Derek Mackarel on the podium in Cork

Derek Mackarel was the leading Monaghan Motor Club member on last weekend’s Jim Walsh Cork Forest Rally, round three of the Sligo Pallets Forestry Rally Championship.  He and his Cork navigator Eamonn Creedon finished the eight stage event in 3^rd place overall, using their Ford Fiesta R5. The event was based out of the Mallow Autograss club with all eight stages taking place in the Ballyhoura Mountain. On the opening stage ‘Ballinaboola 1’, Derek finished the stage 4^th fastest, 4s down on the stage winner. On SS2 ‘Coolfree 1’, they moved up in to 3^rd place overall. For stages 3 and 4, it was a repeat run of both the ‘Ballinaboola’ and the ‘Coolfree’ special stages before a midday service back at Mallow Autograss. On SS4, Derek moved up to 2^nd overall following an overshoot for Niall McGonigle who had been in 2^nd. Derek mentioned at the stage end that his car has a slight power steering issue, but luckily for him midday service was up next. Two new special stages were up next, each ran twice to finish of the days rally. On SS5 ‘Streamhill 1’, McGonigle got back in front of Derek on the leader board by just 0.8s. The main field cars did not participate on SS6 so the leader board stayed the same heading into the final two stages after the days final service stop. On SS7 ‘Streamhill 2’, McGonigle increased his advantage over Derek to 4s with just SS8 ‘Glennannar 2’, remaining. The leader board didn’t change over the final 8.8km of SS8 so Derek and Eamonn took home 3^rd place overall.Tommy Moffett/Domhnall Lennon brought their Fiesta Rally 4 home in 78^th OA after issues on SS2 ‘Coolfree 1’. Ryan Caldwell/Stephen O’Brien finished 6^th OA and 3^rd in class 5. Michael Conlon/James McEneaney finished 14^th OA and 2^nd in class 14.