Stars of the show triumph at local rally
Winners Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy, alongside Deputy Clerk of the Course, Vincent Collins, and Lara Furey, National Rally Championship, following the Jeremy O’Connor Longford Arms Hotel Stages Rally last weekend. Picture: Barry Molloy
A festival of motorsport — the Jeremy O’Connor Longford Arms Hotel Stages Rally — was held in Longford over the weekend, which started off on Saturday evening with an autograph signing with Josh McErlean and Eoin Treacy.
McErlean and Treacy, who compete on the World Rally Championship stage, were a huge attraction for the many young rally fans that attended rally headquarters in the Longford Arms Hotel. This was followed soon afterwards with a ceremonial start when rally fans got a close-up of their favourite competitors.
The action started in earnest on Sunday morning when the cars left St. Mel’s College car park and took to the stages around County Longford. After the first loop of stages, many drivers reported very slippery condition but, overall, the stages dried out.
McErlean, who was running first on the road, took an early lead, if only by the narrowest of margins to Matt Edwards from Wales in a Hyundai R2. Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty were lying in third place, with local favourite Shane Quinn, who was competing for the first time in a Fiesta R2 with Stephen Reynolds calling the notes, also in contention.
Unfortunately this was the last stage Quinn would see as he did not make it to Stage 4 due to engine problems. Another local Tommy Doyle, who was competing a Hyundai R2, suffered a similar fate following a promising start to his local rally.
As the roads cleared of surface debris from the early runs through the stages, it was clear that the outcome would go right down to the wire. McErlean and Edwards swapped the lead during Stages 7, 8 and 9.
Edwards had a .03 second lead going into the final stage, but McErlean and Treacy did enough on the final stage to regain the lead the take the win by .05 second.
Midland Motor Club member Paul Rowley, who travelled from the USA to compete in his home event, was delighted with his run, finishing in 26th position overall.
Other Midland crews that finished well were Keelan Grogan from Carrick-on-Shannon who ended the day in 40th place and second in class. Stephen Faughnan from Longford, with Patrick Brides on the notes, were happy with their second place finish in Class 13 in a Mk 2 Escort. Colin Flanagan from Boyle finished third in class in his Evo 9, while Enda and Liam McCormack, who travelled from the USA to compete, had a good run in their Fiesta R2.
Ronan Quinn and Kevin Heffernan from Moydow had a consistent run all day in their Mk 2 Escort while Mick McCormack and Seán McCaffrey from County Roscommon finished third in class in their Focus.
Declan and Shane Hagan from Drumlish had a fine run and won Class 10 in their Escort. Seán Óg Cahill and Liam Hughes moved to a Twincam for the rally, while Stephen and Niall Healy, also in a Corolla, finished one place behind.
Enda Gerety and Eoin Kenny finished in their Honda Civic, while Eamon and Seán Brady finished in a Civic. Brother and sister duo, Darragh and Marie Kelly, from Roscommon had a good run in their Civic. Amy Faughnan and Jane Collins, who were out for the first time, won the ladies’ award after an eventful rally. Booby Cooper and Elaine Ní Shé had car problems from Stage 4 but managed to finish the event.
