 3rd overall by 7seconds from Derrek McGarrity in 4th with Donagh Kelly 5th.

WRC cars held the top seven overall positions followed by a quintuplet of group N production cars. Kerry man Alan Ring had a start to finish win in the group N class but was pushed all the way by the hard charging Sam Moffett who had closed the deficit to only 2seconds for the final three stages. Unfortunately for Sam and James O’Reilly they encountered a misfire on the final test which dropped them back to 3rd group N, less than a second behind brother and rivals Josh Moffett and John Rowan. All in all a good day for the Combilift team. Indeed there were four Monaghan crews in the top 5 group N as Stephen Wright and Gregory McQuillan had a consistent run all day and a great class battle to eventually settle for 4th, 23seconds ahead of Shane Maguire and Damian Connolly in their Subaru.

The National and Junior Rally’s threw up some fierce battles throughout the day but drive of the day must go to Paddy Kiernan and James McCarville who fought their way up the leader board throughout the event to eventually take a 19second overall winning margin amongst much more powerful machinery in their class 13 escort. Monaghans Jim McKenna and Thomas Treanor also had a great day in Galway, up the 2nd overall in the National through the early stages and eventually settled for 5th overall and a class 14 win. Threemilehouse man Stephen Hagan got a late call up to sit with Cavan’s Rodney Wilton but they disappeared off the time sheets after stage 5 whilst lying in 7th overall and 2nd class 14. Seamus Connolly and Gary McCrudden were setting top three times in class 11 but an altercation with a Galway stone wall ended their campaign.

Cavan lad Darren O Brien with Gary Kiernan on the notes got off to a flyer in the Junior Rally and incredibley recorded a 13th fastest stage time overall on the opening test, in a class 11 civic! To put that in context only two group N cars were quicker and was 2nd fastest twd time overall behind Tom Flaherty in a class 14 escort. Unfortunately for this young Cavan crew there day was to end on ss4 with gear selector trouble whilst holding a 41 second lead in the junior event.

 

Galway International Rally Top 10

1 Keith Cronin/Marshall Clarke (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 05m 51s

2 Eugene Donnelly/Mark Kane (Mini WRC) 1h 06m 04s

3 Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 06m 50s

4 Derek McGarrity/James McKee (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 06m 57s

5 Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 08m 01s

6 Garry Jennings/Neil Doherty (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 10m 24s

7 John Joe Fleming/Robbie Ward (Ford Focus WRC) 1h 10m 46s

8 Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 1h 10m 59s

9 Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Gp N), 1h 11m 20s

10 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 1h 11m 21s

 

Group N Production class:

1 Alan Ring/Adrian Deasy

2 Josh Moffett/John Rowan

3 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly

 

NATIONAL EVENT:

1 Paddy Kiernan/James McCarville (Ford Escort) 1h 12m 33s

2 Tom Flaherty/Patrick Curley (Ford Escort) 1h 12m 53s

3 Stephen Hernon/Jeff Case (Subaru Impreza Gp N) 1h 13m 12s

 

JUNIOR RALLY:

1 Richard Moore/Paul Twomey (Honda Civic) 59m 43s

2 Kenneth Quirke/Seamus Skinner (Honda Civic) 1h 02m 44s

3 Justin Ryan/Gary Collins (Honda Civic) 1h 03m 13s

 

Cork 1000 Isles Navigation Trial

Skibbereen and District Car Club played host to the 6th round of the National Night Navigation Championship on Saturday night last. A difficult night was had by the travelling local crews as Midlands men Sam Johnston and Colin Duffy took a slender 1 minute win from locals David Beamish and Daire Hayes with Ger O’Connell and Denis O Donovan 3rd overall.

The plot and bash sections seemed to cause most concern for navigators with all crews forced to miss some time points. Andy Mackarel and Liam Higgins came home in 5th overall to record a good points haul towards their National hopes with two local rounds remaining. Richard Cassidy and Paul Phelan finished in 7th overall despite a broken drive for the final five time points and had it not been for the exploits of Martin Tynan and Fintan Clerkin they would of had a no score in Cork. The latter novice crew of Tynan/Clerkin finished in 10th having missed some time points through the plot and bash sections and took 2nd in class.

