Moffett makes mark Valvoline National Forestry Rally Championship, Treaty Plant Hire Limerick
Monaghan pair Josh Moffett and Stephen Thornton came through on the closing stages to take a fourteen second victory in the second round of the Valvoline National Forestry Rally Championship, Limerick MC’s Treaty Plant Hire event at Silvermines yesterday.
Moffett, a former title holder, lay third for much of the day, but increased his pace just as early leader Andrew Purcell hit trouble, losing 40 seconds and two places to finish behind Barry McKenna, with all three driving Fiesta R5s.
Best of the two wheel drive brigade were David Crossen and Aileen Kelly in their Escort, taking eighth place overall, with Marty Gallagher narrowly beating Derek Mackarel for the Junior class, and finishing twelfth and fourteenth overall, just twelve seconds apart.
The Tynan family dominated the Monaghan Navigation Trial at Newbliss, with Mickey and his nephew Ciaran coming out on top after a challenging 85 mile route, and Mickey’s son Martin taking second place, navigated by Fintan Clerkin.
LIMERICK M C TREATY PLANT HIRE FOREST RALLY AT SILVERMINES, CO TIPPERARY (ROUND 2 OF VALVOLINE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP):
1 Josh Moffett/Stephen Thornton (Fiesta R5) 40m 37s,
2 Barry McKenna/Leon Jordan (Fiesta R5) 40m 51s,
3 Andrew Purcell/Mark Wiley (Fiesta R5) 41m 06s,
4 Cathan McCourt/Brian Hoy (Citroen DS3) 42m 19s,
5 Stephen McCann/Kaine Treanor (Fiesta S2000) 42m 39s,
6 Gerard Lucey/J J Cremin (Lancer Evo 8) 43m 45s,
7 Donall Sweeney/Stephen O’Hanlon (Lancer Evo 6) 43m 49s,
8 David Crossen/Aileen Kelly (Escort) 43m 57s,
9 John Byrnes/James Lowry (Lancer Evo 8) 44m 11s,
10 Shane McGirr/Eamonn Hayes (Starlet) 44m 12s.
Junior 1000 Class: 1 Jason Murphy/Matthew Murphy (Peugeot 107) 55m 10s.
Pic: Ger Leahy
