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Monaghan plays host to one of the the biggest annual sporting events in the county with this weekend’s Hillgrove Hotel Monaghan Stages Rally. The event has once again attracted a full entry of 130 cars plus 15 juniors and 1 historic entry. This is a notable success considering the rally is an opt out round of the National Rally Championship this year. The event is once again a counting round of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship.

 

Clerk of the Course Brendan Flynn and Deputy COC Thomas Treanor have laid out three new tests in the North Monaghan area. The opening stage includes some classic roads around Tydavnet. Stage two is in the Knockballyroney/Scotstown areas with the third and final stage near Ballinode. Each stage will be completed three times. Centralised service is once again located in the Courthouse Car Park. A brotherly battle is expected at the top of the leaderboard as Josh & Sam Moffett will be pushing their Fiestas to the limit in pursuit of overall honours. Josh & Jason McKenna are defending their crown from last year whilst Sam & navigator Karl Atkinson hope to reclaim victory after wins in 2013 and 2014. Seeded between the two brothers is seven times winner Niall Maguire & four times winning navigator Enda Sherry. This pair are relishing the challenge of their home stages as they pursue their first win since 2010.

 

Kevin Barrett/Declan Tumilty & Stephen Wright complete the top five seeds in a Subaru WRC and Fiesta R5 respectively. The battle for 2 wheel drive honours is set to be the highlight of the event. Gary McPhillips/Paul Sheridan head the entries at no.6 but any of the top twenty seeds cannot be discounted from setting the pace. Gary Kiernan, Chris Armstrong/Chris Melly, Dessie Keenan/Conor Foley, Brian Brogan/Damien McGettigan, Ryan Loughren and Jonathan Pringle/Alan Keena have all recorded excellent results at different events and come into the event in good form.

 

The likes of Adrian Hetherington, Richard Moffett, Vivian Hamail, Damien Toner, David Moffett, Damien Tourish and Conor Harvey have the potential to be in the thick of the two wheel drive battle also. Shane Maguire/Mac Kierans head the Group N entries where they face a challenge from Trevor Bustard/John McCafferty & Pat Kirk/John McElhinney. Overseas entries are headed by John Stone/Jack Morton in their rare 2.5 litre 4 wheel drive Fiesta. As always there is a strong local entry who will be fighting hard to secure good results on their home event whilst competition will be fierce in each class as a Border Championship round.

 

Safety Message

 

The most important feature of the preparations for the rally is the safety of all concerned. Marshals, Stage Commanders and Officials have been trained accordingly. The Event Safety Plan has been compiled meticulously. What is required is that spectators play their part to ensure the safe running of the event. All are asked to ‘keep the race in its place’ and drive with care to and from the stages. Take time to read the Spectator Safety notice in the rally programme, which provides a guide to safer spectating. Safety is everybody’s business and there is one common ingredient that is essential: common sense.  Spectators are asked to please follow the instructions of the marshals and officials, who are working for your safety. Please also respect private property where you assemble and bring your litter home.

 

Monaghan Motor Club wishes all competitors and spectators a safe and successful rally.

 

 

 

Mixed Success for Monaghan Crews in Cork

 

Ballyvourney, Co. Cork was the venue for Round 2 of the Irish Forestry Rally Championship. Brendan Cumiskey/Ronan O’Kane put in a good showing in their Fiesta R5 to take 3^rd overall. Robert Moffett is getting the hang of the Fiesta WRC. He and navigator Emmet Sherry came home 8^th overall and 1^st in class. Michael Carbin/Darragh Kelly took their Lancer to 10^th overall securing some useful championship points. Michael Conlon/Ciaran McPhillips continued their domination of the 2wd section with 12^th overall and 1^st in class 13. Michaela McGinn guided Damien McGauren to 15^th overall and 2^nd in class 13. Defending Champions, Josh Moffett & Jason McKenna retired their Lancer on stage two as did Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes who went out with a timing belt failure.

 

The Irish Forestry Rally Championship continues with the Tour of the Sperrins Rally in mid-May.

