Birr Forestry Rally - 20 Aug 06

Posted: August 25, 2006 11:03 PM

McCarthy/ Morrissey Crowned in Birr Cork/ Waterford pairing John McCarthy/ Mickey Joe Morrissey secured their Forest Championship bid in style winning the Roscrea-based “Birr Forest Rally” Sunday August 20th. The compact event was the penultimate round of the 2006“McCauley Trailers” National Forest Rally Championship. The rally featured six stages (3 done twice) including some totally new terrain and attracted a good quality entry. McCarthy/ Morrissey emerged with 30-sec winning margin crowning them 2006 Forest Champions in their Kumho-shod Corolla WRC.

McCarthy set the pace from the opening stage “Ballyhuppahane” stopping the clocks on a 6:50. Stephen Moore (Focus WRC) seemed to be the strongest challenger on 7:04. However young Keith Cronin seeded in the late teens emerged on a 7:03 with his recently acquired Gp N Evo 7. Dominic McNeill (Escort WRC) was in the hunt holding fourth on a 7:06. Kevin O’Kane (Impreza WRC) completed the top five, four secs in arrears of McNeill. James Murphy (Escort WRC) tied with Trevor Harding (Impreza WRC) on 7:16 for sixth. Stephen Harron made a rare appearance in a McKinstry Legacy RS. The former rally winner held 8th after the first stage as he dusted off the cobwebs. Brian Lawlor and Peter McCullagh completed the top ten tied on 7:22 with their respective Evo’s. Just outside the leader-board; Seamus O’Connell led the 2WD pack albeit 4 secs ahead of Frank Kelly. Brian McGillin/ David Doherty (N12 Impreza) were the first major retirement as they stopped with gearbox trouble on route to stage one.

Keith Cronin set FTD through ss 2 “Tinahich” going 2 secs faster than the WRC’s of McCarthy and McNeill. Kevin O’Kane was 4 secs back with Harding a further second in arrears. Moore was 6th fastest followed by a hard charging Frank Kelly. James Murphy lost time due to a broken drive shaft while Adrian Hetherington’s Mk2 stopped in the stage.

Stephen Moore got it together setting FTD through ss3 the vast “Clonaslee” stage bringing his Focus into third overall – 3 secs off Cronin. Trevor Harding was second fastest as he got the hang of the S8. Cronin was third only 2 secs back while McCarthy was fourth fastest having no drama but felt the car was a little down on power. Owen Murphy (Evo 5) tied with John McCarthy - his first notable time as he was hampered with gearbox trouble. Harron fell back on this long stage but Dominic McNeill was the main casualty rolling his Escort close to the finish.

At the lunchtime service in Clonaslee Village John McCarthy held a slender 9 sec advantage from Keith Cronin, Moore held third 3 secs adrift. Harding was 15 secs back in fourth followed by Kevin O’Kane, Owen Murphy, Brian Lawlor, Stephen Harron and Peter McCullagh. Frank Kelly completed the top ten and took the 2WD lead now 15 secs clear of Seamus O’Connell who dropped time on the long stage. Justin Dunne (Evo 6) and Brendan Kelly (Evo 9) were just outside the leader-board.

Moore was on the boil as he continued to set the pace through ss4 going 14 secs faster than Cronin’s Evo to claim second. McCarthy was one behind - his Corolla was back on full power after fitting new spark plugs at service. Harding was third quickest – 10 secs off the leading WRC’s. Cronin was fourth fastest and had Gp N well under control, the West Cork novice fending off a foray more experienced competitors. John McCarthy held an 11 sec lead with two stages remaining and did not necessarily have to win to clinch the title. However given his competitive nature the East Cork man was not going to back off and went on to set FTD on the final two stages. On the repeat of “Tinahich” McCarthy slashed his previous time by 7 secs, Harding was the nearest 9 secs behind with Moore a further sec back.

John McCarthy/ Mickey Joe Morrissey blitzed the final stage stopping the clocks on 13:07 (20 secs faster than their previous run) amassing a 32 sec winning margin, more than enough to clinch the 2006 “McCauley Trailers” National Forest Championship Title. Stephen Moore/ Tony McHugh really came on strong and more importantly held it together to claim second overall, their best result since upgrading to the Focus WRC. Moore/ McHugh hold third in the points and may capture second on the final round. Trevor J Harding/ Adrian Deasy completed the top three and showed their aptitude on the final stage where they equalled McCarthy’s stunning time. Keith Cronin/ Anthony O’Conail (Evo 7) took a resounding Gp N victory and climbed to fourth overall. This pair are the latest sensation in the woods and look set for a promising motorsport career. Kevin O’Kane/ Martin Brady (Impreza WRC) finished fifth and hold second in the points going into the final round.

