Moffett Masterclass in Monaghan tightens grip on Triton Showers National title
Josh Moffett’s victory on the Ronnie Hawe Memorial Monaghan Stages Rally over the August Bank Holiday weekend has placed the Monaghan driver firmly in the driver’s seat for the 2026 Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally Championship.
Driving a Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 alongside co-driver Andy Hayes, Moffett delivered a controlled performance from start to finish to claim his fifth home event victory. It marks his third National Championship win of the season following earlier triumphs at the Birr Stages and the Circuit of Munster.
Originally scheduled as round three in April, the Monaghan Stages Rally faced a date change following a postponement that moved it to the August Bank Holiday weekend, effectively making it round five of the series. Full credit goes to the County Monaghan Motor Club team, based at the Four Seasons Hotel, for successfully restructuring and running the event.
With former winners David Kelly (Mayo) and Michael Boyle (Carlow) both absent from the rescheduled Monaghan event, Moffett’s victory drastically reshapes the title permutations as the series looks ahead to round six, the Bluebird Care Galway Summer Rally on August 23.
Unofficially, up to three rounds remain in the 2026 title chase: Galway in late August, the Donegal Harvest Rally in October, and the potentially rescheduled Stonethrowers Rally, which was postponed in July due to high temperatures and melting tarmac.
However, with three victories out of five events already secured, matching Moffett’s tally will be a steep challenge for his rivals over the closing months.
“It’s been a good day,” Josh Moffett said after sealing the win. “The lads made it hard work and pushed hard, very hard from the first stage, but it paid off in the end. The bit of rain near the end made it interesting! This Toyota has served us well so far this season, and it’s always special to win your home event.”
Quinn Keeps Up the Pressure as Eves Steps onto Title Podium
Midlands-based driver Shane Quinn, partnered by Stephen Reynolds in a Ford Fiesta Rally2, remains Moffett’s closest challenger in the standings. Quinn showed winning pace throughout the day, setting a fastest stage time on the middle loop and proving his maiden National victory is not far off.
However, a frustrating puncture on the opening loop dropped Quinn to seventh early on. He mounted a fightback over the remaining tests to climb back to fourth overall keeping his championship hopes alive.
The navigators’ championship race has taken an interesting twist following the date change. Moffett’s regular National co-driver,
Keith Moriarty, was unavailable over the Bank Holiday weekend, leading Moffett to call on his Irish Tarmac Championship navigator, Andy Hayes.
As a result Quinn’s co-driver Stephen Reynolds could hold a vital advantage in the co-drivers’ title race heading into the final rounds.
Kevin Eves and Chris Melly put in a strong performance in their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 to finish third overall. Eves traded times with Quinn throughout the afternoon and set the fastest time on the penultimate stage. The podium result moves Eves directly into a prime position in the overall championship standings, with both Eves and Quinn demonstrating the pace to challenge for overall wins before the season concludes.
“Very happy, good race with the boys and we had a great battle with Shane in fourth place, pity about his punctures,” Eves said after the finish. “It is very interesting in what this car is capable of.”
Moffett established his lead on the opening loop despite noting dusty conditions on the stages. Behind him, brother Sam Moffett made a return to National Championship action alongside James O’Reilly in a new Skoda Fabia RS Rally2.
Sam held second overall throughout the day, finishing 19.7 seconds behind Josh.
“Pleased as I did not have much seat time in the car,” Sam Moffett said at the finish. “I tested it on Friday night and it fitted like a glove. We kept Josh honest all day, and I am eager to get out more often.”
Late entry Tommy Doyle made a return to competition alongside Liam Moynihan, guiding his Hyundai i20 Rally2 to fifth overall.
Aidan Wray and Paddy McCrudden recovered from a spin and a tight multi-point turn on stage five to bring their Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 home in eighth place, while Daniel Cronin and Padraig O’Donovan finished tenth in a Toyota Yaris to secure their third top-ten finish of the National campaign.
McPhillips Takes Modified Honours as Mk2 Trophy Remains Open
The Modified class provided intense battles on the Monaghan tarmac, with local driver Gary McPhillips and co-driver Ger Conway leading the Ford Escort Mk2 field home in sixth overall to take the Class 14 win.
McPhillips set a high pace from SS1, building an early lead over neighbour Dessie Keenan (Ford Escort Mk2), who finished second in class and seventh overall alongside Jason McKenna.
“It’s great to get the win, especially with such a strong lineup of drivers up here,” McPhillips said. “We had good confidence in the morning and we were pushing hard.”
Ger Conway added: “We had a good day. We got the gap in the morning and held onto it. The competition is so strong here, and every tenth of a second counts.”
McPhillips took maximum points in the overall Escort Mk2 Trophy standings with his victory. With leader Pringle recording a non-finish,
Scottish visitor Gordon Morrison aded to his tally and now leads the category , with third-placed James Cassidy along with Johno Doogan (who finished as the fourth Escort home in Monaghan) all in the mix, the Mk2 title race remains wide open heading to Galway.
Daniel McKenna and Ronan O’Neill recovered from an early encounter with a chicane bale to finish ninth overall and third in Class 14. In doing so, McKenna won the inaugural Brian McKenna Memorial Trophy, awarded for the fastest time set by a Monaghan club driver in a modified car on Stage 4. The award, named in memory of Brian McKenna, was decided by just two-tenths of a second over Keenan and McPhillips.
“I really wanted to be the first name on it,” McKenna said. “Brian was a very good friend of ours. This new trophy is going to make stage four of the Monaghan Rally very interesting from now on.”
Class Highlights
In Class 13, Ben McIntyre and Anthony McDonald secured class victory and 13th overall in their Toyota Starlet RWD after an impressive effort from their service crew, who successfully replaced an axle during the second service stop.
In Class 2, Danny Brady and Mark McGeehan won the class in a Peugeot 208, managing their lead after rival Oran England retired on SS1. The win keeps Brady in strong contention for the second-half Billy Coleman Award nomination.
In Class 2A, Gemma Hallinan and Ciara Duggan claimed victory in their Ford Fiesta as the top all-female crew. The result marked a first class win for both, ending a run of three non-finishes, and was the 52nd rally start for co-driver Duggan.
Molly Maguire and co-driver Conor Mohan took top local female honours for County Monaghan Motor Club. Mohan drew on his night-navigation experience on SS8 to bypass a stage obstruction via a farm lane, leading a queue of 15 cars safely back onto the route.
In the Sandero Cup (Class 23), Evan Stapleton and Eddie Byrne took the win ahead of Cillian and Lauren Doherty.
In the Historic Category, Michael McDaid and Peter Ward took top honours in a Ford Escort BDA ahead of Noel Doyne/Sean Og Doyne and Brendan McAree/Kevin Treanor.
In the Junior Category, Jamie Jervis and Ryan Kennedy won in a Honda Civic, finishing 30 seconds clear of Colin Maguire and Stephen McElroy.
Attention now turns to the Galway Summer Rally on August 23, where Moffett will look to move one step closer to sealing the 2026 National title.