 

Success Here and There

 

Whilst, Josh & Robert Moffett were tackling the forests of Cork, Sam Moffett tried his hand in the Supercar racing class at Mondello Park. Sam produced a great performance to take 2^nd place in one of the races. Derek Mackarel overcame his disappointing retirement in Ballyvourney with 2^nd overall at the Tipperary Autocross in one of the McHale Motorsport buggies. Kieran McCarra was the top Monaghan finisher at the Connaght Multi-Venue Autotest in Sligo, taking a class win and 4^th overall. Eoghan Corr, Oisin Sherlock and Craig McPhillips also contested the event. Meanwhile in Dungannon, Evin Hughes guided Karl O’Donoghue to 9^th overall and 1^st in class in the local Lanes Rally with Fintan Clerkin guiding Graham O’Donoghue to 23^rd overall in the same event.

 

Clontibret driver Josh Moffett & navigator John Rowan became the new leaders of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship thanks to a 4^th place finish on last weekend’s Circuit of Ireland International Rally. The event was a counting round of the European, British and Irish Tarmac Rally Championships and attracted a quality field full of the latest spec R5 rally cars. Moffett/Rowan produced a strong showing to finish 4^th overall behind last year’s winner, Craig Breen, European Champion Katejan Kajetanowicz and Alaister Fisher who all have extensive experience at World Championship level.

 

The opening day comprised stages in the North Antrim area including a 31km stage through Glendun and Torr Head. Moffett/Rowan held a steady 6^th place after day one, three places ahead of brother Sam & his navigator Karl Atkinson. Stephen Wright/James Fulton held 14^th overall in another R5 Fiesta.

 

Day two featured stages in the Downpatrick & Banbridge areas. Moffett/Rowan kept up the pressure on the crews in front moving up to 4^th place. Sam Moffett was forced into retirement after putting his Fiesta up a bank on stage 9. Wright/Fulton also made steady progress up the top 10 eventually climbing to 7^th place by the finish. Moffett/Rowan held onto 4^th place which secured 2^nd place points in the Irish Tarmac Championship and top points in the British Rally Championship. The result leaves them leading the Irish series after three rounds and 2^nd in the British Championship with two rounds completed.

 

The Irish Tarmac Championship continues with the Killarney Rally of the Lakes on the May Bank Holiday weekend while the next round of the British Championship is the Pirelli International Rally.

 

The Circuit of Ireland National Rally ran at the back of the International section. Brendan & JP McAree brought their Porsche home to 43^rd overall. Evin Hughes was navigating for Antrim driver Rodney White but they retired with a broken differential on stage 9 after being as high as 6^th overall.

 

Hillgrove Hotel Monaghan Stages Rally

 

Entries are continuing to pour in for the 2016 Monaghan Stages Rally, which takes place on Sunday 24^th April. The Hillgrove Hotel-backed event is a counting round of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. Clerk of the Course Brendan Flynn and his deputy Thomas Treanor have selected three excellent stages, to be run in the usual 3×3 format with centralised servicing in Monaghan town. The official launch took place this week and local accommodation is being booked up rapidly. Entry forms can still be downloaded from monaghanmotorclub.net.

 

Monaghan’s Damien Connolly guided Warrenpoint driver Peader Hurson to 3^rd overall on last weekend’s Circuit of Kerry Stages Rally. The Tralee-based event was round two of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship. After seven stages it was Donegal man, Declan Boyle who took overall honours in his Fiesta from the similar car of Roy White. Hurson/Connolly took their older model Subaru to 3^rd overall securing useful championship points which leaves them 2^nd in the series.

 

Ballinode’s Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry finished 5^th overall in their Subaru after a trouble-free day. Emmet Sherry guided Barry Ryan to 10^th overall and 1^st in class 13 in their Mk2 Escort. They were also the third two wheel drive finishers. Shane Maguire & Mac Kierans took 13^th overall and 2^nd in Group N in their Mitsubishi Lancer. They missed out on class honours by just 13.1 seconds. Mac’s father, Arthur Kierans guided Conor Harvey to 14^th overall in the unique Toyota AE86. They were also 3^rd in class 14. Paul Purtill/Paul Kelly had been holding 2^nd in class 13 until their retirement on the final stage.

 

The National Rally Championship continues with the Carlow Stages Rally on the 2^nd weekend in May.