All roads lead to the Longford village of Dromard this Saturday night as the Squealing Pig Border championship resumes with three rounds over the next five weekends. Full report next week

 

Cork 1000 Isles Navigation Top 12

1 Colin Duffy/Sam Johnston (Subaru Impreza) 65 marks,

2 David Beamish/Daire Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 66m,

3 Ger O’Connell/Denis O’Donovan (Subaru Impreza) 82m,

4 Ray O’Neill/Stephen O’Neill (Ford Mondeo) 83m,

5 Andy Mackarel/Liam Higgins (Subaru Impreza) 84m,

6 Brian O’Mahony/David Swanton (Vauxhall Vectra) 88m,

7 Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan (Vauxhall Vectra) 90m,

8 Trevor O’Callaghan/Iarla McCarthy (Vauxhall Vectra) 94m,

9 Joe Shinnors Jnr/Greg Shinnors (Subaru Impreza) 94m,

10 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 125m,

11 Dermot Whelton/Barry O’Sullivan (VW Golf) 142m,

12 Pakie Duffy/Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Impreza) 149m.

 

The novice pairing of Martin Tynan and Fintan Clerkin recorded their first navigation win with a clean sheet on last Saturday night’s Eamon Harvey memorial navigation trial based in Glenswilly, Donegal. Indeed this is Fintan’s second win of the year, having taken the overall win with local driver Paul Reid on the November Donegal navigation trial to record two wins from two in the Tir Chonaill county this season.

            There were 35 starters departed the Glenswilly GAA club, home of the now famous Donegal All-Ireland winning manager Jimmy McGuinness. Thirty time points and three via’s defined the route which beared West from HQ to the town of Glenties almost 30 miles away. A wet and windy night during the early time points made life all the more difficult as the event took in some typical bumpy and narrow Donegal roads and forest lanes. Most crews were managing to stay on top of their times and by petrol halt in Glenties there were clean sheets aplenty. The second half headed back in the direction of Letterkenny, circling AghlaMountain and on towards the Glendowan  Mountain range.

            With arrival back at final control it became clear that eight clean sheets were still intact, with the novice pairing of Tynan/Clerkin emerging as winners on the novice beats semi-expert ruling. Local semi experts James Greenan and Darren Harvey were awarded 2nd overall in their nissan almera with a three way tie for 3rd overall as per results below.

            Other locals to make the trip North to Donegal included navigator Stephen Thornton who coaxed local Donegal veteran Joe Friel out of retirement and they too recorded a clean sheet to share the spoils of 6th overall and 1st experts. On most night’s a one minute deficit would win many an event but not this time as Michael and Ciaran Tynan dropped a minute on the SRS section,  dropping them way back to 9th overall! Mac Kierans teamed up with Paul Reid for this event and dropped 4 minutes on the first SRS section to finish in 10th overall. Arthur Kierans took to the navigators seat for this event, partnering Donegal’s Bobby Sharkey in his all new impreza. Arthur reporting that he enjoyed the event but was glad he took his glasses! There biggest downfall was missing time point 10 although they reckon they passed it but didn’t stop. Damian Connolly partnered Gary McElhinney once again but disaster struck on the speed regularity section as Damian’s stop watch gave up the ghost leaving them with no option but to second guess and dropped a massive 12 minutes. Sean McKenna and Gary Farrelly were also in Donegal but were troubled with mechanical woes. Eoghan Corr and Brendan Treanor picked up valuable novice class points towards their border campaign. Conor Meehan/Brendan Keenan along with Cathal Harry/Peter Deery both made the trip to contest the novice class picking up class points also. Father and son team of Peter and Shane Farrell left their luck at home with a non-finish in Donegal.

            So at the half way stage of the 2012/13 Squealing Pig Border navigation championship things are still very much to play for. A lot of the top crews didn’t make it to Donegal for one reason or another thus leaving the championship wide open with Midlands, Cavan and Monaghan to host events over the next five weekends.

 

DONEGAL MC EAMON HARVEY NAVIGATION TRIAL TOP 10

1 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 0 marks

2 James Greenan/Darren Harvey (Nissan Almera) 0m

3 (tie) Ciaran Coyle/Kevin Gallagher (Subaru Impreza), Shane Dalton/Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Impreza), Karl Reid/Ciaran Geaney (Subaru Impreza) 0m

6 (tie) Charlie McMonagle/Aidan Friel (Subaru Impreza), Conor Harvey/Kevin McDaid (Subaru Impreza), Joe Friel/Stephen Thornton (Subaru Impreza) 0m

9 Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 1m

10 Paul Reid/Macartan Kierans (Subaru Impreza) 4m

 

Class winners:

Semi-experts: James Greenan/Darren Harvey

Novices: Paul Reid/Macartan Kierans

Beginners: Noel O’Donnell/Ronan Murrin 38m.

 

Upcoming Events

Best of luck to all local crews heading to the Galway International Rally this weekend and also the Cork 1000 Isles navigation trial. Full Reports next week.