Monaghan Motor Club held their annual awards night on Sunday last in the Four Seasons Hotel Monaghan. Club Chairperson Conor Maguire started the night off with a talk congratulating all Monaghan Motor Club Members for their various success stories both at home and abroad. Ballinode man Conor Mohan navigated for Donegal man Eamonn Kelly in the Junior World Rally Championship. Gretchen Swinburne navigated Patricia Denning to 2nd in class in Rally Jameel in Saudi Arabia. Derek Mackarel won the Sligo Pallets Irish Forestry Rally Championship and the McGrady Insurance Motorsport UK, Northern Ireland Forest Rally Challenge title. Shane and Ciaran Maguire won the National Endurance Trial Championship. Gregory Shinnors and Andrew Mackarel were also crowned the 2023/24 National Navigation Trial Champions. The perpetual cups for the Ronnie Hawe Monaghan Stages Rally were presented. Sam Moffett and James O’Reilly won the Maguire International Cup for being the highest placed club member crew on the day. The pair finished 2nd overall behind Josh Moffett/Keith Moriarty. The Keenan Stainless Steel Cup was presented to David Moffett and Martin Connolly for being the highest placed club finishers in class 14. The Squealing Pig Cup went to Seamus Connolly and Gary McCrudden for being the highest placed club members in the 2-litre class. Anthony Hand and David McCrudden were presented with the JG Kelly Supplies Cup for being the top club finishers in the 1.6 litre class.
The lady’s award was presented to Molly Maguire for being the highest placed lady in the club Traders Championship. Aaron McGorman was awarded the Novice Navigator Perpetual Cup for being the winning Novice navigator in the Gary Nesbitt Club Navigation Championship. Peter Cassidy was awarded the 2024 Gerry McNamara award for services to Co. Monaghan Motor Club. A regular face at club events for decades, Peter is always on hand to capture the action and promote the activities of the club. Well done Peter. Thanks for all your contributions and we look forward to being caught on camera at the Drumlin Navigation Trial in a few weeks.
In the Gary Nesbitt Club Navigation Championship, Conor Boylan and Derek Mackarel were overall winners. 1st in Beginner class went to Eoghán and Shane Farrell. 2nd in the class went to Ben Mohan and Sean McCaffrey. 3rd in class went to Caolain McCaffrey and Pauric Duffy. 1st Novice went to Aaron and Ciaran McGorman. 2nd went to Gretchen and Martin Swinburne. 3rd in the class went to Molly and Shane Maguire. Aaron McElroy and Declan Tynan finished 1st in the Semi-Expert class, with Ciaran Maguire/Eoghan Corr finishing 2nd and Peter Farrell/Damien Hagan finished 3rd. David McCrudden/Martin Tynan finished 1st in the Expert class with Gregory Shinnors/Andrew Mackarel finishing 2nd and Evin Hughes/Pakie Duffy finished 3rd.
Finally at the end of the night it was the big one, the club Traders Trophy. This highly sought after cup is awarded to the competitor who has the highest score in all club events across all disciplines. The 2024 Traders Championship Cup was once again won by Tydavnet man David McCrudden.
