Craig Breen & Patrick Croke (Ford Escort MkII) SS5
Frank Kelly & Lauren Kelly (Ford Escort Mk II) SS5
John Bagge & JP Ruth (Peugeot 306) SS1
Jonny Treanor & Stephen McElroy (Honda Civic) SS1
MOFFETT’S HIGH FIVE ON RAVEN’S ROCK RALLY - Report courtesy of Triton Showers - proud sponsors of the Irish National Rally Championship.
Posted: June 26, 2017 7:11 AM
With victory in the Dooley’s Hotel Raven’s Rock Rally, round five of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, Monaghan’s Sam Moffett (Fiesta WRC), who was co-driven by Cork’s Karl Atkinson, is just one event away from outright victory in the Triton Showers National Rally Championship following his fifth straight win of the campaign.
They finished 18.1 seconds ahead of the similar Fiesta WRC of defending champions Clonmel’s Roy White and his Cork co-driver James O’Brien.
Citroen’s World Rally star, Waterford’s Craig Breen and co-driver Patrick Croke in a Mk. 2 Ford Escort were two minutes and 37.3 seconds further behind in third.
On the opening stage near Portlaw, Moffett opened up a four second lead over the defending Triton champion, Roy White with former triple national champion Niall Maguire seven seconds further adrift in third.
Citroen WRT driver Craig Breen was fourth overall – three seconds behind Maguire - as he set the pace in the two-wheel drive category. Brendan Cumiskey (Skoda Fabia R5) and late entry Frank Kelly (Escort) completed the top six.
In Group N, David Guest, eighth in general classification led the similar Mitsubishi of Shane Maguire by three seconds followed by Neil Tohill (Mitsubishi) and Paul Barrett (Subaru).
Moffett was also quickest through the second stage but broke the rear driveshaft following a heavy landing over a jump on the third stage and lost time and the lead.
Reigning Triton champion Roy White arrived at the Waterford service park with an 11.8 second advantage. The Clonmel driver was untroubled and remarked that his driving was of a much better standard than on the previous Triton rounds. Moffett in second had intercom issues on the entire loop as co-driver Karl Atkinson had to shout so as his notes could be heard.
Meanwhile, Breen, who was enjoying a blast through the county Waterford countryside slotted his 2.5 Millington engined Escort into third – 39.8 seconds behind Moffett and five ahead of Niall Maguire.
Maguire had an overshot on the second stage and found stage three slippery and greasy. Brendan Cumiskey (Skoda Fabia R5), who overshot on S.S. 3, was next followed by the Escorts of Enda O’Brien and Frank Kelly, both untroubled.
Shane Maguire (Mitsubishi) led Group N and was eighth overall, his rival David Guest, also in a Mitsubishi, was 3.9 seconds behind, Guest had a moment on S.S. 2 where he also had an overshoot that dented his confidence for the third stage. John McQuaid (Escort) completed the top ten. Elsewhere, Cormac Phelan (Honda Civic) slid off the road on the second stage.
Out on the second loop Niall Maguire retired his Subaru WRC from fourth place with a broken driveshaft. Meanwhile and with three fastest stage times Moffett was back in front at the final service where he led White by 7.8 seconds. “I’m doing what I have to do,” commented the rally leader. The front of White’s Fiesta WRC bore the impact of a high-speed 360-degree spin on S.S. 6, luckily, the damage was just cosmetic - a broken front grill and spoiler. Breen continued to entertain as he retained third – a minute and 31.4 seconds behind. Cumiskey changed the brake pads in his Skoda Fabia and was more satisfied as he occupied fourth from O’Brien and Kelly.
Maguire in seventh held sway in Group N – 20.8 seconds ahead of Guest, who damaged the front left wing on a square right S.S. 5, he reckoned that he had chosen a tyre compound that was too soft.
Mick McQuaid (Escort) was trouble free in eighth followed by Guest and Class 11R leader Richard Harney (Escort). Class 11F pacesetter Jason Ryan (Honda Civic) was eleventh.
Out on the final loop, Moffett with another trio of fastest times and victory in the Power Stage sealed his fifth win and only needs a maximum of twelve points from his next round to clinch the title. White took second and Breen was third.
The top six was unchanged. Shane Maguire (Mitsubishi) won Group N and also netted the Triton Showers Drive of the Day award, he finished 11.6 seconds ahead of showroom rival David Guest. Declan Boyle (Ford Fiesta WRC) was a non-starter.
