Derry pair Marty McCormack and Barney Mitchell dominated the Willie Loughman Memorial Rally yesterday, with their Skoda Fabia taking the lead on the second of the six stages and staying there for the rest of the day to head the points table in the Valvoline National Forestry Rally Championship.
Former Tarmac champions Garry Jennings and Rory Kennedy were the first stage leaders, but their Impreza slipped to third at the finish, behind the Fiesta of last year’s winners Andrew Purcell and Mark Wiley.
After a close battle for most of the day, Robin Lyons ran out the winner of the Midland MC Hewison Autotest Championship round at Longford, five seconds ahead of defending title holder Ian White, with his main challenger Guy Foster in third position, less than three seconds behind.
CARRICK-ON-SUIR M C WILLIE LOUGHMAN MEMORIAL FOREST RALLY AT SLIEVERUE, CO KILKENNY (ROUND 1 OF VALVOLINE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND SUIRWAY GROUP SOUTH EAST STAGES CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Marty McCormack/Barney Mitchell (Fabia R5) 34m 08s,
2 Andrew Purcell/Mark Wiley (Fiesta R5) 34m 18s,
3 Garry Jennings/Rory Kennedy (Impreza) 34m 33s,
4 Sam Moffett/James Fulton (Fiesta R5) 34m 35s,
5 Barry McKenna/Andy Hayes (Fiesta R5) 35m 00s,
6 Niall McCullagh/Ryan McCloskey (Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 35m 38s,
7 Niall Henry/Damien Duffin (Citroen DS3) 35m 40s,
8 Cathan McCourt/Barry McNulty (Fiesta R5) 35m 49s,
9 Brendan Cumiskey/Ronan O’Kane (Fabia R5) 35m 57s,
10 Conor McCourt/Caolan McKenna (Lancer Evo 9) 36m 02s.
Junior Class 16: 1 Shane Kenneally/Jer Connors (Civic) 42m 54s,
2 Gareth Deazley/Tony McGovern (Civic) 43m 41s,
3 Jason Murphy/Matthew Murphy (Civic) 46m 17s.
Junior Class 16A: 1 Josh McErlean/Liam Moynihan (Peugeot 208 R2) 38m 59s,
2 Derek Mackarel/Muireann Hayes (Nova) 39m 07s,
3 Marty Gallagher/Niall Burns (Peugeot 208 R2) 39m 58s.
Junior 1000 Class: 1 Reece Pollock/John Burke (Micra) 49m 48s,
2 Kyle McBride/Kieran McBride (Aygo) 50m 23s,
3 Peter Beaton/Conor Boylan (Peugeot 107) 51m 03s.
MIDLAND MC AUTOTEST AT LONGFORD (ROUND 8 OF HEWISON TROPHY CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Robin Lyons (Mini Special) 494.1s,
2 Ian White (Mini Special) 499.3s,
3 Guy Foster (Mini Special) 502.0s,
4 Chris Grimes (Mini) 524.9s,
5 Darren Quille (Westfield) 527.8s,
6 Peter Grimes (Mini-Nova Special) 529.1s,
7 Paul Phelan (Mini Special) 611.2s,
8 James Mansfield (Mazda MX5) 692.6s.
Class winners: Chris Grimes, Ian White, Darren Quille, James Mansfield.
Club members: 1 Jack Kelly (MG ZR) 294.2s, 2 Sean McCaffrey (Civic) 312.8s, 3 Mick McCormack (MG ZR) 325.9s.
LEINSTER MC KEHOE CUP SPORTING TRIAL AT TIGLIN, ASHFORD, CO WICKLOW:
1 Craig MacWilliam (Erskine-Yamaha) 8 marks,
2 Siobhan McCann (JMcVW) 9m,
3 Enda Byrne (VW) 9m,
4 Fergil Gregory (Erskine-Yamaha) 9m,
5 Kevin Sheane (Sheane VW) 11m,
6 Joe McCann (JMcVW) 11m,
7 Ian Sweeney (Sweeney-Suzuki) 12m,
8 Richard Meeke (BD-Opel) 12m,
9 Alan Watkins (Watkins-Yamaha) 15m,
10 Gordon Watkins (Watkins-Yamaha) 16m,
11 Aidan Kehoe (Sheane VW) 17m,
12 Philip Hughes (Hughes-Honda) 19m.
Grade winners: Siobhan McCann, Ian Sweeney, Aidan Kehoe, Karen Fildes (Erskine Lancia).
