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Defending National Night Navigation Champions, Derek Mackarel & Muireann Hayes, remain on course for the successful defence of their title after back to back 2^nd places finishes on the Skibbereen 100 Isles & Cork 1000 Shakes Navigation Trials. These events occurred in successive weekends after the postponement of the Cork event in January.

 

On the 100 Isles, it proved to be a very demanding event with very high penalties for most crews. In the end it was the team of James Fitzgerald/Ken Carmody who took the win from Mackarel/Hayes. The following weekend, some snowy and icy conditions faced crews on the Macroom based 1000 Shakes. On this occasion, overall honours went to Owen Murphy & Daire Hayes with Mackarel/Hayes edging out Fitzgerald/Carmody on a tie-break for 2^nd place.

 

Mackarel/Hayes hold the advantage on points with Fitzgerald/Carmody not far back in 2^nd place. Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan have contested all rounds to date and hold 3^rd place. Two rounds remain in Cavan & Monaghan next month and dropped scores could also play a factor in where the 2018-2019 National title will go.

 

Galway International Rally

 

The 2019 Irish Tarmac Rally Championship kicks into gear this weekend with the return of the Galway International Rally after a year’s absence. The event will be a 1 day event contested over 10 stages on Sunday 10^th February. The last two championships have been won by the Moffett brothers, Sam & Josh and both are scheduled to make the start next weekend in their R5 Fiestas. International Rally Star, Craig Breen, is the top seeds and firm event favourite.

 

The top 10 includes multiple former Tarmac and National Champions make the top 10 with many crews switching to R5 cars for the first time. Conor Foley is once again sitting with Donegal’s Donagh Kelly as they adapt to their new Skoda Fabia R5. Niall Maguire & Anthony Nestor are also on the Entry List in their Subaru WRC. Stephen Wright/Arthur Kierans return to the stages after nearly a year’s absence. Brendan Cumisky/Ronan O’Kane and Aaron McHale/Enda Sherry are also R5 mounted.

 

Paul Kelly is sitting for David Condell and Emmet Sherry is sitting with Stuart Darcy in the Modified category while Raymond Conlon/Damien Fleming are also amongst the front runners.

 

 

AGM

 

The Annual General Meeting of Co. Monaghan Motor Club was held in the Four Seasons Hotel on Wednesday 23^rd January before a large attendance. Secretary Paul Hughes in his report summarised what had been a busy and successful year for the club. He appealed for more volunteers to share the workload. The Chairman Conor Maguire thanked all who had helped and supported the club and its activities throughout the year. In particular he thanked the Four Seasons as main sponsor of the Stages Rally, all local sponsors and those who provided venues for events, as well as residents and landowners along the routes of the events. There was a round of applause for all club members who were successful at both International and National level in 2018.

 

The election of officers for 2019 resulted as follows:

Chairman: Conor Maguire, Vice-Chairman: Brendan Flynn, Secretary: Paul Hughes, Treasurer: Cathal MacArtain, Ast, Treasuer: Brendan Flynn, PRO: Evin Hughes, Registrar: Ronnie Hawe, Committee: Kerry Stevenson, Eoghan Corr, Michael Sheridan, Cathal McGlone, Shane Farrell, Garry Farrelly, Ciaran Tynan, Fintan Keenan, Samuel Patterson and Emmet Sherry.

 

In our drive to recognise the broader motorsport community and significantly increase our strength I’d ask you to encourage all your club members, families and friends and community to register for MI membership.

MI-membership is a new initiative from Motorsport Ireland that will offer consumer benefits to the wider motorsport community. Think of all the people who have supported your passion and helped you to compete or run your event; now you can give them something back!

For just €10 per person you can nominate two of those people when applying for your 2019 licence. 2019 Motorsport Ireland licence holders will automatically become a member for free. Alternatively direct application and for more details, participating outlets and additional membership forms, please visit

www.motorsportireland.com/membership

There’s strength in numbers!

Thank you.

Leo

Chief Executive,               Motorsport Ireland, 34 Dawson Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

The 2019 Irish Forestry Championship kicked off with the Carrick-on-Suir Forestry Rally. The six stage event incorporated stages in the Wexford area. These stages haven’t been used for several years providing a fresh challenge for the championship regulars. Reigning Champions, Josh Moffett & Stephen Thornton didn’t make the start so 2017 Champions Sam Moffett & James Fulton and top seeds Barry McKenna/Andy Hayes led the Monaghan charge.