 

60^th Celebrations

 

Monaghan Motor Club celebrates its 60^th year in motorsport this year and to mark the occasion it is organising a Gala Dinner on Saturday 14^th May next. This is going to be a night not to be missed, so mark it in your diaries now!

 

Andrew Grennan finished as the top Monaghan club member on last weekend’s Midlands Stages Rally. The Longford-based event was on an opt-out round of the National Rally Championship this year. The 9 stage event was won by Scottish visitor David Bogie in a Skoda Fabia R5. Grennan guided Tyrone’s Vivian Hamaill to a fine 5^th overall and 1^st in class 14.

Australia-based Monaghan man Pauric Duffy with Kevin Glynn navigating finished 6^th overall and 1^st in class 5. Jim McKenna celebrated his 50^th birthday in style with 9^th overall guided by regular navigator Thomas Treanor. Meanwhile Barry Treanor/Colm Connolly took class 11R and 18^th overall in their Escort. James McCarville made his stage debut as a driver and took to it like a duck to water coming home 22^nd overall and 2^nd in class 11R in a Mk2 Escort. Emmet Sherry was the brave man in the passenger seat! Evin Hughes guided regular Night Navigation driver Pakie Duffy to 26^th overall and 1^st in class 3 in a Honda Civic.

Results

1 David Bogie/Kevin Rae (Fabia R5) 45m 26s,
2 Paddy McVeigh/Gary McElhinney (Impreza WRC) 45m 30s,
3 Chris Armstrong/Chris Melly (Escort) 46m 13s,
4 Gary Kiernan/Ryan Moore (Escort) 46m 35s,
5 Vivian Hamill/Andrew Grennan (Escort) 46m 38s,
6 Pauric Duffy/Kevin Glynn (Fiesta R5) 46m 54s,
7 Stephen McCann/Damien Fleming (Impreza WRC) 46m 58s,
8 Tommy Doyle/Liam Moynihan (Clio R3) 47m 32s,
9 Jim McKenna/Thomas Treanor (Escort) 47m 52s,
10 Paul Rowley/Patrick Brides (Fabia) 48m 02s.

 

Hillgrove Hotel Monaghan Stages Rally

 

Regulations are now available and entries are open for the 2016 Monaghan Stages Rally, which takes place on Sunday 24^th April. The Hillgrove Hotel-backed event is a counting round of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. Clerk of the Course Brendan Flynn and his deputy Thomas Treanor have selected three excellent stages, to be run in the usual 3×3 format with centralised servicing in Monaghan town. Entry forms can be downloaded from monaghanmotorclub.net.

Ballinode’s Conor Foley kept up his run of wins with Irish Tarmac and National Champion, Donagh Kelly, with a start to finish victory on the West Cork Rally. The event was round two of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Kelly/Foley had already won in Birr three weeks ago and they kept up their momentum by dominating the Clonakilty-based event.

 

Monaghan Motor Club was further represented in the top five as Sam & Josh Moffett had a terrific battle for 4^th overall with Sam & Karl Atkinson taking the place by a mere 3.6 seconds. Their result also secured the Clontibret brothers 2^nd and 3^rd place points in the Irish Tarmac Championship which is decided on the R5 class in 2016. Newbliss driver Stephen Wright with James Fulton on the notes took 8^th overall in another Ford Fiesta R5. Enda Sherry guided Aaron McHale to 12^th overall in their Skoda Fabia with Brendan Cumiskey/Ronan O’Kane just behind in 13^th overall in their R5 Fiesta.

 

Paul Sheridan was the top finishing Monaghan man in the National Rally. He guided Vivian Hamill to 5^th overall in his class 14 Escort. American based Monaghan native Barry McKenna with Declan Tynan on the notes were forced to retire on stage 10 with mechanical failure.

 

The Irish Tarmac Championship continues with the Circuit of Ireland which this year will take place on April 8^th and 9^th as opposed to it’s normal Easter date. The event is also a counting round of the British Rally Championship for the first time in 25 years, while again being a round of the European Rally Championship.