Owen Murphy/ Gary Nolan never gave up despite continued gearbox difficulties the young Cork/ Wexford crew took 6th. Stephen Harron/ Sean Mullally made a welcome return to the woods. The pair were outgunned by the WRC’s but accounted well taking 7th in their ageing Legacy. Brian Lawlor/ Conor Foley (Evo 9) took 8th, Lawlor was glad to finish after a spate of accidents and mechanical failures during the year. Frank Kelly/ Liam Brennan (mk2) took “Best 2WD” honours, class five laurels and claimed 9th overall after a huge battle with Seamus O’Connell/ Brian Duggan (BDA) who were just outside the leader board. Justin Dunne/ Sean Duggan (Evo 6) completed the top ten after a consistent run.

Cahir’s Andrew Fanning/ Alan McCormack powered their (Ka) to class 1 honours. Jim/ Rachel Fagan (mk2) scored a narrow class 2 win - 2 secs clear of Locals Nein/ Flynn who lost out on the long stage. Pat Curran/ Kevin Barry (mk2) finished 24th overall and clinched class 3. Danny McEvoy/ Michael Walsh (G3) were class 4 winners. Colm Cronin/ Marin Mulcahy (206) were the sole contenders in class 7 and got around in one piece. Gary/ Alan Higgins (mk2) took the junior spoils as their main opponents Conor Kelly/ Denis Ryan (Nova) lost 12 mins on stage one.

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Results
1 John McCarthy/Mick Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC) 50m 58s,
2 Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC) 51m 30s,
3 Trevor Harding/Adrian Deasy (Subaru Impreza WRC) 51m 44s,
4 Keith Cronin/Anthony O’Connell (Mit. Lancer Evo 7) GpN 51m 55s,
5 Kevin O’Kane/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza WRC) 52m 45s,
6 Owen Murphy/Gary Nolan (Mit. Lancer Evo 5) GpN 52m 58s,
7 Stephen Harron/Sean Mullally (Subaru Legacy RS) 53m 06s,
8 Brian Lawlor/Conor Foley (Mit. Lancer Evo 9) GpN 53m 22s,
9 Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Escort Mk II 2.0) 53m 48s,
10 Justin Dunne/Sean Duggan (Mit. Lancer Evo 6) GpN 54m 21s.

Leaders After:
SS1-6 John McCarthy/Mick Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC)

Stage Winners:
SS1 John McCarthy/Mick Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC)
SS2 Keith Cronin/Anthony O’Connell (Mit. Lancer Evo 7)
SS3 Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC)
SS4 Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC)
SS5 John McCarthy/Mick Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC)
SS6 John McCarthy/Mick Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC)
& Trevor Harding/Adrian Deasy (Subaru Impreza WRC)

• Download Full Results and Times

Photos:
Peespeed Photography
GER LEAHY PHOTOGRAPHY & PR

Birr Motor Club

• 2006 Forestry Championship
• 2006 South East Stages Rally Championship

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PRE EVENT NEWS

• Entry list on line.
• Entries still available
• Marshalls Meeting Points
• Marshals Required
• Time and Distance Schedule
• Event Preview
• Entry list to be available Mid week
• Regulations available