Moffett/Fulton were having their first taste of the woods in over a year and settled into a steady pace. They finished the opening loop in 4^th place, 10 seconds off pace setter Martin McCormack/Barney Mitchell. McKenna/Hayes were a further 11 seconds back in a similar Ford Fiesta R5. The pair maintained their positions over the second loop with Moffett/Fulton missing out on a podium position by just two seconds.

Brendan Cumisky/Ronan O’Kane secured 9^th overall in their Skoda Fabia R5. Calum Maguire guided Peter McCullagh to 11^th overall with Michael Carbin/Conor Mohan finishing just behind in 12^th place in their Lancer. Michael Conlon/Ciaran McPhillips brought their Escort home to 19^th overall and 2^nd in class 14.

Arthur Kierans guided Billy Coleman Award Winner, James Wilson, to 24^th overall and 2^nd in class 2. Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes emerged home 26^th overall and 2^nd in the Junior class just 7 seconds off the winner after a close battle all day. Michaela McGinn guided Damien McGauren to 27^th overall and 3^rd in class. Conor Boylan guided Peter Beaton to 3^rd in the Junior 1000 class.

The Irish Forestry Championship will continue with the Limerick Forestry Rally in early March.

 

The New Year of Motorsport got underway last Saturday Night with Monaghan Motor Club’s annual January Navigation Trial. COC Conor Mohan and his team organised a compact 85 mile route in the North and Mid-Monaghan areas. In what was a closely contested event, it was the Expert crew of Mac Kierans & Conor Boylan who secured the win by a one penalty margin.

Just over 30 crews made the start of the event on what proved to be a primarily dry night. After completing pre-event plotting at Ballinode Community Hall, Drumlin winners Michael & Ciaran Tynan led the field to the opening section in the Tydavnet, Ballinode & Three Mile House areas. An early plot & bash timepoint had crews on their toes early. By TP11, most leading crews were on clean sheets. The Beginner crew of Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy were leading from the Novice pairing of Aaron Dixon/Dylan Lennon.

A trio of Plot & Bash timepoints between TP12 and TP14 would prove decisive. A mixture of tulip diagrams and jumbled plots would catch out the majority of the field. The Semi-Expert crew of James McCabe/Shane Farrell faired best and by the midway point they led on 7 penalties with three crews tied for 2^nd on 17 penalties apiece.

As the event moved towards the Aghabog and Smithborough areas, McCabe/Farrell were holding their own out front. The final plot & bash section incorporated a tulip diagram where every gate, road, lane and opening was included as a ‘road’. This delayed some crews more than others. McCabe/Farrell were caught with a wrong approach here but worse was to come at they picked up a huge 80 penalty at TP28.

Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan cleaned this section to edge out Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes by a single penalty. The Semi-Expert pairing of Peter Deery/David McCrudden secured 3^rd place with Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes in 4^th and Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin in 5^th.

In the Semi-Expert class, Damien Treanor/Christopher McMahon took 2^nd in class and 6^th overall with Caolan & Ryan Treanor in 3^rd. The Novice class went to Aaron Dixon/Dylan Lennon who were well ahead of Donal & Killian McArdle in 2^nd and Francis McElvaney/Danny McKenna in 3^rd. The Beginners class was won by Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy from Ciaran & Paul McPhillips with Stefan McCann/Colm McKeever in 3^rd.

COC Conor Mohan would like to thank all the landowners and residents along the route for their support and co-operation. He would also like to thank all the marshals for turning out to support the event. Two rounds are now completed in the club championship and the next club event is the March Navigation Trial on March 30^th/31^st.

Results:

1^st Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 17 marks,

2^nd Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 18m,

3^rd Peter Deery/David McCrudden (Subaru Impreza) 21m,

4^th Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 23m,

5^th Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 23m,

6^th Damien Treanor/Christopher McMahon (Subaru Impreza) 26m,

7^th Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 27m,

8^th Mark Deery/Patrick O’Leary (Subaru Impreza) 29m,

9^th Caolan Treanor/Ryan Treanor (Subaru Impreza) 44m,

10^th Damien Treanor/Jonathan McGovern (Subaru Impreza) 53m,

11^th Aaron Dixon/Dylan Lennon (Subaru Impreza) 71m,

12^th Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy (Subaru Impreza) 71m

Semi-experts: 1 Peter Deery/David McCrudden, 2 Damien Treanor/Christopher McMahon, 3 Caolan Treanor/Ryan Treanor.

