Aaron Duffy and Laurence Keenan prove too hot in icy Monaghan

Monaghan crews dominated the Monaghan Navigation Trial that was based in the village of Doohamlat between Castleblayney and Ballybay.

In frosty and icy conditions victory went to Aaron Duffy/Laurence Keenan (Subaru), who finished the 80-mile route with a total of 47 penalty points. This was 13 better than fellow locals and Expert crew Martin Tynan/Fintan Clerkin, with the pairing of Paddy and Oisin Sherlock taking third on a total of 72 penalties. All three were in Subaru Impreza’s.

All the crews lost time soon after the start, but by the half way mark, the pairing of James McCabe/Shane Farrell held a strong advantage, as they dropped just six penalty points, with Mac Kierans/Ruaidhri Nash (Subaru) on 27 penalties and the eventual winners Duffy/Keenan on 46 penalties.

On the second half, McCabe/Farrell missed two time points and had difficulty at an ITC (Intermediate Time Control) and had to be content with fifth overall, albeit on a tie break that was sorted by their event status.

Duffy/Keenan had an outstanding second half and only lost one penalty, at Lisdoonan close to the finish, to claim the spoils.

Meanwhile, Tyrone’s Paul Mooney (Mini Special) won the Omagh Motor Club’s Ken Irwin Autotest. He won all but one of the 12 tests to finish 33 seconds ahead of the Vauxhall Special of Peter Grimes.