Entries open for Mayo Stages Rally

Fri, Jan 29, 2016

With just over six weeks to go until the 2016 Mayo Stages Rally on Sunday March 6, preparations are in full swing. Mayo and District Motorsport Club are delighted to welcome on board again. Hotel Ballina and Kennedy Motors as joint main sponsors of the popular west of Ireland event and thank them for their support in this, the 40th year since the establishment of the club.

2016 sees Mayo host the opening round of the National Rally Championship and for the first time welcomes Triton Showers, which commenced as title championship sponsor in 2015. In addition, Mayo and District Motorsport Club also welcome back to Mayo, Triton Showers' MD Kevin Barrett, who is a former winner of the Mayo Stages Rally. The rally will also be round one of the very popular Border Rally Championship, which in 2016 celebrates its 25th year. Sligo Pallets has played a massive role as title sponsor in this championship and 2016 will be its sixth year in the role. The stage is firmly set for many top rally drivers and co-drivers to battle it out for honours in north Mayo.

Moylette looks to avenge last years defeat

Fri, Dec 11, 2015

Islandeady boxer Ray Moylette is looking to avenge last year's defeat to Dean Walsh in the National Elite Championships (64kg) final this evening, when the two boxers meet again in the National Stadium in Dublin. Moylette who is a former World Youth Champion and European Senior Champion lost out last year to the Wexford based boxer on a split decision, which saw Walsh take the title and the boxer of the tournament award after a pulsating battle.

Duffy steps down after thirty years service

Fri, Dec 11, 2015

Members of Mayo and District Motorsport Club gathered at Hotel Ballina on Sunday last for the annual general meeting of the club. Secretary John Duffy provided a summary of the events run by the club during 2015 and concluded by announcing that he was stepping down as secretary after more than 30 years in this role. Chairman Matthew Murphy thanked John for his trojan work and commitment during this time. Joint treasurer Sinead Mc Hale presented an in depth report on the financial performance of the club and thanked her fellow treasurer Liam Healy for his substantial input. Club chairman Matthew Murphy, in an extensive report, thanked all who assisted the club throughout the year. He also reflected on the sad and untimely death of club member Margaret McGreal earlier in the year. PRO Andy Walsh reported that 2015 had been another successful year for the club and its members. There was continued success on the national scene where the highlights included 18-year-old Oisin Coffey from Ballyhaunis winning the overall National Loose Surface Autocross Junior Championship. Sixteen-year-old Jason Murphy from Shrule finished runner up in the National AutoGrass Championship, and Foxford’s Alan Moran finished runner up in the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Junior Championship. Moran was also crowned 2015 Mayo Young Driver Champion. While Aaron MacHale and Paul McGee were crowned 2015 Group N Irish Tarmac Champions.

Other members to receive awards on the day included Peter McManamon from Achill who won Club Person of the Year, The Ward family from Ballinrobe, Steve and his two sons Conor and Calum won Club Marshals of the Year, while James McGreal from Foxford won the club's Frank Harrington award. Congratulations were also extended to Ian Barrett from Maynooth who won the overall Frank Harrington Challenge award.

Wind and Rain in Wales – Jubilation in Ballyhaunis

Fri, Nov 20, 2015

Across the Irish sea at Rally GB held in Wales, the final round of the World Rally Championships, Mayo members Pauric Duffy and Kevin Glynn in the Killian Duffy managed P1 Rally Rentals Ford Fiesta, finished the three day event in 52nd place overall, this was after the Fiesta left the road during Saturday’s wet and extremely difficult gravel stages and ended up on its roof but the hard working service team led by Philip Case got the car repaired overnight and back out in action under Rally 2 on Sunday morning, where the boys recorded a good result in the difficult conditions.

Agony and ecstasy for Moran

Fri, Nov 13, 2015

Competitors can differ a lot in their reactions to a loss; some may be barely affected or may forget the loss almost immediately. Others will be virtually devastated and may be low-spirited for days. We know now, after the weekend, that Alan Moran from Foxford prefers to move on, forget the past, and seize the first opportunity to get back on top of the podium. On Saturday last Moran, his navigator John Burke, and their hard working service crew led by James McGreal and Sean McHugh made the trip north to the seventh and final round of the 2015 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forestry Championship, the Mid-Antrim Motor Club's Glens of Antrim Rally.