Meanwhile, the Junior category was won by Carrick on Suir brothers Killian O'Sullivan/Conal O'Sullivan (Honda Civic) they finished 14.2 seconds in front of the similar car of Cork’s Aaron Browne/Daniel Hanratty. Meath’s Brian Brady/Leonard Tuille (Honda Civic) took maximum points to move into the lead of the Triton Junior Championship.
Results
Posted: June 26, 2017 7:07 AM
Raven's Rock
1 Sam Moffett/Karl Atkinson (Ford Fiesta WRC) 56m 13s,
2 Roy White/James O'Brien (Ford Fiesta WRC) 56m 31s,
3 Craig Breen/Patrick Croke (Ford Escort MkII) 59m 09s,
4 Brendan Cumiskey/Ronan O'Kane (Skoda Fabia R5) 59m 24s,
5 Enda O'Brien/John Butler (Ford Escort MkII) 59m 29s,
6 Frank Kelly/Lauren Kelly (Ford Escort MkII) 59m 52s,
7 John McQuaid/Thomas Treanor (Ford Escort MkII) 60m 59s,
8 Shane Maguire/Paul McLaughlin (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 61m 17s,
9 David Guest/Paddy Robinson (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 Gp N) 61m 29s,
10 Jason Ryan/Finbarr Quirke (Honda Civic) 63m 03s.
Motorsport Safety Team Group N award: Shane Maguire/Paul McLaughlin.
rally.ie Two wheel drive award: Craig Breen/Patrick Croke.
Historics: Ian Davies/Ryland James (BMW M3) 69m 21s.
TRITON SHOWERS READY TO ROCK IN WATEFORD - Preview courtesy of Triton Showers - proud sponsors of the Irish National Rally Championship.
Posted: June 26, 2017 7:06 AM
Having won all four rounds of the first half of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship season, Monaghan’s Sam Moffett (Ford Focus WRC) will be aiming to retain his unbeaten sequence on Sunday’s Waterford city based Dooley’s Hotel Raven’s Rock Rally. The fifth round of the series is organised by the Carrick on Suir Motor Club and features a loop of three stages repeated three times with the service park at the splendidly appointed Waterford Institute of Technology on the western suburb of the city.
With the exception of the last round where he lost the lead for three stages, Moffett has led from start to finish in the other three rounds and is favourite to continue his fine vein of form. In Waterford, regular co-driver Cork’s Karl Atkinson will return to call the pacenotes.
For former back-to-back champion Donegal’s Declan Boyle (Ford Fiesta WRC) “The Rock” is a key event given that he has two non-finishes from the opening four rounds. The Lettermacaward driver has netted 34 points from his outings in Nenagh and Monaghan and could still win the title but he needs to finish ahead of Moffett - another non-finish would virtually end his title bid.
Reigning Triton Showers National Rally champion Clonmel’s Roy White, also in a Fiesta WRC, is currently Moffett’s closest rival – he is 24 points in arrears as he continues to seek that maiden win in a round of the Triton series.
The top quartet also includes former triple national champion Niall Maguire (Subaru WRC), who is six points further behind in equal third with the non-competing Donagh Kelly.
Meanwhile, Dundalk’s Brendan Cumiskey will campaign a Skoda Fabia R5 and is seeded at number five.
Citroen’s World Rally Team driver Craig Breen is shown on the entry list, currently, no other details such as co-driver or type of car are available.
Carrick club member and Kilkenny native Enda O’Brien (Ford Escort) fresh from his victory in the recent Heartland’s Rally in Portlaoise is also in the top ten that’s completed by the Group N trio of David Guest (Mitsubishi), Shane Maguire (Mitsubishi) and Paul Barrett (Subaru).
Monaghan’s Maguire heads the standings in the Motorsport Safety Group N category after he took a strong haul of points form the Circuit of Munster where Cork’s Guest retired and is now nine points in arrears. Barrett and Dubliner Neil Tohill (Mitsubishi) also retired from the last round and need good finishes to get back in the title hunt.
Other entries are Tyrone’s Barry Morris, Cork’s Barry Meade and Welsh ace Adrian Evans, all in Escorts.
In the popular Class 11 that is split in two sections, Waterford’s Richard Harney (Escort) is the leading light in the rear wheel drive (Class 11R) section and Cork’s Jason Ryan (Honda Civic) is the top seeded entry in the front wheel drive category (Class11F).
Local drivers in action include Kilmacthomas driver John Dagge (Peugeot 306) and Gemma Kerley (Mitsubishi).
The Junior category includes the leading Triton Showers trio of Donegal’s Michael Boyle, Meath’s Brian Brady and Monaghan’s Johnny Treanor, all in Honda Civics.
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