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18/08/06

No Driver/Navigator (Car) [Class]
1 John McCarthy/MJ Morrissey (Toyota Corolla WRC) [6]
2 Kevin O'Kane/Martin Brady (Subaru Impreza WRC) [6]
3 Stephen Moore/Tony McHugh (Ford Focus WRC) [6]
4 Trevor J Harding/Adrean Decey (Subaru Impreza WRC) [6]
5 Stephen Harron/Sean Mullaly (Subaru Legacy RS) [6]
6 James Murphy/TBA (Ford Escort WRC) []
7 Owen Murphy/Garry Nolan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5) [8]
8 Dominic McNeill/Francis Kenny (Ford Escort WRC) [6]
9 Brian Lawlor/TBA (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9) [8]
10 Peter McCullagh/Hugh McKenna (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7) [8]
11 Frank Kelly/Liam Brennan (Ford Escort 2.0) [5]
12 Seamus O'Connell/Brian Duggan (Ford Escort BDA) [5]
13 Adrian Hetherington/Terry Walkingshaw (Ford Escort II) [5]
14 John Reid /Enda Shields (Ford Escort) [5]
15 Andrew Mackeral/Richard Cassidy (Mitsubishi Lacner Evo4) [6]
16 Keith Cronin/Anthony O'Connell (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7) [8]
17 Brendan Kelly/Derek Brannigan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8) [8]
18 Connie Smith/Breen McNamee (Ford Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4) [6]
19 Brian McGillin/David Doherty (Subaru Impreza N12) [8]
20 Ray Benskin/Maurice Griffin (Escort Mk 2) [4]
21 John Culleton/Jason Culleton (Subaru Impreza) [8]
22 Kevin Duggan/Keith Bovairo (Mitsubishi Evo 6) [8]
23 Sean Devine/TBA (Subaru Impreza) [8]
24 Michael O'Connor Snr/Sinead O'Keefe (Mitsubishi Evo 5) [8]
25 Justin Dunne/Sean Duggan (Evo 6) [8]
26 Danny McEvoy/Michael Walsh (Escort G3) [4]
27 Andrew Purcell/TBA (Puma S1600) []
28 Pat Price/Seamus O'Connor (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) [8]
29 Willie John Dolan/Brian Doherty (Subaru Impreza) [8]
30 Connie Delaney/Ray Grace (Subaru Impreza) [8]
31 Anthony O'Halloran/Larry O'Halloran (Ford Escort) [5]
32 Pat Curran/Kevin Barry (Ford Escort II) [3]
33 Michael Nevin/Martin Flynn (Ford Escort II) [2]
34 Jim Fagan/Rachel Fagan (Ford Escort M2) [2]
35 Sean Benskin/Denis O'Leary (Ford Escort) [4]
36 Conor Kelly/Denis Ryan (Opel Corsa) [9]
37 Damien Tourish/Domhnaill McAlaney (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6) [8]
38 Thomas O'Rourke/Joan O'Rourke (Opel Astra) [5]
39 John Walker/Dessie Wilson (Mitsubishi Evo 9) [8]
40 Gerard Lucey/Peter Somers (Toyota Celica) [6]
41 Billy O'Connell/Derek Powder (Toyota Corolla) [4]
42 Ian Cochrane/Colin Harkness (Mitsubishi Evo 7) [8]
43 Michael Ormond/Paddy King (Honda Civic) [3]
44 John Bagge/Alan Darcy (Toyota Starlet) [3]
45 Richie Nugent/Bobby Nugent (Ford Escort II) [1]
46 Walter Bourke/Keith Melly (Mk II 2.0 8valve) [4]
47 Alan Dineen/Tony Dineen (Vauxhall Nova) [2]
48 Ian Roche/TBA (Peugeot 206) [3]
49 Andrew Fanning/Alan McCormack (Ford Ka) [1]
50 Dan Mulcahy/Donnacha O'Callaghan (Ford Escort Cosworth II) [6]
51 Damien Morrissey/Ronald Mackey (Ford Escort M2) [5]
52 Joe Conway/TBA (Ford MR 2) [2]
53 John J Wall/Patrick Wall (Peugeot 106) [1]
54 Darragh O'Riordan/Sean McCarthy (Opel Astra) [3]
55 Kevin Hickey/TBA (Escort Mk2) [3]
56 Michael Piggott/Breeda Piggott (Honda Civic) [1]
57 Tony Dunne/TBA (Toyota Starlet) [2]
58 Stephen Dolan/Ronan Dolan (Subaru Gpn ) [8]
59 Damien Quinn/Kenny Hull (Subaru Impreza) [6]
60 Colm Cronin/TBA (Peugeot 206) [7]
61 Tom Sheehan/Trevor Hogan (Nissan Micra) [1]
62 Eddie Grinsell/Alva Pearson (Ford Escort II) [4]
63 Damien Hogan/Janice Mackarel (Evo 6) [8]
64 Paul Fitzgerald/Ger Fahy (Ford Escort M2) [3]
65 James Cunningham/Joe Fitzgibbon (Toyota Corolla) [3]
66 Moss Fitzgerald/Denis Cremin (Toyota Corolla) [3]
67 Nicky Hegarty/Allyn Jennings (Skoda Felicia) [9]
68 Gary Higgins/Alan Higgins (Ford Escort) [9]
69 Shane Cullen/Aidan Donnelly (Ford Escort II) [4]
70 Kevin Corcoran/Michael Halfy (Opel Corsa) [1]
71 James Culiney/Fintan O Gorman (Mk II 1.6 16valve) []

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Entries still available.
Telephone 087 6931369.