 

Results

1 Donagh Kelly/Conor Foley (Ford Focus WRC) 1h 54m 14s,
2 Keith Cronin/Mikey Galvin (Citroen DS3 R5) 1h 55m 40s,
3 Garry Jennings/David Moynihan (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 56m 23s,
4 Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Ford Fiesta R5) 1h 57m 19s,
5 Josh Moffett/John Rowan (Ford Fiesta R5) 1h 57m 22s,
6 Roy White/James O’Brien (Ford Fiesta WRC) 1h 57m 37s,
7 Daragh O’Riordan/Tony McDaid (Ford Fiesta WRC) 1h 58m 25s,
8 Stephen Wright/James Fulton (Ford Fiesta R5) 1h 59m 21s,
9 Kevin Kelleher/Gwynfor Jones (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 59m 35s,
10 Joe McGonigle/Ciaran Geaney (Skoda Fabia S2000) 2h 00m 49s.

 

 

Mackarel/Hayes win Navigation Finale

The final Night Navigation T rial of the season took place on Saturday night last, based in Newbliss. Peter Deery stepped in as COC and along with Fintan McGorman and Conor Maguire, they pulled together an excellent 80 mile route through some classic terrain in West Monaghan. Local ace Derek Mackarel with Cork woman Muireann Hayes on the maps, took overall honours with a total of just one penalty incurred over the 85 mile route. Michael Tynan & Ciaran Tynan put in another strong showing to take 2^nd overall with Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan following up their good run in Cavan to take 3^rd overall.

The opening section of the event took crews from Newbliss to Stonebridge via a Speed Regularity Section. Than it was into a plot & bash section at Killeevan and onto Clones via Stonebridge. Mackarel/Hayes and Tynan/Tynan were among a number of clean sheets at this stage but by TP19 outside Drum, they were the only crews still clean. The Tynans dropped two penalties into TP22 when they were delayed. Mackarel/Hayes were promoted into the lead which they would never lose. A sting in the tail, a plot & bash section between TP24 and TP27 on a herringbone tulip diagram caught out almost every crew. Mackarel/Hayes remained clean through this section and dropped their only penalty of the night at TP33 to take victory by a margin of two penalties.

Tynan/Tynan took a comfortable 2^nd overall on three penalties. This maintains their lead in the Monaghan Motor Club Navigation Championship with two rounds completed. Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan finished 3^rd overall on eight penalties. Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes had a steady run to 4^th overall which was enough to secure the Border Navigation Championship in addition to the National Navigation Championship title they had secured in Cavan. Peter Farrell/Shane Farrell had a great run to 5^th overall and 1^st Semi-Expert crew. They had a good battle all night with Eoghan Corr/Ruadhri Nash who finished 2^nd in class with Ray O’Neill/Andrew Wedlock taking 3^rd.

 

Novice class honours went to Colm Mohan/Conor Mohan in 8^th overall ending a run of bad luck which had plagued them in recent events. Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan clinched the Novice class in the National Championship with 2^nd overall on the night. Aiden Sherry/Oisin Sherlock secured the class in the Border Championship with 3^rd in class on the night. They were also runners-up in the National Championship.

 

Hugh McBrien/Patrick Corcoran won the Beginner’s class from Paddy Sherlock/Pamela McMahon with Anthony McDonald/Jack McKenna taking 3^rd in class on Jack’s first event.

 

That concludes the Navigation Trials series until the new season commences in October. Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes completed the double of the National & Border Night Navigation Championships, a feat which has only been achieved by a small number of crews. The prizegivings for both championships will take place in the coming months.

 

Results

 

1 Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 1 mark,
2 Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 3m,
3 Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan (Vauxhall Vectra) 9m,
4 Pakie Duffy/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 11m,
5 Peter Farrell/Shane Farrell (Subaru Impreza) 23m,
6 Eoghan Corr/Ruaidhri Nash (Subaru Impreza) 34m,
7 Damien Treanor/Jonathan McGovern (Subaru Impreza) 35m,
8 Colm Mohan/Conor Mohan (Subaru Impreza) 45m,
9 Fintan Larmer/Sean McCaffrey (Subaru Impreza) 46m,
10 Mac Kierans/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 61m,
11 Brendan Treanor/Garry Farrelly (Subaru Impreza) 69m,
12 Damien Hagan/Damien Connolly (Subaru Impreza) 84m.