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Derek Mackarel scored overall victory on the 1000 Shakes Navigation Trial based in Kanturk, Co. Cork.

Local navigator Muireann Hayes again joined forced with the Stonebridge man.

A gruelling 120 mile route was organised by experienced navigator Greg Shinnors. It proved to be a tough night with high penalties for many competitors.

In the end, Mackarel/Hayes came out on top by a five penalty margin over Owen Murphy & Muireann’s brother Daire Hayes. This boosts their National Championship hopes after a steady start to the year.

A storming effort by the Novice crew of Emmet McCooey/Christopher McMahon netted them a terrific 3rd overall and victory in the Novice class.

Peter Deery/David McCrudden took victory in the Semi-Expert class and 8th overall.

James McCabe/Shane Farrell were 2nd in the same class and 9th overall.

Colm & Conor Mohan came home 2nd in the Novice class.

The National Championship continues with another Cork round organised by Skibbereen Motor Club in a fortnight’s time.

Top 12:
1 Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 49 marks,
2 Owen Murphy/Daire Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 54m,
3 Emmet McCooey/Christopher McMahon (Subaru Impreza) 76m,
4 Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors (Subaru Impreza) 98m,
5 Colin Duffy/Sam Johnston (Subaru Impreza) 107m,
6 James Fitzgerald/Ken Carmody (Subaru Impreza) 113m,
7 Dermot Whelton/Mark McCarthy (Subaru Impreza) 136m,
8 Peter Deery/David McCrudden (Subaru Impreza) 183m,
9 James McCabe/Shane Farrell (Subaru Impreza) 195m,
10 Johnny Casey/Patrick O’Sullivan (Peugeot 306) 238m,
11 Colm Mohan/Conor Mohan (Subaru Impreza) 258m,
12 Trevor O’Callaghan/Patrick O’Leary (Subaru Impreza) 276m.

Aaron Duffy & Laurence Keenan took overall honours on last weekend’s Doohamlet-based Navigation Trial. COC Garry Farrelly and his team laid out an 80 mile event which was full of tricks and challenges.

It was the South Monaghan pairing of Aaron Duffy & Laurence Keenan who came out victorious taking the win with a 13 penalty margin. Martin Tynan & Fintan Clerkin took 2nd overall with 3rd place going to the Semi-Expert paring of Paddy & Oisin Sherlock.

There were 30 starters for this event which was a counting round of the Traders Trophy and Gary Nesbitt Club Championships. A plot and bash section between TP5 and TP8 would prove decisive on the night.

A herringbone tulip was used incorporating both road goes and non goers and caught out many of the crews, with only one crew negotiating this section without significant penalties.

The Semi-Expert pairing of James McCabe/Shane Farrell faired best dropping just six penalties. Some of the leading Expert crews received multiple double visit penalties at TP5 which had a tricky departure.

McCabe/Farrell were in a commanding lead at this point but would fall foul of TP19 & TP20, missing both of these timepoints. When they dropped 30 penalties (another double visit) at ITC1 their hopes of victory were over.

Having dropped 46 penalties on the earlier plot & bash section, Aaron Duffy & Laurence Keenan put in an impressive run to drop just one more penalty until the end of the night.

They pulled away from the opposition which was headed by another Expert crew of Martin Tynan & Fintan Clerkin. Their total of 60 penalties left them a comfortable 2nd overall. There was a close race for 3rd place with four penalties covering four crews.

It was the Semi-Expert, father & son team of Paddy & Oisin Sherlock who took 3rd overall on 72 penalties. Drumlin winners, Kevin McCormack/David McCrudden were just behind in 4th and 2nd Semi-Expert with early leaders, McCabe/Farrell 5th overall and 3rd in class.

Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes finished 2nd Expert with Michael & Ciaran Tynan, despite an early double visit, securing 3rd Expert. Novice class honours went the way of Emmet McCooey/Christopher McMahon who took 9th overall. Colm & Conor Mohan took 2nd in class with Johnny & Ryan Treanor in 3rd.

Darragh Kelly & Ciaran Duffy took another dominant win in the Beginners class taking 12th overall. Niall Kelly/Niall Hughes finished in 2nd with Kieran McCarra/Kate Lynch in 3rd.

COC Garry Farrelly would like to thank everyone who contributed to the event in any way with particular thanks to the landowners and residents along the route and the staff in the Doohamlet Community Centre.

A number of club members competed on last weekend’s Cavan Autocross event in Latton Quarry. Competitors counted their best two runs from four. Martin Connolly emerged victorious in the Buggy/Special class taking the victory by a fraction of a second over Russell Woods. Damien Connolly was 9th in the same class.

In the main car section, Mickey Brennan took 2nd in class 3, Martin Swinburne was 5th in class 4 and Michael Conlon was victorious in class 6 and 3rd overall.

January Navigation Trial

The first event of this year takes place this weekend with the January Navigation Trial. Gary Farrelly is COC with Brendan McKenna ACOC. 80 miles of competitive navigation is planned with Doohamlet Community Centre serving as HQ. The first car is away at 9.01pm.

It is round two of the 2018 Traders Trophy and Gary Nesbitt Club Navigation Championships. Regulations and Entry forms are available on http://www.monaghanmotorclub.net. Marshals are required for this event and those available to marshal should present at HQ no later than 8pm.

Monaghan Motor Club AGM

The Annual General Meeting of Co. Monaghan Motor Club takes place on Wednesday 10th January 2018 at 8.30pm in the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan.

All 2017 club members are eligible to vote for the 2018 committee. Nomination forms are available to download from monaghanmotorclub.net. Nominations for appointment to the 2018 committee must be returned to the Secretary Paul Hughes by Monday 8th January 2018. Email monaghanmotorclubsec@gmail.com.

All members are encouraged to participate in the nomination process and to attend the meeting. Following the various reports and election of officers, there will be an open agenda.

Last Friday night, saw Monaghan Motor Club hold their Night of Champions event in the Four Seasons Hotel.

The night was to commemorate the achievements of some of our club competitors in 2017.

Sam Moffett won the Irish Tarmac, National and Forestry Rally Championships in a remarkable year becoming the first competitors to win the ‘treble’ in the same year. Sam also won the Celtic Rally Trophy.

Michael Conlon won the Border Rally Championship and along with navigator Ciaran McPhillips they also took the Mk2 and 2 wheel drive trophies in the National Rally Championship.

Shane Maguire won the West Coast Rally Championship while Darragh Kelly was the winning navigator in the Border Rally Championship.

Evin Hughes secured a third successive National Navigation Championship title and another Border Navigation Championship while

Derek Mackarel was the Munster Navigation Champion.

Martin Tynan was the 2017 Trader’s Champion.

The night was well received by those in attendance with MC Noel Hall completing interviews with the champions on their successes and plans for 2018. There was also a DVD provided by Flyin Finn Motorsport on our club members in 2017. Some of those in attendance included Martin McKenna, President Motorsport Ireland and Paude Connolly and David Maxwell from Monaghan County Council. All praised the club and its champions on their incredible successes in 2017.

A night to commemorate the achievements of some of our club competitors in 2017 will be held in the Four Seasons Hotel Monaghan on Friday 15th December. The evening will feature champions at National and Regional level as well as at club championship level.

The evening gets under way at 8pm and will consist of interviews with the champions and DVD shows from Flying Finn Motorsport. A good nights fun should be had.