Gearing Up for Hotel Ballina – Kennedy Motors Mayo Stages Rally 2015
Mayo & District Motorsport Club are delighted, under the guidance of clerk of the course Padraic Roche, to announce plans for the 2015 Mayo Stages Rally which takes place on Sunday March 8th.
It’s a mixture of old and new for 2015 as, for the third year in succession, the Mayo Stages Rally will be based in the North Mayo town of Ballina. However competitors will face the challenge of three entirely new stages, each to run three times. Offering a total distance of approximately 116 stage kilometres and 127 road kilometres, they look set to provide a challenging test for competitors.

The Club is delighted to welcome on board again Hotel Ballina and Kennedy Motors as joint main sponsors of the 2015 Mayo Stages Rally and thank them for their support.
Hotel Ballina is once again Rally headquarters for the weekend. Just off the N26, but close to the town centre and with scrutiny, trailer park and Parc ferme adjacent to the hotel, this modern four star facility is ideally situated for easy access from all locations, and has proved to be a popular location with competitors and visitors to the rally in the past two years.
Exceptional accommodation deals are available at Rally HQ, Hotel Ballina, for crews and followers alike. Bookings and information at 096-23600
After a Rally Show in Ballina town centre on Saturday, March 7th, the event proper begins on Sunday morning when the cars leave parc-ferme.
The event is round one of the 2015 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship.
December Motorsport News Finishing off their 2014 season, Abdulaziz AlKuwari and Killian Duffy took part in the Dubai International Rally which was the final round of the Middle East Rally Championships, the pair finished third on the event and third in the championships, also competing was John Higgins who was navigating for Khalid Al Suwaidi. On their first event together, they capped off a great weekend with a fourth place finish. |
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Three members brought their cars along to the recent MEC Rally sprint in Mondello Park, best of the pack was Michael Loughney who won his class in his recently built MK2 Escort, Sean McHugh in his Subaru Impreza and Tony Langdon in his Honda Civic also put in good times during the day. Photo credit Ray Corkery – Rnc Rally Pics |
At the Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Awards Ceremony held in Dublin on Wednesday, Derek Deane from Williamstown picked up his 2013 National Loose Surface Autocross Award, a series which he dominated in his Buggy, with a run of five overall wins from the opening five rounds. |
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Also at the Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Awards, neighboring Galway Motorclub member Dean Raftery was named the Young Rally Driver of the Year. He was presented with the prestigious Billy Coleman Award and will receive €50,000 worth of support for the 2015 season where he intends to compete in the Fiesta Trophy in the World Rally Championship. Mayo & District Motorsport Club would like to offer him our congratulations and wish him all the best in the coming season. |
Duffy and Egan take home the Crystal |
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In other motorsport news from the weekend it was heart break for Kiltimagh’s John Higgins who was taking part in the three-day Wales Rally GB. The event which came to a gripping end on Sunday, seen John, who was navigating for former British Junior Champion Marty McCormack retired with mechanical trouble in their Fiesta on the very last stage of the event. Photos by P Collier |
Closer to home five Mayo members made the trip to Ballycumber in Offaly for the final round of the National Loose Surface Autocross Championships on Sunday. Best of the locals was Derek Deane who brought his Buggy home in fifth place overall, one place ahead of his brother Mervyn., who was followed by the third Deane brother Adrian. Next best was Foxford’s James McGreal in his Subaru Impreza closely followed by fellow Foxford man Stephen Doherty, who was having his first outing in a four wheel drive car, double driving McGreals Subaru, the pair finished the day in nineteenth and twenty-seventh respectively. Photos by John Delaney |
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Motorsport Club End of Year Awards
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November Motorsport News
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In other motorsport news form the weekend a large crowd from Mayo & District Motorsport Club turned out at the Sligo Park Hotel to support Derek Bolton and Trevor O’Connell on receiving their class award at the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championships Awards night. Their first year taking part in the championships, the Ballaghaderreen/Ballina pairing were unlucky not to claim the top spot in Class 15 but after mechanical woes on the two final rounds of the championships curtailed their points scoring opportunities, they had to settle for the runner up spot in the class. |
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October Motorsport News Photos courtesy of Declan Boyle( www.dbpics.net) and Brendan Flynn In the Donegal Harvest on Saturday last, Declan and Brian Boyle in their Subaru WRC emerged victorious on the rally and also victorious in the Dunlop National Rally championship which has left them double champions having just secured the tarmac championship a number of weeks ago. |
