Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship: Round 3 preview – Monaghan Rally
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Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship: Round 3 preview – Monaghan Rally

Caption: Co-driver Keith Moriarty (Limerick) with Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship manager Laura McMenamin and driver Josh Moffett (Monaghan) won last time out in Nenagh. Photo: Dermot Kelleher.

Local champions and title contenders set for Monaghan showdown
The Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship returns to Monaghan this Sunday for the Ronnie Hawe Memorial Rally. Round three of the series carries a unique tradition, as the County Monaghan Motor Club event is one of the few in the country where several local members are past overall winners.
Leading the charge is defending champion and four-time winner Josh Moffett. Partnered by Keith Moriarty in a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, Moffett arrives on the back of a victory in Birr that moved him into the championship lead. He is joined by his brother Sam Moffett, a three-time winner in 2013, 2014, and 2017, who will campaign a Hyundai i20 R5 with James O’Reilly.
Further down the entry, seven-time Monaghan winner Niall Maguire returns with his daughter Molly on the notes. Adding to the list of local victors is Dessie Keenan, who won the event in 2007 and 2008. Making his first appearance of the season in a Ford Escort, Keenan and Jason McKenna will provide a high-speed benchmark for the modified regulars.
Title race intensifies
The championship battle is at a high point following the absence of several frontrunners in round two. David Kelly, winner of round one in Mayo, returns to the national trail. Partnered by Killarney’s Shane Buckley in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, Kelly arrives with significant momentum following his historic Circuit of Ireland victory over the Easter weekend.
Shane Quinn and Stephen Reynolds sit second in the championship standings in their Ford Fiesta Rally2. Following their first-ever podium in Birr, the Longford-Leitrim crew are just two points behind Moffett.
The all Donegal crew of Kevin Eves and Chris Melly, third last time out in Birr, will be looking to go a few places better on the final leader, especially considering it was in Monaghan two years ago that they scored their first National podium.
Tyrone’s Jason Dickson and Martin Brady, currently fourth in the points, also feature in another Ford Fiesta.
The Boyle family returns in force after skipping the previous round. Michael Boyle, Declan Boyle, and Matthew Boyle all bring Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 machinery to the Monaghan lanes. Eamonn Kelly also returns to action, debuting a rebuilt Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 following his retirement on the Galway International in January.
High-stakes modified battle
The modified entry features Aaron McIntyre and Darren O’Brien in their Toyota Starlet. McIntyre arrives with high confidence after snatching the Birr modified win by just 0.1 of a second. He faces immediate pressure from Jonathan Pringle and Pierce O’Callaghan, who were on the losing end of that narrow margin in Nenagh.
Local interest remains high with Johno Doogan and Paul Lennon also among the leading Class 14 contenders in their Ford Escort Mk2. Mayo modified winner Brian Lavelle brings his Ford Escort to the border stages, while Gary McPhillips returns to the seat after a retirement in round one. McPhillips will have Kerry’s Ger Conway on the notes in his Escort. Local favorites David Moffett and Michael Carbin also feature in a two-wheel-drive field that includes Chris Armstrong and Rodney Wilton.
In the Historic class, Donegal’s Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy lead the way in their BMW M3 E30.
The rally gets underway at 930am on Sunday morning, ahead lies nine stages in close proximity to Monaghan town. After every three stages the crews visit the official service park the Combi Lift factory in Monaghan.
Full details of the routes and entry list are available in the official programme which is available locally in the days leading up to the rally.
Principal Entries
Driver Navigator Car
Josh Moffett Keith Moriarty Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
David Kelly Shane Buckley Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Michael Boyle Dermot McCafferty Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Eamonn Kelly Conor Mohan Toyota GR Yaris Rally2
Shane Quinn Stephen Reynolds Ford Fiesta Rally2
Declan Boyle Patrick Walsh Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Kevin Eves Chris Melly Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Sam Moffett James O’Reilly Hyundai i20 R5
Cathan McCourt Barry McNulty Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Jason Dickson Martin Brady Ford Fiesta Rally2
Paul Barrett Darragh Kelly Citroen C3 Rally2
Matthew Boyle Gary Byrne Skoda Fabia RS Rally2
Ryan McHugh Declan Boyle Ford Fiesta Rally2
Keelan Grogan Ayrton Sherlock Ford Fiesta Rally2

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