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The Moffett brothers Sam and Josh Moffett recorded another 1-2 finish on last weekend’s Lakelands Forestry Rally. The Enniskillen-based event was the fifth round of the Irish Forestry Rally Championship. Sam Moffett, who had James Fulton on the notes, took overall victory with Josh Moffett and Jason McKenna 21 seconds in arrears. Moffett/McKenna had taken the lead on stage two but Moffett/Fulton powered their WRC Fiesta into the lead on stage three and never looked back. In terms of the championship, Josh Moffett & Jason McKenna are firmly in the running once again for the title as championship leader Mick O’Brien finished 17^th after a puncture.

Michael Conlon & Ciaran McPhillips secured the 2wd championship with 15^th overall and 2^nd in class six. Michaela McGinn guided Damien McGauren to 26^th overall with Mac Kierans and usual driver, Alan Smyth, 29^th overall and 2^nd in class. David Moffett/Andrew Spears headed into the wood and came home with 31^st overall. Emmet Sherry brought Fergus Barlow to 41^st overall. JP McAree navigated Derek Jobb to 48^th overall. Matthew McKenna was sitting with Ashley Dickson and they finished 63^rd overall. Michael Carbin/Darragh Kelly were as high as 5^th overall in their Lancer but went off the road and got stuck on the final stage. David McNulty/Conor Foley also failed to make the finish.

Navigation Classes

Monaghan Motor Club’s annual Navigation Classes continue on Friday 11^th September at 8pm in Sean McDermott’s GAA complex at Threemilehouse. These classes are open to all members of the public interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in this popular discipline of motorsport. A training package will be provided to each participant for a nominal fee. It is planned to run these classes every Friday night until October.

Scotstown’s Damien Connolly clinched a 3^rd overall win in a row at last weekend’s Galway Summer Rally. The event was the penultimate round of both the Triton National Championship and Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship. Connolly guided Warrenpoint’s Peader Hurson to a dominate start to finish victory adding to their overall wins in Cavan and Cookstown so far this year. Elsewhere, Niall Maguire & Enda Sherry secured 2^nd overall in the National Rally Championship after taking 2^nd place overall on the day.

Hurson/Connolly pulled out a massive 15 seconds lead over their rivals on the opening stage which they extended to over thirty seconds after the opening loop. Top seeds, Declan Boyle/Brian Boyle retired on the opening stage leaving Hurson/Connolly in complete control. Niall Maguire/Enda Sherry slotted into 2^nd place just ahead of Welshman Steve Wood. Pacesetters Hurson/Connolly continued to pull away on the second loop increasing their lead to 51.8 seconds. Declan Gallagher/Ryan Moore slotted into a sensational 2^nd place after going fastest overall on stage five with Maguire/Sherry in third 2.8 seconds behind. As Hurson/Connolly reeled off the final stages, Maguire/Sherry snatched back 2^nd place from Gallagher.

Daniel McKenna debuted a Ford Fiesta R5 with Galway navigator Kevin Glynn. Daniel gradually got the hang of his new mount and took a fine 8^th overall and 1^st in class 5. Emmet Sherry guided Barry Ryan to 13^th overall and 3^rd in class in their Honda-engined Escort. Barry Treanor/Jonathan Treanor had a great run to 27^th overall and 1^st in class 11R. Shane Maguire/Mac Kierans came home 29^th overall and 3^rd in class 4. Mark Tierney guided Brian Armstrong to 33^rd overall and 2^nd in class 12. Sean McCaul/Frank Clerkin took 58^th overall and 7^th in class 11R. Michael Carbin/Emmet McCooey were back in 73^rd overall after a ten minute delay on stage three. Peter Farrell guided Martin McGuigan to 79^th overall and 4^th in class 10. Paul Crosby/James McEneaney took 4^th in the Junior class with Martin Swinburne/Gretchen Fegan right behind in 5^th place.

Jim McKenna/Thomas Treanor, Seamus Connolly/Gary McCrudden, Declan Connolly/Alison Hughes and Paddy Quinn/Keith McConnon all failed to make the finish.

The final round of the National Championship is the Skibbereen Fastnet Rally on 25th October while Donegal plays host to the final round of the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship a fortnight earlier on 10^th October.

