Monaghan Drumlin Navigation Trial - 12 Nov 11

Report: Carbin & Hughes Finish Top of the Drumlin

Posted: November 28, 2011 2:56 PM

Michael Carbin & Evin Hughes recorded their first Drumlin victory to move into the lead of the National Night Navigation Championship. The Monaghan duo finished four penalties clear of uncle and nephew team, Michael & Ciaran Tynan. 3rd place went to Semi-Expert crew Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey. The 110 mile compact route looped around the areas of Threemilehouse, Aghabog, Corcaghan and Swann's Cross with the usual multitude of farm lanes used, including some lanes not used previously. The event was the final round of the Monaghan Club Championship where it was a three horse race between Michael Carbin, Michael Tynan and Andy Mackarel, which added extra spice to the proceedings.

Navigators needed to be on the ball at pre-event plotting as the COC used many of the same roads at several different points in the night and it would be easy to get muddled up between them. The event began with a relatively straightforward section to start, using some well known roads from the Monaghan Stages Rally. This was followed by a Plot & Bash section into TP8 and TP9. The first trick of the night was at TP4 where an unmapped road, deviating from the intended route and rejoining at the timepoint, proved to be inviting. No fewer than 26 crews received wrong approach penalties here. The route from TP7 to TP8 had crews using the same road as the approach to TP6 but on the second occasion all were looking for an unmapped road to the left just 100 metres before TP6. Many crews missed this lane and received double visit penalties at TP6 as a result. TP10 was the famous lane near Greenan's cross, followed by the intricate loop around what is known locally as Corr's to TP11 and TP12. The approach to TP11 required crews to pass through a hole in the hedge before making there way around chicken houses to the timepoint. Andy Mackarel/Liam Higgins were the principal victims here with a wrong approach at TP11. By the first TRS between TP13 and TP14, there were just four clean sheets remaining. Local Novice crew, Arthur & Macartan Kierans were leading from Expert trio Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan, Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes and Trevor Farrell/Noel Hall. TP20 & TP21 were more plot & bash timepoints and involved looping the Corragarry Lane twice. All clean sheets were lost here, with Farrell/Hall and Carbin/Hughes both dropping 1 penalty each to move into a tied overall lead. A new lane into TP25 was followed by a TRS and the 1st SRS section before crews reached the petrol halt.

In overall terms, Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes and Trevor Farrell/Noel Hall remained joint leaders on 1 penalty. In 3rd place were Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey on “Semi over Expert” from Michael Tynan/Ciaran Tynan both crews on 2 penalties. In an impressive fifth were Border Stages Rally Champions Arthur & Macartan Kierans on 3 penalties, who were putting their local knowledge to good use. This was a creditable run, considering it was only Macartan's 2nd ever Drumlin. The Petrol break spelt the end of Mackarel/Higgins' event as a ruptured fuel tank ended their challenge. The Beginner class was led by Shane Dalton/Micheal Reilly at midpoint.

After a quick stop for petrol the action got back under way. Grassy lanes into TP28, TP30, TP31 and a repeated lane into TP32 and TP33 kept crews on their toes. Indeed, no crew cleaned all the timepoints in this section. By another TRS between TP33 and TP34, Kevin Keenan & Barry Garvey had moved into the event lead on 3 penalties, having dropped 1 penalty into TP33. Farrell/Hall & Carbin/Hughes were also on 3 penalties but behind on the “Semi beats Expert” rule.
Kierans/Kierans were 4th on 5 penalties ahead of Tynan/Tynan on “Novice beats Expert”. SRS2 was next and then the event moved on to a plot & bash section between TP40-TP43. TP39 was particularly deceptive, an unmapped road used previously was incorporated but their was a new exit off it and many crews approached the timepoint via the previously used exit and received wrong approach penalties. Both Farrell/Hall and Kierans/Kierans were among the leading crews caught here. The Plot & Bash was particularly challenging as it required plenty of thinking on the part of the navigator to figure out the intended route. This was well thought out by the COC as the timepoints plotted in close proximity to one another. To avoid other timepoints and to approach and depart correctly, involved the multiple use of various farm lanes, with some being used as many as four times. Keenan/Garvey slipped back on this section and were demoted to 3rd place. Carbin/Hughes took over at the front and by a TRS between TP43 and TP44, they had opened up a 3 penalty lead. Tynan/Tynan were now in 2nd place, with Keenan/Garvey maintaining 3rd. Pakie & Colin Duffy looked set for 4th overall until a timing error at the penultimate control saw them receive 50 penalties that dropped them to 11th. Kierans/Kierans had recovered from their wrong approach at TP39 to reclaim 4th from Farrell/Hall, who maintained their top five position. 39 crews made it back to Threemilehouse just before 2am after a testing night for both man and machine.

