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Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes took overall victory on last weekend’s Midland Navigation Trial. The event was a counting round of the Squealing Pig Border Navigation Championship.

At the end of the 75 mile route, they emerged comfortable winners from Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan with 3rd overall going to the Semi-Expert crew of Michael Carbin & Conor Mohan.

COC Sam Johnston laid out a challenging route involving some classic lanes in the North Longford area. Monaduff GAA was the HQ for the event. Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes led the crews away into the opening plot & bash section near Ballinamuck. Trace & tulip diagrams were used catching a few crews out.

TP6 was to be the deciding factor of the event. A newly created ‘road’ which crossed the mapped road proved very inviting and those that followed it were to land at TP10 which was to be given at a later location. Many crews decided to skip TP6-TP9 and wait for their minute at TP10 whilst others attempted to get these timepoints and either skip or double visit TP10 later.

Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes negotiated this section correctly and were now well clear in the lead. By C13, they were on a total of 10 penalties. Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan proceeded to attempt the timepoints from TP6 and take a double visit at TP10. This decision stood to them and they were now in a clear 2nd place.

The second half of the event was fairly straightforward with a mammoth 16 mile Speed Regulation Section included. As the crews returned to Monaduff, Duffy/Hughes emerged victorious on 11 penalties. Mackarel/Boylan took 2nd place on 85 penalties with 3rd overall going to Semi-Expert class winners Michael Carbin & Conor Mohan on 102 penalties. Novice class winners Aiden Keenan & Sean Marron were an excellent 4th overall ahead of Semi-Expert crew Shane Dalton/Seamus McTigue in 5th.

The Night Navigation seasons continues with the Cavan Navigation Trial on February 29th. It is a counting round of both the Border and National Championships.

Top 10 Results:
1st Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 11 marks,
2nd Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 85m,
3rd Michael Carbin/Conor Mohan (Subaru Impreza) 102m,
4th Aiden Keenan/Sean Marron (Subaru Impreza) 112m,
5th Shane Dalton/Seamus McTigue (Subaru Impreza) 113m,
6th Aiden Sherry/Oisin Sherlock (Subaru Impreza) 115m,
7th Jack McKenna/Ryan Treanor (Subaru Legacy) 121m,
8th James McCabe/Shane Farrell (Subaru Impreza) 124m,
9th Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 135m,
10th Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 139m

Wednesday 12th Feb at 8pm in Four Seasons Hotel:

To discuss costs of Motorsport

and

consider cost reduction options for 2020

Sam Moffett was the leading Monaghan finisher on last weekend’s Galway International Rally which was round 1 of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. The 9 stage event attracted a small entry but there was no lack of quality at the top.

Sam & co-driver, James Fulton, finished a fine 2^nd overall on their first event in a Hyundai R5.

The pair finished 21 seconds behind event winner Alastair Fisher/Gordon Noble in a VW Polo. 3^rd overall went to Donagh Kelly & Ballinode’s Conor Foley in another VW Polo. The pair were a scant 1.7 seconds behind Moffett.

Over the opening loop of stages Fisher/Noble built an impressive lead. Behind them, there was an intense battle for 2^nd place with 14 seconds covering five crews. Leading the charge was Kelly/Foley while Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty lost time on Stage 3 in their Hyundai. On the second loop, Fisher maintained his lead at 22 seconds with Sam Moffett moving into 2^nd place 0.8 seconds ahead of Kelly/Foley. Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty held 5^th with Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan in 6^th place.

Kelly/Foley and Moffett/Fulton swapped place again on Stage 7 before a determined run from Moffett/Fulton on the final Black Road stage saw him take two seconds off Kelly/Foley to clinch 2^nd place. The overall results are still provisional due to a post event scrutiny issue for Moffett/Fulton. Moffett/Moriarty finished a subdued 5^th behind Welshman Merion Evans. Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan brought their Fiesta R5 to a solid 6^th overall. Martin Connolly guided William Mavitty to 10^th overall in their Lancer while Eamon Kelly/Conor Mohan took the class RC2 win and 12^th overall.

In the National Rally, Aisling McArdle guided Des Lyons to 13^th overall and a class win. The Irish Tarmac Championship continues with the West Cork Rally in March.

Galway International Rally Provisional Results:

1^st Alaister Fisher/Gordon Noble (Volkswagen Polo R5) 1.00.34.6

2^nd Sam Moffett/James Fulton (Hyundai I20 R5) 1.00.55.7

3^rd Donagh Kelly/Conor Foley (Volkswagen Polo R5) 1.00.57.4

4^th Meirion Evans/Jonathan Jacob (Volkswagen Polo R5) 1.01.08.6

5^th Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty (Hyundai I20 R5) 1.01.28.8

6^th Stephen Wright/Liam Moynihan (Ford Fiesta R5) 1.02.29.0

7^th Cathan McCourt/Barry McNulty (Ford Fiesta R5) 1.02.50.8

8^th Declan McCrory/Stephen O’Hanlon (Ford Fiesta R5) 1.05.02.9

9^th Paul Barrett/Kevin Reilly (Ford Fiesta R5) 1.05.42.4

10^th William Mavitty/Martin Connolly (Mitsubishi Evo9) 1.06.06.0

Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes took overall victory on last weekend’s January Navigation Trial, Round 2 of the Club Navigation Championship & Overall Club Championship. COC Oisin Sherlock organised a mammoth 120 mile route over the South of Monaghan stretching from Latton to Broomfield and back. The event proved very tricky and demanding particularly on the plot & bash sections and it was former National Champions Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes who came through to take the overall win.

