Under the radar, but Moffett secures fifth National Rally Championship

Longford's Shane Quinn can't now overhaul Monaghan's Josh Moffett

FAMOUS FIVE: Monaghan's Josh Moffett has secured a fifth Triton Showers National Rally Championship crown. Picture: Martin Walsh.

A fifth success in the Irish National Rally Championship for Monaghan's Josh Moffett appears to have gone unnoticed following his victory in last Sunday's Galway Summer Rally, round six of the eight round championship. The Ballinasloe based event, where two of the final three stages didn't run, saw Moffett secure his fourth win of the popular Triton Showers backed series that is based on the best six results.

Sunday's victory has given Moffett a total of 111 championship points - the only driver currently to attain over 100 points.

Prior to the event, Longford's Shane Quinn was his closest and probably only realistic challenger. However, on the day's opening stage Quinn spun his Ford Fiesta Rally2 at high speed although he eventually finished the stage, he had lost over seven minutes and retired thereafter.

Donegal's Kevin Eves (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) took second spot - 7.6s behind Moffett's Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 and with the cancellation of final stage, Eves was subsequently awarded the Power Stage point on the final competitive stage (SS8). While Quinn remains in second place (79 points) with Eves (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) third (71 points) and Leitrim's Keelan Grogan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) moves to fourth with 56 points, none of the trio cannot surpass Moffett's 111 points total.

At best, Quinn would have to win both remaining rounds, the Donegal Harvest Rally and the Tipperary Stonethrowers Rally, and also take the Power Stage point (fastest on the final stage) on both events, to equal Moffett's points total. But in any tie-break (most event wins) situation Moffett still wins the title as he has already notched up four outright wins while Quinn (who has yet to secure a maiden national win) can only achieve two victories.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner on Monday, Moffett said, "I had a feeling after the rally and with Shane (Quinn) having a DNF that the championship, if not being won at that point, was fairly close but I couldn't actually get that confirmed. 

"To be honest, going into the last stage and as Kevin had won stage eight, I was hoping to get the bonus point for winning the Power Stage, but that didn't happen in the end. I know I said previously that after four wins, one starts thinking in your head it would be nice to get it for a fifth and I'd be content with that in some way or another. 

"But, this one is special insofar as it was tough at the beginning learning the new car (Toyota). It didn't start great (fourth in Mayo) but we persisted. Tom Gahan did a great job, we won the Birr Rally and that set us up nicely. I enjoy the national series, it's very compact. Yes, it's a nice feeling to have five victories." 

Moffett's previous national championship wins were in 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024.