Evin Hughes and Pakie Duffy claimed the outright victory on last weekend’s January Navigation Trial hosted by Monaghan Motor Club. The event, organised by Sean and Caolain McCaffrey was based out of Latton O’Rahilly Gaa Club. Winners of the previous round, Conor Mohan/Michael Carbin were seeded one on the road, and began the event at 21:01. Checkpoint one (Tp1) was located at the end of the road that ran alongside Lough Avaghon. Tp2 was located in Tandragee and it was here that the first Supplementary route instructions were received for the route to Tp3 and Tp4. The first route instruction received was a trace diagram, where competitors have to draw the image received onto tracing paper and as quickly as possible match it to the map. The route to Tp3 involved, departing north and going past Hut Cross Autocross track and taking the next farm lane on the right. After traversing the lane, it was turn left and arriving the Tp3 at the end of the road. The other route instruction received was in the form of a double-sided route card. One side was from an event in 2022 and the other side was the current event. Both sides had the correct location of Tp4, but only the 2025 side had the correct approach and departure. A lot of competitors obviously travelled back in time as no less than eleven crews received a wrong approach or never arrived to it at all, and that doesn’t include the large amount of lateness penalties (marks) received for late arrival to the Checkpoint.
It was a left departure at Tp3 and over to a manned stop sign at the crossroads. It was a left turn here and traveling over the road and turning back into the same farm lane as before, only turning right at the end on this occasion. Tp4 was located at the end of this, with a left (East) departure. A long road section began here as it was a six-mile journey to arrive at Tp5 at Dunmakenna. After leaving Tp5, it was over to the R190 and over to Tp6 at the end of a grey lane in Moylemuck. The dense fog made traveling very tough. Tp7 was located at the R190 at Killyliss. From here the event moved to the northern side of the main road. Tp8 located in Lisnalong and within walking distance of Tp7 had to be approached from the north, which meant traveling a very twisty road in Killyvaghan. The west departure from Tp8 lead to competitors having to travel the road in Killyvaghan once again for to reach Tp9 at the R193 in Clossagh Beg. It was a four-mile journey to Tp10 at the R183 in Edenaneane. The first Time Recovery Section of the night took place between Tp12 and 13 which was located beside the disused quarry in Drumgavny. The Speed Regularity Section began here. Competitors had to follow a strict 30mph average speed over the eight-mile route to Tp14 at Drumsaul. The secret speed check took place at 5.5 miles, meaning each crew should arrive at it in exactly eleven minutes. One mark is acquired for every 9s too fast or too slow. The events second supplementary route instruction was received at Tp15 in Drumgole. When I write ‘received’ I of course mean, competitors received a gentle reminder that they had already received the map coordinates for the missing Via 1 (V1) at Tp2. Any navigator who launched the previous supplementary route instruction onto the rear seat or had tramped it into the floor over the 43.5 miles travelled since it had been received, had to frantically search for it or make it legible after repeatedly using it for origami practice with their feet.
From Tp15 it was over to Control B (CB) at the Holy Trinity Church in Dartry which had to be approached from the R188. The trick here was that V1 was located on the shortest route between Tp15 and CB. Any navigator that was fond of procrastinating would inadvertently pass by the Via en route to the Control. If they did this, they would have to skip (not stop for a signature) V1 to avoid receiving a double visit mark (30m). Eleven competitors received a double visit penalty here. Tp16 was located at the old school house in Edergole to avoid a double visit on the way to CB and to get the correct approach (south) competitors had to use a short-overgrown track opposite Edergole Cemetery to drop from the high road to the low road. From this Tp it was over to Tp17 on the R183 at Aghadrumkeen before a six-mile trip to Tp18 at Balladain Bridge. Tp19 at the road island in Agheralane was where the final Supplementary Route Instruction was received. This final instruction was in the form of a clock face tulip diagram and brought crews from Tp19 to V2 and Tp20. All three checkpoints were within a half mile meaning there was only one minute allowed to arrive a V2 and Tp20. V2 was located in Keenan’s farm in Creeve and was approached via a loop of the farm and departed from via another loop to arrive at Tp20, back on the public road. From here it was over to V3 on the R162 at Carnaveagh before heading to Tp21 approached via a farm lane in Corwillin. The second and last Time Recovery Section took place between Tp22 and Tp23 at Drumfaldra.
Aghnamullen five points had to be used three times in quick succession. The first time, it was straight through to Tp 24, then return and turn left for to arrive at Tp25 at the R190. After leaving here, it was back to the five points once more for to travel to Tp26 at the R162 back at Carnaveagh. On leaving Tp26, competitors had to travel to the Latton junction and turn left to approach Tp27 from the correct direction (east) as it was also located on the R262. The final Tp of the night (Tp28) was located back where Tp1 had been located, once here it was the short trip back to the GAA grounds.
In the end Evin Hughes/Pakie Duffy took a slender 1-mark victory over Conor Boylan/Derek Mackarel. Dereks father Andy and his navigator Greg Shinnors finished 3rd. In the classes, Elijah and Abraham Dixon finished 3rd in the Beginner class. Brian Harkin/Jack Brunton finished 2nd and Jack McKenna/Francie McElvaney finished 1st in the class.
Gavin O’Donnell/Garry Gallagher finished 3rd in the Novice class, with Adam Jordan/Aaron Dixon taking 2nd and Ben Mohan/Damien Hagan winning the class and finishing 10th overall.
In the Semi-Expert class, Adam Langan/Paddy O’Donnell finished 3rd, Ciaran Maguire/Mickie McNelis finished 2nd and Gretchen Swinburne/Martin Swinburne finished 1st.
In the Expert Class, 3rd went to Conor Mohan/Michael Carbin, 2nd was Greg Shinnors/Andrew Mackarel and winning the class and finishing 2nd overall was Conor Boylan/Derek Mackarel.
After the awards were presented, Sean and Caolain thanked all the landowners who allowed the event to use their property, all the residents along the route who allowed the event to pass by without issue. They also thanked the many people who appeared on the night to marshal, despite the very bad fog so that the event could take place, as without them the event would have been unable to begin. A special word of thanks went to the caterers who provided all the delicious food after the event so that nobody was going home hungry.