Crews had to be on the ball from the off as even the route to TP1 would punish crews who deviated off the provided tulip diagrams. Plot & Bash followed at TP3, Via1 and TP5. The plot for Via1 was hidden on the reverse side of the plots for TP3 and many crews instead followed the tulip to TP5. Peter Deery/David McCrudden emerged in the lead despite missing TP5 with the Novice crew of Francis McElvaney/Danny McKenna a surprising 2^nd four penalties behind.

The event headed East towards the Corduff, Bawn & Lisdoonan areas before a petrol halt near Bromfield. Deery/McCrudden still led despite a wrong departure at the infamous TP13 which caught out all but six crews. Their lead was now down to two penalties as Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes were recovering after earlier missing Via1 and TP4. Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan were in 3^rd place. James McCabe/Shane Farrell led the Semi-Expert class. Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy led the Novice class and Shane Maguire/Pauric Duffy were out front in the Beginners class.

The second half of the event took crews from Broomfield through Aghnafarcan, Shantonagh, Lough Egish and Bawn. The Section from TP24 to TP26 consisted of four plot & bash timepoints involving tulip diagrams which tested navigators to the limit. Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes emerged from this section in the lead dropping 9 penalties but getting all timepoints with correct approach and departure. A wrong approach at Via7 at Lough Egish chapel car park dropped Peter Deery/David McCrudden to 2^nd place. An impressive effort from Novices Aiden Keenan/Sean Marron saw them climb to 3^rd place.

As crews arrived back in Latton close to 2am, Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes had done enough to take overall victory on 52 penalties total. Peter Deery/David McCrudden finished 2^nd with Novice class winners Aiden Keenan/Sean Marron 3^rd overall. Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan and Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin completed the top five finishers.

Michael Carbin/Conor Mohan won the Semi-Expert class well clear of Ryan Brennan/Ryan Treanor in 2^nd with David Acheson/Philip Fitzpatrick taking 3^rd. Keenan/Marron led home the Novice crews with Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy and Cathal Croarkin/Marco Lennon putting three Novice crews in the top 7. The Beginners class was won by Shane Maguire/Pauric Duffy with Damien Hagan/Ryan Farrell and Michael Conlon/Paul McPhillips completing the podium.

COC Oisin Sherlock paid thanks to Latton GAA centre as well as the landowners and residents along the route for their support of the event. The National Navigation Championship continues next weekend in Skibbereen while the Border Championship resumes with the Midland Navigation Trial on February 8^th.

Top 10 Results:

1^st Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 52m,

2^nd Peter Deery/David McCrudden (Subaru Impreza) 70m,

3^rd Aiden Keenan/Sean Marron (Subaru Impreza) 88m,

4^th Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 91m,

5^th Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 92m,

6^th Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy (Toyota Starlet) 96m,

7^th Cathal Croarkin/Marco Lennon (Toyota Yaris) 135m,

8^th Michael Carbin/Conor Mohan (Subaru Impreza) 135m,

9^th Declan Tynan/Ben McIntyre (Subaru Legacy) 136m,

10^th Brendan Treanor/Gary Farrelly (Subaru Impreza) 139m

The Annual General Meeting of Co. Monaghan Motor Club takes place on Thursday 16^th January 2020 at 8pm in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan. All 2019 club members are eligible to vote in the election of the 2020 committee. Nomination forms available on monaghanmotorclub.net. All members are encouraged to attend and participate in the open discussion on the topics raised. It is hoped to have further information available on the changes being introduced for the 2020 motorsport year.

 Navigation Trial

 Monaghan Motor Club’s first event of the year takes place this Saturday night January 18^th with the January Navigation Trial. This event is Round 2 of the 2020 Traders Championship and Club Navigation Championship. COC Oisin Sherlock has organized a mammoth 117 mile route based out of Latton GAA. Marshals are urgently required for this event and those available should present at Latton GAA by 7pm.

Cork Navigation Trial

 Aiden Sherry & Oisin Sherlock continued their National Navigation campaign with 4^th overall on last weekend’s Cork 1000 Shakes Navigation Trial based out of Buttevant, in North Cork. They were the sole crew Monaghan crew to finish the event with Ray O’Neill/Shane Maguire not finishing after breaking an alternator belt at TP3. Derek Butler/Denis O’Donovan made it three wins in a row in the series to clinch the Munster title on the event. With five rounds completed, it is a three horse race for the National title between the Cork crews of Butler/O’Donovan, Owen Murphy/Daire Hayes and James Fitzgerald/Ken Carmody.