So it was Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes who took their first Drumlin win on a total of 9 penalties. This was enough to secure the Monaghan Club Championship for Michael as well as the Gary Nesbitt Club Navigation Championship for both crew members. They also moved into the lead of the National Championship. 2nd overall went to Michael & Ciaran Tynan on 13 penalties, who pushed them all the way for both championships but had to settle for the runner-up spot. Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey (15 penalties) recorded their best result for some time with 3rd overall and victory in the competitive Semi-Expert class. Arthur & Macartan Kierans (25 penalties) finished in an excellent 4th place and but for a wrong approach at TP39, 2nd could have been theirs. Trevor Farrell/Noel Hall (33 penalties) maintained their good finishing record on the Drumlin with 5th overall and 2nd in class.

Expert class:
The top three points scorers finished in 1st, 2nd and 5th places respectively. Rory Coyle/Ciaran Coyle (39 penalties) were 4th experts home and 7th overall. A wrong approach at TP39 was their biggest set back of the night. Richard Cassidy/Paul Phelan (96 penalties) had a difficult night and finished a lowly 13th overall by their high standards. Ted Gaffney/Glyn Gaffney were the sole other finishers.

Semi-Expert class:
Class winners Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey finished 3rd overall. 2nd in class went to Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy (68 penalties) who could have been 4th overall if not for that 50! Chris Kelly/Sam Johnston (108 penalties) had another difficult night with wrong approaches, double visits and missed timepoints featuring on their timecard, showing it was a night to forget for the Longford crew. Damien Treanor/Jonathan McGovern (114 penalties) finished 4th to complete the class finishers.

Novice class:
Arthur & Macartan Kierans won the class to kick-start their National campaign. It was also Mac's best overall finish so far in his short career. Ciaran McElroy/Damien McCabe (39 penalties) had one of their best runs to take 2nd in class and 6th overall, recovering well from a wrong approach at TP4. Brendan Ward/Sean Kelly just pipped Stephen Wright/Muireann Hayes on a tie-break for 3rd in class after both crews finished with 48 penalties total. This result maintains Muireann's lead in the class in the series. Completing the top five were Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (61 penalties). The fact that all the above crews finished in the top 10 overall demonstrates just how competitive this class is.

Beginners class:
Midland's duo, Shane Dalton/Micheal Reilly (159 penalties) were the first classified crew home to move into the class lead in the National Championship. Gerry McIntyre/Aaron McIntyre (275 penalties) were the 2nd crew home followed by Enda McMahon/Susan McGuiness (311 penalties). Aaron Duffy/Michael McCluskey (324 penalties) finished 4th with Conor Meehan/Brendan Keenan (482 penalties) 5th.

Yet another superb Drumlin and all credit is due to COC Stephen Thornton and ACOC Gareth Beagan. The Championship heads West for the next round of the championship with Fenagh, Co. Leitrim the base for Round 4 in the Midlands. This is once again a round of the Border Championship which is sure to provide another strong entry as the front running crews in the National Championship begin to emerge.

Full Results

Posted: November 28, 2011 2:49 PM

1 Michael Carbin/Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 9 marks,
2 Mickey Tynan/Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) 13m,
3 Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey (Subaru Impreza) 15m,
4 Arthur Kierans/Macartan Kierans (Subaru Impreza) 25m,
5 Trevor Farrell/Noel Hall (Subaru Impreza) 33m,
6 Ciaran McElroy/Damien McCabe (Subaru Impreza) 39m,
7 Rory Coyle/Ciaran Coyle (Subaru Impreza) 39m,
8 Brendan Ward/Sean Kelly (Subaru Impreza) 48m,
9 Stephen Wright/Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) 48m,
10 Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) 61m,
11 Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy (Subaru Impreza) 68m,
12 Donal McArdle/Thomas Wedlock (Subaru Impreza) 74m.

Semi-experts:
1 Kevin Keenan/Barry Garvey,
2 Pakie Duffy/Colin Duffy,
3 Chris Kelly/Sam Johnston.

