Drinagh man enjoys Carbery Navigation Trial success

BY MARTIN WALSH

THE current Motorsport Ireland National Navigation Trial champions, Mallow’s Derek Butler and Drinagh’s Denis O’Donovan (Subaru), kept up their remarkable and successful run in the Carbery Navigation Trial with their third victory in a row in last weekend’s event. They finished the 75-mile event without incurring any penalties.

The all-local crew of Rosscarbery’s Brian O’Mahony and Leap’s Amy Gallwey (Subaru) were second with just two penalties with the Mogeely/Ballincollig pairing of James Fitzgerald/Ken Carmody, also in a Subaru, finishing third with three penalties.

On the opening section of the event that was based at The Pike Community Hall, almost half of the entry were on a clean sheet until time points at Lyre saw a number of Monaghan crews incur penalties.

An Intermediate Time Check (ITC) between Lyre and Gearagh Bridge narrowed the leading crews with Butler/O’Donovan, Fitzgerald/Carmody and the Ulster crew of James McCabe/ Shane Farrell (Subaru) all maintaining a clean sheet.

Although O’Mahony/Gallwey incurred a penalty at the ITC and another at TP 27 near Ballinacarriga, they were still in the hunt.

At that point Butler/O’Donovan and Fitzgerald/Carmody were the only crews with an unblemished performance, however, the latter duo picked up a total of three penalties from TP32 and TP34 around Castleventry to drop to third behind O’Mahony/Gallwey leaving Butler/O’Donovan as the only crew to navigate the route with a 100 percent success.

‘I think it’s my seventh win at this event,’ O’Donovan told The Southern Star.  ‘I know it’s three in a row for Derek and myself. The plot and bash section at T.P. 32 north of Reenascreena was particularly tough. There is always an extra sense of achievement when you keep a clean sheet, but it was far from easy.’

Results: 1. D Butler/D O'Donovan (Subaru) 0 penalties; 2. B O'Mahony/A Gallwey (Subaru) 2 pens; 3. J Fitzgerald/K Carmody (Subaru) 3 pens.

Experts: 1. J Fitzgerald/K Carmody (Subaru) 3 pens; 2. D Mackerel/C Boylan (Subaru) 7 pens; 3. A Shinnors/G Shinnors (Subaru) 8 pens.

Semi-Experts: D Kelly/R Treanor (Subaru) 4 pens; 2. M Carbin/C Mohan (Subaru) 5 pens; 3. S Dalton/Seamus McTigue (Subaru) 6 pens.

Novices: 1. B O'Mahony/A Gallwey (Subaru) 2 pens; 2. E Corr/S Maguire (Subaru) 23 pens; 3. R O'Neill/R Farrell (Subaru) 50 pens.

Beginners: 1. S McHugh/T Mulcahy (Subaru) 220 pens.