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Speaking afterwards Paul said “You have to take your hat off to Seamus – his run in the S14 Subaru was his first time at the controls of a left-hand drive car. The stages were great,” he said. “Plenty of narrow steering – that’s what rallying is all about. We’re happy where we finished and we enjoyed the day.” Unfortunate not to make the finish where South Mayo’s John Warren and Ruthann O’Connor, who had been progressing well until an off road excursion forced their McHale’s Engineering backed Toyota Corolla into retirement. Ballaghaderreen’s Derek Bolton who had Ballina’s Trevor O’Connell on the notes, needed to finish top class fifteen crew to capture the Border Championships class honours but they also retired with mechanical difficulties whilst going well. |
Border Championship 2014: Moffett/Sherry grab 2014 Border Glory by Brendan Flynn The Monaghan pairing of David Moffett and Fintan Sherry have won the 2014 Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship after taking a 4 class win in a row on the Donegal Harvest Rally. Due to the championship’s class based structure, a number of crews were still in with a chance of taking the title going into the final round. Moffett/Sherry knew that a class win on the day would be enough to claim the title regardless of the opposition’s results. After a titanic battle all day, the pair came through on the final stage to secure the class win and the overall Border championship. Former Border Champions, Brian Armstrong/Mark Tierney secured 2 overall in the championship with a class 12 win with Gene McDonald/Kevin Reilly finishing 3 overall in the series. The Donegal Harvest Rally was based in Downings this year and included the classic Atlantic Drive stage as the 3 test of 3 with each test done three times. Slippy conditions were the order of the day making tyre choice critical. In class 11R, Moffett & Sherry were involved in a big battle with local crews Paul Carron/Andrew Browne and Paul Gallagher/Patrick Gallagher. Needing victory to secure the championship the pair traded the lead with their rivals throughout the day. Going into the final stage, Gallagher held an 11 second advantage, but the Monaghan crew would be 13 seconds quicker through the final stage to claim the class by a mere 1.2 seconds! Paul Carron/Andrew Browne finished 3 in class ahead of Kevin Bradley & Graham Henderson in 4. Brian Armstrong/Mark Tierney did all they could by taking victory in class 12 but it wasn’t enough for them to take the class in the championship. Martin Toner/Sharon Clarke kept the pressure on them all day to finish 2 in class just 8 seconds behind. The pair also secured 1 in class 12 in the championship. Gene McDonald/Kevin Reilly claimed 3 place in class 9 to secure 3 place overall in the championship. Class 1-8: Class 9-11R: Class 12-20: Another year for the Sligo Pallets Border Rally Championship comes to a close with David Moffett & Fintan Sherry becoming 1 time champions, adding their names to the long list of winners. The 2014 Prizegiving will take place on Saturday 1 November in the Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo. Once again the Border Championship has proven to be the one of the most well supported and competitive championships in Ireland. |
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Cork 20 Report: Duffy’s guidance brings result
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Australia based Irish men, Pauric Duffy and Kevin Glynn made the long trip home to compete at the Cork 20 International Rally over the weekend, in their recently acquired Ford Fiesta R5. The pair, who made their rallying debut on the Galway International Rally in February of this year, took on the challenge of the new car and the tough Cork Stages. Mayo man’s job between navigating on the World Rally Stage and running his successful pace notes business that all needs of the Australia based Irish Rally Team are meet using his vast experience in Motorsport and on-event support. |
Autocross news Photos by Maggie Bonner Closer to home this weekend seven members of Mayo and District Motorsport Club made the short trip to Saehan in Sligo for the Connacht Motorclub’s Autocross event. Best to finish was Padraig Mullen who won Class 9 and finished eighth overall in his Subaru Impreza, next up was Foxford’s Alan Moran who was double driving James McGreal’s Subaru. Alan unfortunately broke the golden rule and went faster than the man who lend him the car, finishing runner up in Class 9 and fourteenth overall, it will remain to be seen if James, who could only manage twentieth overall but third in Class will hand over the keys in the future! |
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Other Recent Events: Photos courtesy of Rally Through a lens |
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Alan McGuire who competed at a recent Galway Autocross |
September Motorsport News Photos by John Delaney Donegal’s Declan and Brian Boyle are celebrating again after a start-to-finish victory at the Clare Stages Rally. Winners of the Mayo Stages Rally back in March, they have enjoyed a tremendous year to date. |
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Returning to tarmac rallying following engine failure suffered at Midlands Rally last March, the pair showed no signs of cobwebs and after what was intended to be an easy run to bed in the new engine, they climbed the leader board all day finishing fourth in the very competitive Class 13 and 19th overall.
