DRINAGH navigator Denis O’Donovan missed out on what would have been an 11th victory in the Carbery Navigation Trial in agonising circumstances as he and his Caherdaniel-based driver, Michael ‘Bones’ O’Connor (Subaru Impreza), were denied victory by virtue of a tie-break.
At the conclusion of the event at the Kilmurry GAA complex, they had accumulated just two penalties on the 85-mile route, however, the Longford/Monaghan crew of Shane Dalton/Ryan Treanor (Subaru Impreza) also finished with the same total and were awarded victory on the ‘furthest cleanest’ rule – having traversed the route furthest without incurring a penalty.
The key location was near Kilmichael where O’Connor/O’Donovan dropped a minute at TP10, their Ulster rivals didn’t drop time until TP11. The Ardnacrusha/Sligo pairing of Patsy McDonagh/Patrick Corcoran (Subaru Impreza) finished third overall with five penalties, having lost time at both TPs 10 and 11.
Within the first hour, the aforementioned winners along with the pre-event championship leaders Monaghan’s Andy Mackarel and Bruff’s Greg Shinnors and Mallow pair Derek Butler/Aaron O’Regan completed the trio that arrived at TP 10 near Terelton with a clean sheet while O’Connor/O’Donovan incurred a penalty at the location. Another of the fancied crews, Longford’s Pakie Duffy and Monaghan’s Evin Hughes dropped a total of four penalties at TP10.
This section, along with the terrain leading to TP 11 (Kilmichael), proved difficult for many as the Killeagh/Ballincollig crew of James Fitzgerald/Ken Carmody along with Dalton/Treanor and O’Connor/O’Donovan, all with a single penalty.
Just like they did on the previous visit to the county (on the Startrek Navigation Trial) Dalton/Treanor did well on the Cork terrain as the event headed towards Shanlaragh, their rivals collected penalties. O’Connor/O’Donovan transgressed at Baulbrack; Fitzgerald/Carmody lost three minutes at TP18, west of Kilmichael.
Dalton/Treanor incurred their second and, indeed, only other penalty at TP37, the final time point, to join O’Connor/O’Donovan at the top of the results that was settled on the tie-break.
As a result, Dalton/Treanor moved into the lead of the national series that reached the halfway mark in Kilmurry. Meanwhile, McDonagh/Corcoran finished third overall with five penalties. Mackarel/Shinnors edged out Duffy/Hughes for fourth spot, albeit on another tie-break.
Passage West-born brothers Ray and Stephen O’Neill won the Semi-Expert class where Bandon based navigator Cavan’s Ruari Nash was second.
In the Novice category the Leap father and son pairing of James and Ciarán French were on course for a fine victory, only to clock in too early at TP17 near Terelton; they had to be content with second spot. Ballincollig’s Brian Duggan (last year’s winning driver with Denis O’Donovan) and his Horse and Jockey navigator Susan Smyth (Toyota Starlet) took a strong victory in the Beginner’s section where Bantry’s Seamus McHugh and Clondrohid’s Gary Kelleher were second. The national series resumes on January 18th/19th next with the Cork 1000 Shakes Navigation Trial that will be run by the Cork Motor Club.
Carbery Navigation Trial (Round 4, Motorsport Ireland National Navigation Championship) Kilmurry: 1. S. Dalton/R. Treanor (Subaru Impreza) 2 penalties.
Expert Class: 1. M. ‘Bones’ O'Connor/D. O'Donovan (Subaru Impreza) 2 pens; 2. P. McDonagh/P. Corcoran (Subaru) 5 pens; 3. A. Mackarel/G. Shinnors (Subaru Impreza) 7 pens.
Semi-Experts: R. O'Neill/S. O'Neill (Subaru Impreza) 19 pens; 2. B. Oakes/R. Nash (Subaru Impreza) 94 pens; 3. D. Burke/E. Longworth (Subaru Forester) 158 pens.
Novice: 1. T. O'Keeffe/D. O'Donoghue (Honda Civic) 66 pens; 2. J. French/C. French (Subaru Forester) 76 pens; 3. J. Cooney/K. Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 260 pens.
Beginners: 1. B. Duggan/S. Smyth (Toyota Starlet) 158 pens; 2. S. McHugh/G. Kelleher (Suzuki Ignis) 331 pens; 3. D. Forde/B. Hollinshead (Toyota Starlet) 645 pens.
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Meanwhile, at the recent Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards ceremony in Dublin 21-year-old Cavan driver Craig Rahill scooped the Billy Coleman ‘Young Rally Driver of the Year’ award. Wicklow’s Max Hart won the ‘Young Racing Driver of the Year’ award and the International Racing Driver of the Year award was won by McLaren Racing Junior driver Alex Dunne from Offaly.
A number of other awards were also presented during the ceremony. Former clerk of the course of the West Cork Rally, Greg McCarthy accepted an award on behalf of the Cork Motor Club for innovation, while Enniskeane’s Sean Hayde accepted an award on behalf of the Tarmac Rally Organisers Association (TROA), who were recognised for their continuation of sustainable and environmental practices in relation to refuelling on rounds of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. The TROA includes the Munster Car Club and the Cork Motor Club.
Renowned Waterford co-driver Mickey Joe Morrissey, who is affectionately known in WRC circles as ‘MJ’ was presented with an “Outstanding Achievement Award’ for his World Championship victory in the FIA WRC Co-Drivers Masters Cup. Last weekend, Mickey Joe travelled to Rwanda for the FIA’s prizegiving ceremony.
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As next week’s Southern Star is in the shops on Tuesday (Christmas Eve) and features our 2024 Sport Review, we want to take this opportunity to wish all our readers a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year.