Novices:
1 Ciaran McElroy/Damien McCabe,
2 Brendan Ward/Sean Kelly,
3 Stephen Wright/Muireann Hayes.

Beginners:
1 Arthur Kierans/Macartan Kierans,
2 Keith McConnon/Martin Swinburne (Subaru Impreza) 129m,
3 Shane Dalton/Michael Reilly (Subaru Impreza) 159m.

Monaghan Drumlin Navigation Trial - 12 Nov 11 - FULL RESULTS

Seeded Entry List

Posted: November 12, 2011 9:37 AM

Car No Name (Car) [Class]
1 Richard Cassidy / Paul Phelan (Vauxhall Vectra) [Expert]
2 Andrew Mackarel / Liam Higgins (Subaru Impreza) [Expert]
3 Michael Tynan / Ciaran Tynan (Subaru Impreza) [Expert]
4 Michael Carbin / Evin Hughes (Subaru Impreza) [Expert]
5 Trevor Farrell / Noel Hall (Subaru Impreza) [Expert]
6 Rory Coyle / Ciaran Coyle (Subaru Impreza) [Expert]
7 Colin Fitzgerald / Daire Hayes (Subaru Impreza) [Expert]
8 Ted Gaffney / Glyn Gaffney (Subaru Forrester) [Expert ?]
9 Chris Kelly / Sam Johnston (Subaru Impreza) [S/Expert]
10 Damien Treanor / Jonathan McGovern (TBA) [S/Expert]
11 Ashley McAdoo / Francis Keenan (Mazda 626) [S/Expert]
12 Pakie Duffy / Colin Duffy (Subaru Impreza) [S/Expert]
14 Kevin Keenan / Barry Garvey (TBA) [S/Expert]
15 Mark McElwee / Michael McElwee (Subaru Impreza) [S/Expert]
16 James Logue / Hugh Kelly (Subaru Impreza) [S/Expert]
17 Matt Hume / Enda Hume (Subaru Impreza) [S/Expert]
18 Stephen Wright / Muireann Hayes (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
19 Darren Quinn / Nigel McCloughry (Subaru Legacy) [Novice]
20 David Moffett / Martin Connolly (Subaru Legacy) [Novice]
21 Sean McKenna / Garry Farrelly (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
22 Arthur Kierans / Mac Kierans (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
23 Eoghan Corr / Peter Deery (TBA) [Novice]
24 Donal McArdle / Thomas Wedlock (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
25 Ciaran McElroy / Damien McCabe (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
26 Martin McGuigan / Brendan Treanor (Vauxhall Cavalier) [Novice]
27 Michael Conlon / Matthew McKenna (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
28 Martin Tynan / Fintan Clerkin (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
29 Brendan Ward / Sean Kelly (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
30 Janice Mackarel / Gerry Buckley (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
31 Peter Farrell / Paddy O'Neill (TBA) [Novice]
32 David Smyth / Vincent McAree (VW Golf) [Novice]
33 Dermot McGorary / Eamonn Doherty (Subaru Impreza) [Novice]
34 Anthony Finnegan / Aidan McMahon (Vauxhall Vectra) [Novice]
35 Brendan Boyce / Christopher Boyce (Celica) [Novice]
36 Niall Kelly / Adrian Treanor (Celica) [Beginner]
37 Paul McKenna / Gary McCrudden (Mondeo) [Beginner]
38 Keith McConnon / Martin Swinburne (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
39 Fintan Sherry / Darragh Kelly (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
40 Ryan Connolly / Daniel McGardle (Vauxhall Vectra) [Beginner]
41 Shane Dalton / Micheal Reilly (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
42 Conor Meehan / Brendan Keenan (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
43 Aaron Duffy / Garrath Finnegan (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
44 Patrick Connolly / Stephen McElroy (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
45 Gerry McIntyre / Aaron McIntyre (Subaru Impreza) [Beginner]
46 Louis Garry / Kieran Reid (Honda Civic) [Beginner]
47 Enda McMahon / Susan McGuinness (Toyota Corolla) [Beginner]
48 Cathal McKenna / Lindsay Boyd (TBA) [Beginner]
49 Andrew Stewart / Robert Howard (Peugeot 205) [Beginner]
50 Matthew Skinnader / TBA (Vauxhall Vectra) [Beginner]
51 Steven Rushe / Conor Hagan (TBA) [Beginner]

Regulations / Details

Posted: January 2, 1990 3:05 PM

• Monaghan Motor Club