Novices: 1 Aaron Dixon/Dylan Lennon, 2 Donal McArdle/Killian McArdle (Subaru Impreza) 152m, 3 Francis McElvaney/Danny McKenna (Subaru Impreza) 153m.

Beginners: 1 Kieran McCarra/Aaron McElroy, 2 Ciaran McPhillips/Paul McPhillips (Subaru Impreza) 86m, 3 Stefan McCann/Colm McKeever (Subaru Impreza) 120m.

 

Monaghan Motor Club AGM

The annual general meeting of Co. Monaghan Motor Club will be held on Wednesday 23^rd January 2019 at 8.30pm in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan. Nomination forms will be available for download on the club website www.monaghanmotorclub.net. Nominations must be received by the secretary by Monday 21st January 2019.

All 2018 club members are eligible to vote in the election of the 2019 committee. All members are encouraged to attend and participate in the open discussion on current topics

 

Michael & Ciaran Tynan in their Subaru Impreza secured overall victory on last weekend’s Drumlin Navigation Trial. This is the third time in five years that the Uncle-Nephew team have taken overall honours on what is regarded as the most difficult and demanding Navigation Trial in the country. After 110 miles of driving, they were clear winners on 16 penalties. The Semi-Expert pairing of Caolan & Ryan Treanor finished a very impressive 2^nd overall while reigning National Champions Derek Mackarel & Muireann Hayes secured 3^rd place.

 

COC Conor Maguire laid out a tricky route for the crews in the Latton, Ballybay, Lough Egish, Shercock, Shantonagh & Corduff areas. Many new lanes featured as well as a return of a few tricks from years ago. The event was a round of the National, Border & Club Navigation Championships. Defending Trader’s champion, Martin Tynan was the top seed with his usual navigator Fintan Clerkin.

 

The opening section of the event was close to Latton and incorporated a number of new lanes and tricks. Almost every crew missed a hidden slot left en route to TP10, some crews doubled back and dropped time while others missed TP10 entirely. Tynan/Clerkin were caught out here as were No.2 seeds Peter Deery/David McCrudden. By the first TRS, it was former National Champions Pakie Duffy & Evin Hughes leading on two penalties with Mackarel/Hayes just 1 penalty back.

 

TP17 proved costly for Mackarel/Hayes who missed a tricky timepoint which was on tulip diagram. Duffy/Hughes led until TP26 where they realised they had missed Via5 and returned to collect it but they had entered within 50 metres of TP26 and were subsequently penalised with double visit penalties. By the midway point in Shercock, Michael & Ciaran Tynan found themselves in a clear lead as the only crew to have visited every timepoint with correct approach & departure.

 

The second half of the event took crews further south near Shantonagh & Corduff before looping back to Latton. Tynan/Tynan maintained their lead just dropping five more penalties to finish on a total of 16 penalties. Caolan & Ryan Treanor put in a hugely impressive performance to take 2^nd overall on 28 penalties despite having missed TP10. Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes completed the podium positions just 1 penalty further back. Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan (30 penalties) and the Novice team of Shane Dalton/Seamus McTigue (32 penalties) secure 4^th and 5^th places respectively.

 

In the Semi-Expert class, the Treanor brothers took the class win with Mark Sheridan/Oisin Sherlock in 2^nd and Peter Deery/David McCrudden in 3^rd. Shane Dalton/Seamus McTigue took a convincing win in the Novice class with Damien Treanor/Patrick Corcoran and Aaron Dixon/Dylan Lennon behind him. On a tough night for Beginners, Paddy Connolly & Colm McKeever took the class win. Cathal Croarkin/Marco Lennon finished in 2^nd and Martin McPhillips/Adam Langan in 3^rd.

 

The event was a resounding success with a full entry of 50 crews starting and all timepoints being manned on the 110 mile route. COC Conor Maguire would like to thank all the residents and landowners as well as all the marshals who turned out on the night. Congratulations to Michael & Ciaran Tynan on their overall win on a demanding night for all crews. The Club Championship will continue in the New Year with the January Navigation Trial on January 5^th.