Navigation Classes

Monaghan Motor Club launches the annual Navigation Classes on this Friday 4^th September at 8pm in Sean McDermott’s GAA complex at Threemilehouse. These classes are open to all members of the public interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in this popular discipline of motorsport. A training package will be provided to each participant for a nominal fee. It is planned to run these classes every Friday night until October.

Josh Moffett & Jason McKenna continued their pursuit of the Irish Forestry Rally Championship at last weekend’s Cork Forestry Rally. The Mallow-based event was round 4 of the Irish Forestry Rally Championship and consisted of eight stages through classic terrain in North Cork. The pair were involved in a titanic battle with defending champion, Owen Murphy. After four stages Moffett/McKenna held the advantage by just 2.3 seconds with no more than seconds between the two crews on each of the stages. Murphy upped his pace on the second loop taking the lead on stage six and held off the Monaghan pair to take a 7.4 second win.

Michael Conlon/Ciaran McPhillips took 11^th overall and 3^rd in class 13 to maintain their class lead in the championship. Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes were sidelined on stage 3, denting their hopes for success in the Junior class. The next round of the Irish Forestry Championship is the Enniskillen Motor Club Lakelands Forestry Rally in two week’s time.

O’Reilly’s Travails on Rally Germany

James O’Reilly joined forces with Martin McCormack for last weekend’s WRC Rally Germany. This was O’Reilly’s second attempt at this event as he contested the rally with Sam Moffett last year. The pair made a solid start on Friday and held 21^st overall and 7^th in the very competitive class RC2. Unfortunately for this pair, their rally would come to an end on Saturday’s second special stage. They attempted to restart on Sunday but further problems saw them retire again after the first stage.

Open Meeting

Following on from the successful Open Forum held in February last, Monaghan Motor Club will host an Open Meeting on Monday 31^st August in the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan commencing at 8pm. A report will be provided at this meeting on the outcome of the meeting on 26^th August with the Rallies Committee and rallies club delegates. While there will be an open agenda on 31^st August, it is expected that the main topic for discussion will be potential future rule changes. All members are urged to attend.

Navigation Classes

Monaghan Motor Club launches the annual Navigation Classes on Friday 4^th September at 8pm in Sean McDermott’s GAA complex at Threemilehouse. These classes are open to all members of the public interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in this popular discipline of motorsport. Put a note in your calendar and spread the word.

Local pairing Derek Mackarel & Peter Deery took overall victory by 7 seconds on last Sunday’s Endurance Trial, driving a Toyota Starlet. The event consisted of 10 selectives which were each used twice. Mackarel/Derry were involved in a day long battle with Robert Barrable & Damien Connolly (Toyota Glanza). Barrable/Connolly were quickest on the tests but incurred a 20 second penalty on one of the tests which dropped them to 3^rd overall behind Kieran McCarra/Gary McCrudden (Mitsubishi Colt).

The opening loop featured selectives at Monaghan, Ballybay, Latton and Swans Cross. Barrable/Connolly and Mackarel/Derry were tied for the lead with a seven second advantage over Kieran McCarra/Gary McCrudden in 3^rd. Following the repeat of these selectives, Mackarel/Deery had taken a five second lead over Barrable/Connolly with Alan & George Shinnors from Limerick moving into 3^rd place twenty seconds off the lead.

The next section consisted of selectives at Maguire’s near Ballinode and Rally School Ireland repeated twice before a trio of selectives at Watterson’s Quarry, McAree’s and McMeel’s that completed the action. Barrable/Connolly then surged in front with a series of fastest times. Mackarel/Deery had a few mechanical problems but stayed in touch. Barrable/Connolly encountered some mechanical problems of their own but held onto the lead to finish eight seconds ahead of Mackarel/Deery on times but their road penalty dropped them to 3^rd. Kieran McCarra/Gary McCrudden set some very fast times in the afternoon to move up to 2^nd place to finish seven seconds behind Mackarel/Deery. Alan & George Shinnors took 4^th overall and 1^st in class A2 with Martin Tynan & Darren McCague completing the top five finishers. Karl O’Donoghue/Evin Hughes took 6^th overall and 3^rd in class A2.

Michael Tynan & Ciaran Tynan won class A1 in the baby Daihatsu. Class B went to Samuel & Carol Patterson with Adam Kinkade/Jacinta Magennis 2^nd and Eoin Longworth/Patrick O’Leary in 3^rd. Class C was won by Peter & Shane Farrell from David Dixon/Gerry Grimes with Lindsay Boyd/Christine Boyd in 3rd.

