There was a deserved round of applause in the Sliabh Beagh Hotel when brother and sister Shane and Molly Maguire were announced as overall winners of Monaghan Motor Club's January Navigation Trial.
The Novice pairing finished the 80-mile event on seven penalties, well clear of the field by the final control.
The first navigation trial of 2024, doubled as the first round of the Monaghan Motor Club championships. Cleric of the course Killian McArdle and assistant Gary Cassidy added a little bit of everything with lanes, farmyards and forests.
Martin Tynan and David McCrudden were the first crew on the road at 9.01pm. There was little time for crews to settle in as it was straight into a forestry loop.
Timepoints two, three and four required repetition of the same forest track. Different departures eventually leading crews out to the familiar deer farm, which marked the return to sealed surfaces for a time.
TP5 to TP8 brought competitors across some familiar roads used on navigation and stage rallies. From there the event went towards Selloo for the first relaxed section of the night and the ITC section.
The ITC ended with a stretch of the main Monaghan/Roslea road. TP13 to 15 took in Drumslavog and Athaboy. TP16 was just off the Scotstown-Knockatallon road, the point where many positions would be won or lost.
The plot and bash began at the end of, what was on the map, a grey lane leading to nowhere. From there three herringbone tulip diagrams would be required to reach timepoints 17, 18 and 19.
Whereas, the three checks were all located on one farm and were placed on farm tracks and between sheds. Eight crews left TP16 on a clean sheet.
Three crews in tight competition
Three crews, Maguire/Maguire, Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan and Packie Duffy/Evin Hughes left the plot and bash section joint leaders having all dropped just four marks over the three time points.
A much needed relaxed section at TP20 gave crews some breathing space but that only lasted the length of Aghanameena Lane where a snake-shaped herringbone would lead crews to TP22 and from there another herringbone would direct them on to TP23.
Indeed, the two time points were located in opposite directions on a farm track at Feebaghbane. Where the vast majority of crews would drop chunks of time and/or get wrong approaches or departures.
The Maguire siblings cleaned the section to put fresh air between them and the rest of the field.
The route required a circuit of Esh forest to capture TP25 and TP27. The relaxed section between TP28 and TP29 was again welcomed by competitors.
A lot of miles had been travelled since the last plot and bash and many were riding close to their 15 minutes of maximum lateness.
Indeed, TP30, Via 3 and TP31 took in one and a half loops of the Bragan mountain road. A late frost meant there was no time to be switching off so close to the end.
A final lane to Control C at Barratitoppy and straight to the hot food, sandwiches and tea provided by the Sliabh Beagh Hotel staff.
Maguire's land victory
In the end, Molly and Shane Maguire had done enough to take their first overall win together. Whereas, the Semi-Expert pairing of Declan Tynan and Aaron McElroy finishing 2nd Overall on 34 penalties.
Martin Tynan and David McCrudden were one penalty further back taking third OA and first Expert. Despite a wrong approach to the last via Mackarel/Boylan had done enough for fourth OA and second Expert crew.
With the Maguires forgoing their class victory, Martin and Gretchen Swinburne were 1st Novice, just ahead of 3rd Expert crew Andy Mackarel and Greg Shinnors. Michael Carbin and Ben Mohan took first Beginner and 10th OA.
The next round of the National Navigation Championship is the 1000 Shakes this weekend, hosted by Cork Motor Club.
Monaghan Motor Club's Drumlin Navigation Trial takes place on February third and is a counting round of the National, Border and Club championships.
