MOFFETT AVOIDS THE CHAOS ON CHALLENGING MAYO EVENT
On a day of attrition Sam Moffett (Hyundai i20 Rally2) came out best on the Mayo Rally when he led from the start and finished 43.5 seconds in front of Daniel Cronin (VW Polo GTi R5). Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) was 27.7s further behind in third.
The slippery conditions claimed four of the top six on the opening stage. Top seed Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2) hit a bale which damaged the radiator, fellow Citroen driver Desi Henry floundered at the same spot and Declan Boyle came to grief a few kilometres later when he damaged a rear wheel. Michael Boyle became the fourth casualty when his VW Polo GTi R5 rear-ended a wall.
After all the drama Sam Moffett was the only top seed to hold a top-three position, 22.5s ahead of Marty Toner (Proton Satria) with Aidan Wray (VW Polo GTi R5) like Toner, seeded outside the top 20, now third. Cronin slipped off for a few seconds but was fourth. However, a stage later and courtesy of the best time, Cronin jumped into second. Tommy Doyle (Hyundai i20 R5) occupied third from Wray and Jason McSweeney (Skoda Fabia R5).
On the repeat of both stages Moffett, having made some adjustments to his Hyundai, increased his lead over Cronin to 33.9s. Having lost time earlier with intercom woes, a spin and an overshoot on SS3 demoted James Ford to seventh but he made an impressive recovery to hold third at the halfway mark. David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) added to the list of retirements when he damaged a rear arm and retired on SS4.
SS5 was cancelled for operational reasons. As Moffett, Cronin and Ford maintained their top-three positions, Doyle crashed out on SS6. The attrition continued on the penultimate stage when Ford beached his Citroen. Doherty inherited third followed by Wray, McSweeney and Toner.
Results
Organiser: Mayo Motorsport Club When: March 3 Where: Ballina, County Mayo Championships: Irish National Rally Championships, Border Rally Championship, West Coast Rally Championship, MI Junior Rally Series Starters: 148. 1 Sam Moffett/James O’Reilly (Hyundai i20 Rally2) 58m10.4s; 2 Daniel Cronin/Donnchadh Burke (VW Polo GTi R5) +43.5s; 3 Eddie Doherty/Tom Murphy (Skoda Fabia R5); 4 Aidan Wray/Peter Ward (VW Polo GTi R5); 5 Jason McSweeney/Liam Brennan (Skoda Fabia R5); 6 Marty Toner/Ben Teggart (Proton Satria); 7 Gary Kiernan/ John McCabe (Ford Fiesta R5); 8 Paul Barrett/Darragh Kelly (Citroen C3 Rally2); 9 Niall Maguire/Anthony Nestor (Citroen C3 R5); 10 Jonathan Pringle/Pierce O’Callaghan (Ford Escort). Class winners: Cathal Mullins/Darragh Mullins (Honda Civic); Dylan Eves/Ryan Farrell (Ford Fiesta); Jack Harris/Aaron O’Regan (Ford Fiesta); Ruairi McGarrity/Martin McGarrity (Citroen DS3 R3); Wray/Ward; Lloyd Hutchinson/Willie Fitzpatrick (Austin Mini Cooper S); Cathal Sheridan/Coel Leonard (Vauxhall Nova); Sam Johnston/Colin Duffy (Honda); Ben McIntyre/Anthony McDonald (Toyota Starlet); Michael Conlon/James McEneaney (Ford Escort); Aaron McIntyre/Derry Long (Toyota Starlet); Pringle/O’Callaghan; Keith Jacob/Michael Carr (Subaru Impreza); Toner/Teggart; David Armstrong/Tadhg Delaney (Ford Escort); Kyle McDaid/Conor Lappin (Honda Civic).