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Podium for Duffy in Cyprus A majestic weekend of rallying came to an end on Sunday as Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Killian Duffy claimed a very impressive third place finish on the 2014 Cyprus Rally. In what was a one-of-a-kind event, two sanctioned FIA rounds ran side by side with the 9th round of the ERC and the 5th round of the MERC both taking place on the same weekend. |
The result means that they close the gap to the championship leader, Nasser Al Attiyah to 6 points and set up what is bound to be a great fight at the final round in Dubai at the end of November.
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Podium for Duffy in the Lebanon |
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Hynes rues spinning in the rain |
Mayo Autocross: Report from August 24th
Deane Wins Mayo Autocross, Tynan Takes Championship Title
Adrian Deane from Williamstown in Co. Galway achieved a long-held ambition on Sunday by claiming his maiden victory on Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s final Autocross of the year. In doing so he became the third different winner of the popular loose surface series in as many events, in what has been an enthralling season of motorsport at the challenging 2.7 km circuit at Harrington’s Quarry near Swinford.
It was also a successful day for Monaghan man Martin Tynan, whose second place finish was enough to ensure he won the 2014 Frank Harrington Trophy for Overall Autocross Champion.
Driving his Mitsubishi Evo 8, Tynan faced last year’s champion Derek Deane in a shoot-out for the title, the two drivers having fought it out tooth and nail over the previous three rounds. Deane struggled early on, stopping on the stage on his first run with mechanical problems, While Tynan made his intentions clear, with a first run time five seconds ahead of local Foxford man James McGreal who lied in second place.
His buggy seminally restored to health, Deane took to the track for his second run, but again problems forced him to stop. Tynan seized the opportunity and improved his time by ten seconds; this time his closest challenger was Adrian, Derek Deane’s younger sibling, who stopped the clock four seconds behind Tynan.
On the last run Derek failed to sort out the gremlins in his JCR Rally Kart, more mechanical trouble brought his run to a premature halt, ending his hopes of adding to his two successive Frank Harrington Championship victories over the last two years. Tynan went faster still and as it looked like the event win was in the bag, Adrian in his JB Buggy managed to complete his lap one tenth of a second faster to steal the win and leave the Monaghan man in second place.
The result left Derek and Martin tied on equal championship points, Tynan claiming the title thanks to his higher place finish on the final round.
Behind the top two of Adrian Deane and Tynan on the day, Fermanagh’s Paul McDaid stole third with a blistering final run in his Buggy. Down’s Ronan Mackle also in a Buggy, secured fourth, less than one second ahead of James McGreal in his Subaru Impreza. Donegal’s Seamus Donnelly was sixth, just ahead of three other buggy drivers, Padraig Egan from Clare, James Cassidy from Derry and Donegal’s Danny O’Donnell. The top ten was rounded out by the class four Impreza of Ballymote’s Padraig Mullen.
Category winners included Ruairi Maguire from Castlederg who claimed class one honours in his Vauxhall Corsa ahead of Simon Hemphill, also from Castlederg, in a Vauxhall Nova. Cathan McCourt from Trillick was third in another Nova. Shrule’s Noel Murphy dominated class two, finishing more than six seconds ahead of second placed Michael Nevin in an Escort, while Achill’s Liam Healy grabbed a spirited third place in his Honda Civic. Murphy’s excellent performance in his Honda Civic, which seen him finish top front wheel drive, provisionally secures the Mayo Young Driver crown, retaining the title he won last year.
Class three was won by Declan Campbell from Trillick who topped a trio of Mk2 Escorts ahead of Killala’s Padraic Roche and Hollymount’s Colin Loughney.
Tynan was the class four winner, beating the Subaru’s of James McGreal and Padraig Mullen respectively. Class six was topped by aforementioned Paul McDaid with Ronan Mackle and Seamus Donnelly taking second and third.
Seventeen year old Patrick McEveney from Castlebar retained his stronghold on class seven with Crossmolina’s Lorcan Moore only setting one time before an off track excursion leaves him with some panel beating to be carried out on his Citroen Saxo before the 2015 season.
Other local competitors made up most of class two with Achill’s Joe Healy claiming the Mayo club award and a sixth place finish in class. Pater McManamon also from Achill finished eighth, four seconds ahead of Westport’s Alan McGuire, both in Peugeots 205’s. David Healy was twelfth in his Nissan Primera with Westport’s David Jordan a further nine seconds behind. Patrick McEveney (Snr) brought the triple family driven Toyota Corolla home in fourteenth, half a second ahead of Stephen McGreal in a 205. Shauna McEveney was sixteenth and won the ladies award.
