McErlean and Treacy take spoils at Jeremy O'Connor Longford Arms Hotel Midland Rally

The Irish World Rally Championship crew of Kilrea's Josh McErlean (right) and Killeagh's Eoin Treacy (Ford Fiesta Rally2) celebrate their victory in the Jeremy O'Connor Longford Arms Hotel Midland Rally. Pic: Martin Walsh.

An unrelenting battle for supremacy in the Jeremy O'Connor Longford Arms Hotel Midland Rally went right down to the ninth and final stage as the Irish World Rally Championship crew of Kilrea's Josh McErlean and Killeagh's Eoin Treacy (Ford Fiesta Rally2) secured the spoils by a mere half a second from the Welsh crew of Matt Edwards/Sion Williams (Hyundai i20 Rally2). The event, the first of the eight round Triton Showers National Rally Championship, saw reigning national champions Monaghan's Josh Moffett and Limerick's Keith Moriarty bring their Citroen C3 Rally2 home in third place, 43.2s further behind taking the top championship points (20) while Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) and his Limerick co-driver Tom Murphy picked up the "Power Stage" championship bonus point for the fastest time on the final stage.

McErlean was best on the opening stage, Oghill, just south of Drumlish where Edwards was only 1.2s shy of the M-Sport WRC driver. The margin between them on SS2 Kilmoyle near Ballinalee was 3.2s with McErlean still quickest. Then, on SS3 (Bawn) that finished near the village of Keenagh, the longest stage of the event at 14.7km saw Edwards punch in the fastest stage to time to cut the deficit to McErlean to just 1.2s. At the Longford service McErlean revealed he had an issue with the handbrake and lost time at the junctions when he couldn't put it to use, he also admitted he backed off on the narrow sections of the third stage as it was difficult to trust the surface. Edwards was content with his performance. "The pace is good out there Josh (McErlean) is a great benchmark and there are a good few others there too."

The leading duo had moved away from third placed Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2), who was 17.7s off second placed Edwards. Local ace Shane Quinn on his debut in a Ford Fiesta Rally2 showed a fine turn of speed and slotted into fourth position just 2.4s behind Moffett.

Former triple national champion Declan Boyle benefitted from some set-up changes to his Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2 to occupy fifth, he was third after the opening stage. After a slow start Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) picked up his pace and made up three places to slot into sixth followed by the Citroen C3 Rally 2 duo of Derry's Desi Henry and Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin, who were followed by the local driver Tommy Doyle and Tyrone's Cathan McCourt, both onboard Hyundai i20 Rally 2 cars.

The second loop was somewhat of a reversal role for the leading pair as Edwards, who made some slight adjustments to his new Hyundai, setting the pace on SS4 (where he led by 3.7s) and again on SS5. McErlean, still with the handbrake issue, was dominant on SS6 to pare a 4.4s deficit back to a single second. Josh Moffett was 30.3s off second place and described the trio of stages as "very tricky." Doherty continued to increase his pace and although he was into fourth he reckoned he could have pushed a bit harder through SS6.

Elsewhere, Sam Moffett was the big mover, a disappointing twelfth after SS3, he slotted into eighth place. "Yes, we changed the tyres and the car was much better." Local hero Quinn retired his Ford Fiesta Rally2 when it developed an engine malady enroute to the fourth stage.

Edwards went into a 1.5s lead after SS7 but McErlean made an immediate response to cut the margin to just 0.3s ahead of the final stage. Admitting that he pushed hard, McErlean secured the laurels and provided his Cork co-driver Treacy with his first ever rally win.

"It's been a close race all day. Obviously, going into the last stage just 0.3s behind, you have to throw everything at it." said McErlean, adding "We had a small problem all day that we didn't manage to fix. Everyone is in that mindset that you have to push hard for a rally victory." McErlean's cousin Desi Henry (Citroen C3 Rally2) was fourth with Doherty and Declan Boyle completing the top six.

Jeremy O'Connor Longford Arms Hotel Midland Rally (Round 1, Triton Showers National Rally Championship) Longford: 1. J. McErlean/E. Treacy (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 50m. 53.3s; 2. M. Edwards/S. Williams (Hyundai 120 Rally2)+0.5s; 3. J. Moffett/K. Moriarty (Citroen C3 Rally2)+43.7s; 4. D. Henry/S. Byrne (Citroen C3 Rally2)+50.9s; 5. E. Doherty/T. Murphy (Skoda Fabia R5)+53.8s; 6. D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+1m. 04.8s; 7. C. McCourt/B. McNulty (Hyundai Rally2)+1m. 18.3s; 8. S. Moffett/S. Buckley (Hyundai i20 Rally2)+1m. 28.5s; 9. M. Boyle/D. McCafferty (VW Polo GTi R5)+1m. 36.9s; 10. D. Cronin/D. Burke (Citroen C3 Rally2)+1m. 39.9s.