Moffett reigns in Mayo

Fri, Oct 23, 2015

Josh Moffett and Jason McKenna took victory on Sunday at Round Six of the 2015 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forestry Championship, Mayo and District Motorsport Club’s Crockets on the Quay Mayo Mini-Stages Forest Rally.

Southern shootout to light up Sunday evening

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

This one should be special, just as in the junior final that precedes it, the local rivalry between both sides will add something special to Sunday's intermediate final. Hollymount-Carramore and The Neale have crossed swords plenty of times down through the years, but never with this much at stake.

Very little between north Mayo rivals in junior decider

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

The All Ireland minor championship sponsors have been using the tagline "this is major" as part of their promotion of that grade in recent years and it could quite easily be applied to what is going to happen on Sunday when Ardnaree and Killala meet at 3pm in the Mayo junior final. This all north Mayo battle promises to be an encounter that will be one for the ages. Ardanree have been knocking at the door in the junior championship so hard over the past number of years there is no paint left on it at this stage, but they have just failed to make grade each time, losing finals in 2009, 2011, and 2012. You also have to go back as far as 1971 to find the last time they claimed the title.

Westport United move one step closer to the title

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

Westport United maintained their four point cushion at the weekend thanks to a facile 7-1 away win over relegated Straide and Foxford Utd. Both Mark McNally and Jamie Fallon bagged braces along with efforts from Pat Fitzgerald and Dave Cameron and an unfortunate own goal. It was plain sailing for the Covies throughout who had built up a comfortable 5-0 interval advantage.

Let the games begin - Connacht’s fixture marathon opens with visit of Zebre

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

The 16-game marathon begins for Connacht this evening when they host Zebre at the Galway Sportsground (7.30pm). This unprecedented lengthy succession of games, owing to the World Cup, will test Connacht's squad to the limit. It is a hefty schedule of 10 Pro 12 fixtures, that include the Christmas and New Year interprovincials, and six European matches, including the trip to Siberia to face Enisei and back-to-back games with Newcastle. It comes to a brief respite at the end of January.

Valvoline Forestry Championship Spreads to Mayo Forests!

Fri, Oct 16, 2015

This Sunday sees the sixth round of the 2015 Valvoline Motorsport Ireland National Forestry Championship, the Mayo and District Motorsport Club’s- Mayo Mini Stages- Forest Rally, based in beautiful Ballina.

Clerk of the Course Trevor O’Connell and his team have brought forestry rallying back to the area after a fifteen year absence, and there is great enthusiasm for this important penultimate championship round. The rally is designed as a user friendly event with centralised service in Ballycastle on tarmac and Rally HQ, Crockets on the Quay in Ballina. Coupled with a 40km compact loop of stages, the stage is set for another chapter in this intriguing Valvoline series. For championship leader Mick O’Brien in his Focus WRC, this penultimate round is crucial, especially after a drama filled Lakeland Stages event, where Mick struck trouble and finished back the field and Josh Moffett in his Evo 9, took a well-deserved second place and a useful haul of points. The calculators at the ready, and it’s all a lot closer than the thirty-one point margin reflected in the overall points tally. With Mayo new to everyone it’s a level playing field, and the question is will the stages suit the O’Brien combination in the Focus WRC, or the surprisingly nimble Gerry McGarrity built Group A Evo of Josh Moffett. Bearing in mind Josh is contesting the Cambrian Rally the day before in his Fiesta WRC, it’s going to be a hard task for Mick O’Brien. “I haven’t really weighed up what way to play it” said Mick. “The stages will be new to everyone and probably haven’t been used for a long time, so we don’t know what they are like. It’s whether to go flat out or make sure we finish it. It certainly is a good way to end the season with the title still in contention!”

MacHale and McGee hold their bottle in Cork

Fri, Oct 09, 2015

In a busy weekend for Mayo and District Motorsport Club members the highlight was down south at the Cork 20 International Rally. Aaron MacHale and Paul McGee were crowned the 2015 Clonakilty Blackpudding Irish Tarmac Group N Champions with a 10th place finish overall, giving them the necessary points to take the crown.

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