Now that the 2014 Mayo Autocross has come to an end it leaves us all begging for more. It has been an incredible year in Harringtons Quarry Swinford. The Mayo and District Motorsport Club would like to sincerely thank the Harringtons for the use of their quarry, the marshals who turned out in all weathers for the four events and especially the team who ran the events during the year.
Until next year!
Watch footage from Mayo Autocross August 24th courtesy of MDsRally
Martin Tynan
Winner of Mayo Autocross July 27th 2014
Autocross July 27th Report: Tynan flies ‘Sky’ high in Mayo
Results Here
Martin Tynan from Clones, Co. Monaghan beat all challengers to claim victory on Mayo & District Motorsport Club’s Loose Surface Autocross on Sunday. Driving a Mitsubishi Evo 8, he had to do it the hard way, coming from behind on the final run to beat local favourite Derek Deane.
A capacity entry gathered at Harrington’s Quarry near Swinford for the third of four autocross events to be held this year. Clerk of the Course Paul McLaughlin and his team had once again laid on a superb course, with each competitor getting three runs of two laps over the demanding route.
Derek Deane, in his JCR Rally Kart, outlined his intentions from the start, setting a time of 3:58.89 almost fourteen seconds faster than the Evo of Tynan on the opening run, with another Monaghan visitor, Mickey Conlon, a further one second back. On the second run however, Deane failed to set a time due to a coming together with the final chicane that ground him to a halt.
Tynan was next on track and while taking over twelve seconds off his first attempt, stopping the clock at exactly 4:00.00, Deane still held the lead by just over a second.
With hopes high for a home win, Deane pulled out all the stops on the final run, but only managed a 4:02.98, leaving his first run time still his best. Was it to be enough?
Tynan put in a dazzling final run in the Red Mitsubishi to take a further two and half seconds from his previous best, and record victory.
Watching the battling duo closely all day was Sligo man John McGettrick who on his first day competing in a buggy was double driving Deane’s JCR Rally Kart. He astounded regulars as he reserved his best for last, not only taking second overall ahead of Deane, but also winning class six with a time of 3:58.11 on his final run. Deane and Conlon took second and third respectively in class six.
Away from the leading protagonists, competition was just as fierce in the various classes. Foxford’s James McGreal won Class four in his Subaru Impreza, ahead of Sligo’s Padraic Mullen and Monaghan’s Cormac McElvaney. Bekan’s Sean McHugh finished fourth in that class and in twenty first place overall.
Damien McGauran from Fermanagh claimed the honours in Class three with another impressive showing in his rear wheel drive Toyota Corolla. Walter Burke from Williamstown finished second in his Escort MK2 and Kilalla’s Padraic Roche was third, also in an Escort MK2.
Nobody could match Eighteen year old Derek Mackarel from Monagahan in his 1.6 Vauxhall Nova, not only did he win Class Two but was also top two wheel drive finishing in tenth place overall. Glen Irwin from Castlederg claimed second despite not setting a time on his last run, due to losing a wheel.
Shrule’s Noel Murphy was third and also picked up valuable Young Driver points as his main challenge, Foxford’s Alan Moran, could only managed fifth in Class two. Club Chairman Matthew Murphy was seventh in his Toyota Corolla. Achill man Joe Healy brought his Honda Civic home in tenth place. Westport’s Alan McGuire guided his Peugeot 205 to a notable eleventh in Class winning the local 205 battle by a clear margin. Achill’s Peter McManamon had to settle for second in the aforementioned 205 battle and sixteenth in class, afterwards saying that he was taking it a bit easier trying not to scuff the new paint job on his 205!
Liam Healy, also from Achill was seventeenth in his Honda Civic. David Walsh, home on holiday from Australia steered the family Sunbeam to eighteenth place in Class two. Mervyn Fahy who was double driving the Walsh Sunbeam lost the bragging rights, finishing one place behind in nineteenth. Patrick McEveney Snr brought the family triple driven Toyota Corolla home in twentieth place. John Warren was next placed having succumb to gearbox trouble and only setting one time. Stephen McGreal from Achill enjoyed the day, double driving a Peugeot 205 finishing twenty-second in Class two.
Sligo’s John Rooney finished first in Class one, beating Foxford’s Stephen Doherty by less than a second. Stephen Reynolds from Manorhamilton was third.