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Marshalls Meeting Points

SS1 Mountrath Mart @ 8.30am

SS2 Texaco Service Station, Birr Road, Clonaslee Co Laois @ 9.30am

SS3 Texaco Service Station, Birr Road, Clonaslee Co Laois @ 10am

Marshalls are still required contact 086 8179297 for more info.

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14/08/06
Marshals required for Sunday's Birr Forestry Rally.
Tel 086-817 9297

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• Download Time and Distance Schedule in Excel Format

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Event Preview
Birr & District Auto Club host the penultimate Round of the "McCauley Trailers" National Forest Rally Championship Sunday 20th August. COC, Eoghan Fogarty has a very compact route: 6 stages (3 done twice) offering 90kms of testing forest stages including some totally new terrain. Grant's Hotel Roscrea have returned as title sponsor and Rally Headquarters. Scrutiny, Parc Ferme and Trailer Park are all in the Industrial Estate at the Limerick road Roundabout, just 5 mins from HQ.

Top seed; John McCarthy/ Mikey Joe Morrissey (Corolla WRC) hope to wrap up the Championship this weekend on the penultimate round just like Gareth MacHale/ Paul Nagle did in winning style last year. However McCarthy has to maintain focussed as all the Championship regulars have entered. Kevin O'Kane/ Martin Brady (Impreza WRC), Stephen Moore/ Tony McHugh (Focus WRC), James Murphy (Escort WRC), Dominic McNeill/ Francis Kenny (Escort WRC) and "Wildcards" Trevor J Harding/ Adrian Deasy (Impreza WRC) have their sights set for a win in Birr.

All the Gp N's are in; Brian McGillen/ David Doherty (N12 Impreza), Brian Lawlor/ Peter Kavanagh (Evo 9), Keith Cronin/ Anthony O'Conail (Evo 7), Eoin Murphy/ Gary Nolan (Evo 5), Brendan Kelly/ Derek Brannigan (Evo 9) and Eamon McElvaney/ Alan Keena (N10 Impreza) will do battle for the "Production" class. The "Best2WD" title is set for an epic "Down to the Wire" battle between Seamus O'Connell/ Brian Duggan (BDA) and Frank Kelly/ Liam Brennan (mk2) add in the likes of Adrian Hetherington/ Terry Walkingshaw (mk2), Anthony/ Larry O'Halloran (G3) and John Reid/ Enda Shields (BDA) and you have some spectacle!

The first car starts from Parc Ferme at 10:00 Sunday morning passing over the Offical start ramp at Grants hotel before heading into the Slieve Bloom Mountains for what promises to be a spirited day's rallying. Ballyhuppahan is the opening stage followed by the all-new "Tinahich". Stage 3 is the classic "Clonaslee" which is a vast 22kms long and proved very popular last year. Service after ss3 is in the village of Clonaslee at Lunchtime where competing cars will be re-fettled for the repeat loop of stages Sunday afternoon. The first cars are due back at HQ for a champagne reception at 17:00, followed by prizegiving later that evening.

Entries Still Welcome.

Details:

HQ: Grants Hotel, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary.

6 stages, 3 done twice, approx 90 stage kms (Maps: Discovery Series 54).

Scrutiny: Saturday 19th August 15:45 - 20:00, Stapleton's Bakery, Industrial Estate @ Limerick rd Roundabout.

Parc Ferme & Trailer Park: Roscrea Mart, Industrial Estate @ Limerick rd Roundabout.

Documentation: Saturday 19th August 16:15 - 20:30 (HQ) Grants Hotel.

Driver's Briefing: Sunday 20th August @ 8.30 am.

Start: 10:00, from Parc Ferme followed by Ramp @ HQ.

Service: Clonaslee Village after ss3 @ 13:00.

Finish: 17:00, Ramp @ Grants Hotel, Roscrea.

Results: 20:00, HQ. Awards: 20:30, HQ.

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Entry list to be available Mid week

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13/07/06
The Format for the Rally is 3 Smooth Stages done Twice including a 12 Mile Stage. 50 Stage Mile in Total with very small Road Mileage.

Service is in Clonaslee Village.

• Download Regulations and Entry Form

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Birr Motor Club

• 2006 Forestry Championship
• 2006 South East Stages Rally Championship