Results

1 Derek Mackarel/Peter Deery (Toyota Starlet) 8m 17s,
2 Kieran McCarra/Gary McCrudden (Mitsubishi Colt) 8m 24s,
3 Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly (Toyota Glanza) 8m 29s,
4 Alan Shinnors/George Shinnors (Toyota Starlet) 8m 44s,
5 Martin Tynan/Darren McCague (Toyota Starlet) 8m 48s,
6 Karl O’Donoghue/Evin Hughes (Toyota Starlet) 9m 10s.
Class winners: Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Daihatsu Cuore) 10m 10s.
Navigation Cars:
1 Peter Farrell/Shane Farrell (Honda Civic) 10m 41s,
2 David Dixon/Gerry Grimes (Mazda 323) 12m 54s,
3 Samuel Patterson/Carol Patterson (Opel Corsa) 13m 21s.
Class winners: Samuel Patterson/Carol Patterson.

Kierans on Podium at Ulster Rally

Arthur Kierans guided Derek McGeehan to 3^rd overall on last weekend’s Ulster International Rally. The event was a counting round of both the Irish Tarmac and Nothern Ireland Rally Championships. Donagh Kelly/Kevin Flanagan took overall victory to add the Irish Tarmac Championship to the National Rally Championship they had already won.

Daniel McKenna took the wheel of Brendan Kelly’s Toyota AE86 and guided this unique car to 8^th overall along with navigator Gordon Noble. Mac Kierans added more success for the Kierans family with 16^th overall and 3^rd in class along with driver Alan Smyth.

Stephen Wright/Mickie Galvin retired their Ford Fiesta R5 on stage eight while in 4^th place overall. Emmet Sherry was navigating for Isle of Mull resident Fergus Barlow but their rally came to an end after an off on stage 8.

Open Meeting

Following on from the successful Open Forum held in February last, Monaghan Motor Club will host an Open Meeting on Monday 31^st August in the Hillgrove Hotel, Monaghan commencing at 8pm. A report will be provided at this meeting on the outcome of the meeting to be held in the previous week with the Rallies Committee and rallies club delegates. While there will be an open agenda on 31^st August, it is expected that the main topic for discussion will be potential future rule changes. All members are urged to attend.

Clontibret brothers Sam & Josh Moffett took a 1-2 finish on last weekend’s Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, both driving Fiesta WRCs. The event was a counting round of the South East Rally Championship. Sam & co-driver Karl Atkinson set the pace on the opening stage pulling out a nine second lead over Welshman Steve Wood. Josh Moffett & co-driver John Rowan were 5^th fastest on the first stage and by stage three they had climbed to 2^nd place but 19.1 seconds off leader Sam. The brothers would trade fastest times over the remaining stages with Sam always in control, eventually taking the win with 15 seconds to spare.

James O’Reilly guided Gary Kieran to 5^th overall and 1^st two wheel drive. Michael Conlon & Ciaran McPhillips took 10^th overall and 2^nd in class 13. Shane Maguire & Paul Kelly finished 19^th overall and 2^nd in class 4 as they continue to build the speed after accidents earlier in the year.

Monaghan Endurance Trial

Plans are well advanced for this year’s Endurance Trial scheduled for Sunday next 16^th August, with the Four Seasons Hotel, Monaghan as HQ. The event will see the return of many popular selectives including Rally School Ireland, Waterson’s Quarry, Latton Hut Cross and Wright’s Quarry. There will also be some new selectives never used previously, with a combination of smooth tarmac, concrete and gravel surfaces. It is hoped that there will be a good entry, given the amount of effort that goes into the running of this event. Entries should be sent to Event Secretary Gary Hall immediately. Regulations available on club website.

Ulster Rally Preview

Round 6 of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship takes place this weekend with the Ulster Rally in Enniskillen. Sam & Josh Moffett will be leading the Monaghan charge as they attempt to emulate their 1-2 finish from Tipperary last weekend. Stephen Wright will be gunning for success in his Ford Fiesta R5. Daniel McKenna takes a break from his JWRC campaign to take the wheel of Brendan Kelly’s Toyota AE86. Arthur Kierans will be calling the notes for Derek McGeehan in his WRC Mini while his son Mac is sitting with Alan Smyth in his Citroen. Paul Sheridan is joining forces with Enda McNulty in his Mk2 Escort. Full report next week.