Class seven, for 16-18 year olds was won once again by Patrick McEveney from Castlebar in his Toyota Corolla, Colm Ronan from Bekan was second in his Nissan Sunny and Crossmolina’s Lorcan Moore on a day hampered with fuel pump problems in his Citroen Saxo, claimed third.
The Mayo & District Motorsport Club award for the leading club member went to Adrian Deane while Shauna McEveney from Castlebar picked up the Ladies Award.
The event was also the fourth counting round of the 2014 National Loose Surface Autocross Championships, a series that Derek Deane won in 2013.
This championship, which is being sponsored by Batt O’Donoghoes Five Star Catering from Co. Cork, brought some more new faces to the Mayo venue, all of whom were delighted with the facilities on offer and the fast challenging Mayo track.
The final round of the 2014 Mayo & District Autocross season takes place on Sunday 24th August.
For full online album of photos go to the Facebook Set
July Motorsport News:
Some Mayo members in Sligo Stages Rally 2014
Podium for Shrule teenager Photos courtesy of Jeremy Raftery |
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Midland Autocross |
The highest placed Mayo finisher was Adrian Deane, who after quite a number of events, and years, finally got the better of his brother Derek, as the siblings finished fourth and fifth respectively. Adrian wants the fact that Derek didn’t compete a third run due to mechanical trouble in his buggy, not to take away from finally claiming the bragging rights at the kitchen table. Photos courtesy of James Foley |
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Mayo& District Motorsport Club Autocross Round 2: June 8th
There was thunder in the sky and lightening quick times on the track at Harrington’s Quarry in Kilkelly on Sunday as Derek Deane once again dominated Mayo’s Loose Surface Autocross event.
The Williamstown’s man led from start to finish in his JCR Rally Kart. When the final flag was waved there was only half a second in it between first and second, Martin Tynan from Clones in his Mitsubishi Evo, having gotten closer and closer as the day went on, just failed to reel Deane’s buggy and break his strong hold on the number one position. In third place was Ian Barrett from Maynooth, still getting familiar with his recently acquired buggy, and setting progressively times throughout the day.
Next best place local was another member of the Deane family, younger brother Adrian, who claimed the Mayo Club Award finishing in 7th place, in his JB Buggy.
Foxford’s James McGreal finished in 15th and picked up 3rd in class four in his 4 wheel drive Subaru Impreza. Hollymount’s Colin Loughney won Class three and finished 27th overall in his Ford Escort MK2. Castlebar’s Patrick McEveny came out on top in the Junior class for 16-18 year olds just ahead of Lorcan Moore from Crossmolina. Patrick’s sister Shauna picked up the Ladies award.
Shrule’s Noel Murphy was highest placed in the hotly contested Mayo Young Driver’s championships bringing his Honda Civic home in 28th. Bekan’s Sean McHugh reported a good run in his Subaru Impreza finishing just inside the top 30.
Wesport native Ed Muldoon enjoyed a day’s racing with the British RX Racing team who had their impressive British Rallycross machinery over for the day, Ed was very happy with the Mayo venue and also his result in the RX150 Buggy which he guided to 32nd overall.
Padraic Roche slid his Escort MK2 to 33rd place also picking up 2nd in class three along the way. Achill’s Peter McManamon showed that recently becoming a dad again has put some extra pep in his step as he powered his Peugeot 205 to 34th place.
Alan Moran suffered mechanical problems in his Peugeot 206 only setting one run time and having to settle for 36th. Liam Healy from Achill never stopped smiling all day rounding off a great days driving with 38th place, one ahead of Club Chairman Matthew Murphy in his Corolla. Next up in 40th place was Alan McGuire from Wesport in his Peugeot 205.
Killalaa cousins Michael and Fergal Loughney were separated only by Stephen Doherty who finished between them in 46th place. David Healy from Skreen was another to succumb to mechanical woe, only setting a first run in his Nissan Primera but good enough for 49th place. Another Achill man Stephen McGreal enjoyed his first day in the Valley finishing in 50th place.
South Mayo’s Brian McDonnell on a holiday home from Australia guided his Toyota Corolla to 53rd on his Autocross debut, one place ahead of another Autocross first timer Terry Greavy from Bonniconlon.
With local Mayo & District members making up 24 entries of the 56 that started the event, the forecast is bright with a good chance of more lightening times at Round 3 on July 27th. More details here on the club website.
Photos courtesy of Rally through a Lens