Festival Of Motorsport, Ireland

1979 World Rally Champion Bjorn Waldegard gives the media a sample of what to expect at the Festival of Motorsport on Saturday 2 June. picture:Jonathan MacDonald/MEDIAJAM

Armagh Lions Club Festival of Motorsport

Early morning sunshine graced the beautiful surroundings at Stormont today as Armagh Lions Club and North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club Ltd (NAMCC Ltd) launched their inaugural Festival of Motorsport.

Due to take place in Loughgall Country Park, County Armagh, on Saturday 2 June, Stormont reverberated to the sound of rally and autotest cars as MLAs sampled high-octane action outside Parliament Buildings.

This weekend's Festival is the first of its kind on these shores. Organised to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care, the event will consist of a Historic Rally Car Challenge over a 2.75 mile all-tarmac special stage, Apple Blossom Autotest, as well as static cars displays.

It has attracted world renowned talent from home ground and further afield, including 1979 World Rally Champion, Swede Björn Waldegård. He is joined by a number of former British and Irish rally champions and the Festival will also feature some of Northern Ireland's leading autotest talent. Combined with static car displays, family entertainment (including the Red Bull display team), as well as professional catering facilities, Loughgall Country Park will be a hive of activity this weekend! Speaking at today's launch, Festival Director Kieran McAnallen said: "I am delighted with the progress that has been made by the Armagh Lions Club and North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club to bring this spectacular event together. From something which started quite small, I can't believe it has grown into such a major sporting event. It promises to be day which the public will enjoy immensely, and with sponsors on board in the form of the Donnelly Group, even bigger and better events are promised for the future!"

It was Armagh Lions Club member, Ivor Ferguson, who conceived the idea just one year ago following the running of the Apple Blossom Autotest (again a joint venture between Armagh Lions Club and NAMCC Ltd). He thought it would be a fantastic idea to bring a historic rally to Loughgall Country Park and turn it into a bigger event.

"It's great to be here today after the Festival of Motorsport was conceived from an initial idea just 12 months ago," Ivor Ferguson said. "The jointly organised original venture included an autotest and static displays in Loughgall Country Park last year. It has grown to include the Historic Rally Car Challenge and much more this year. I'm very pleased to see how it has progressed and we hope to continue this successful event for many years to come."

1979 World Rally Champion, Bjorn Waldegard (left) took Councillor William Irwin, Mayor of Armagh City & District Council, for a spin in Alan Jardine's Ford Escort Mark 1 rally car at Parliament Buildings, Stormont. picture:Jonathan MacDonald/MEDIAJAM

North Armagh Motorcycle & Car Club Ltd is no stranger to organising high profile events, with its Turkington Lurgan Park Rally attracting thousands of spectators to Lurgan in August. Thousands of spectators are also expected in Loughgall this weekend, as competitors of past and present roar into action.

"On behalf of North Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club Ltd, it's fantastic to have the use of this magnificent venue," said NAMCC Ltd Clerk of the Course, William Fullerton. "We have a new tarmac special stage this year with a great layout. To run a historic rally is a wonderful new venture for us as a motor club and it's a unique event in Northern Ireland motorsport. It's great to see so much interest in the events which is reflected in the high quality entries."

Indeed, massive interest has been received for the Historic Rally Car Challenge and the event has been boosted by a number of overseas entries. Sweden's Björn Waldegård, the 1979 World Rally Champion, will reacquaint himself with the same Ford Escort RS1800 which he used to win the 1977 Safari Rally.

"It was 30 years ago when I last drove this car," Waldegård said. "I have very fond memories and it's great to have the opportunity to drive it again. I'm really looking forward to the rally this weekend and to be back again competing in Ireland!"

Waldegård will be joined by former British Rally Champion, Russell Brookes. He is twice winner of the British series, and is a former works driver for many teams. He will be reunited with a Talbot Sunbeam, while Irishman Billy Coleman will join the fray in an RS1800 Escort. He is also a former winner of the British Championship, as well as the Irish Tarmac Championship.

A number of other distinguished names can also be found on the entry list, including Cathal Curley, Adrian Boyd, Tony Fall, Ivor Clark and Dessie McCartney. Meanwhile, entries for the Apple Blossom Autotest are equally spectacular, with a number of Northern Ireland's leading lights. Drivers such as Eric Patterson, Noel Cochrane, Ken Irwin, Raymond Donaldson and Sam Bowden are just the tip of the iceberg.

Gates in Loughgall Country Park open at 9am on Saturday with festivities getting underway at 10am. Entry to the venue costs £10 per person (accompanied children under 16 are free), with Marie Curie Cancer Care benefiting from the proceeds. A full colour programme will be available and free parking will be provided.

Historic Rally Car Challenge - top 15 entries

1 Bjorn Waldegard/Kevin Toner Ford Escort RS1800

2 Billy Coleman/Colm Quinn Ford Escort RS1800

3 Russell Brookes/Desmond Mallon Talbot Sunbeam Lotus

4 Cahal Curley/Elkin Robinson Porsche 911

5 Tony Fall/TBA Mini Cooper S

6 Adrian Boyd/Brian Boyd Renault Alpine A110

7 Ivor Clark/Martin McGrath Hillman Avenger

8 Dessie McCartney/TBA Porsche 911

9 Robin Eyre-Maunsell/Norman Henderson Sunbeam Tiger

10 Roy Cathcart/TBA Ford Escort RS1800

11 John Keatley/Maurice Beckett Ford Escort RS1800

12 John McClean/Patrick McBride Ford Escort RS1800

14 Andrew McLoone/James Sharkey Ford Escort RS1800

15 Mervyn Johnston/Stuart Hyland Austin Mini Cooper S

Apple Blossom Autotest (top two in each class) Noel Cochrane (last year's winner) - MG MidgetClass

1 Robert Dickson - Mini SpecialClass

1 Samuel Baird - Wolseley HornetClass

2 David Jenkins - MG MidgetClass 2

Mike Adair - MG MidgetClass

3 Eric Patterson - Vauxhall NovaClass

3 Wallace McKee - Vauxhall Chevette

Boston GAA Sunday May 27, 2007

Tom's Dermot Fox had to get the boot in as he charged forward through the Cork backline[Photo Neil McDaid]

Game 1, SHC: Fr. Tom Burkes 3:16 to Cork 0:08
Another disastrous outing for the rebels in this their second meeting with the Fr. Toms in 2007. Cork made little or no improvement over their last performance in the Sheehan Cup semi’s. Tom's had pulled well ahead in the first half, showing a score of 1-10 to 0-05 at the break. Cork clearly lacked the legs and only managed a meager three points in the second half, while Tom's would add 2:06.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wolf Tones would try to muscle their way past Donegal [Photo Neil McDaid]

Game 2, SFC: Donegal 0:11 to Wolf Tones 0:07.
Donegal would see a hard hitting effort from the Wolf Tones in their first game of the 2007 championship. A full Donegal / Tones game report can be found at www.donegal.us

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kieran Cox, for the Gaels, coming in for a hard landing [Photo Neil McDaid]

Game 3, SFC: Connemara Gaels 2:19 to Armagh 1-05
The departure of some key players from Armagh is beginning to show in their early season performance in 2007. They would take to the field on this Sunday to face a Gaels team that showed the same vigor and energy that brought them oh so very close to taking it all in 2006. Early work up front from Coxey [Kieran Cox] with the assistance of a fitter looking Bosco O’Halloran would start to put the hurt on Armagh, and it was all downhill from there. A scuffle in the second half would add salt to an already bleeding Armagh side when their big man in center field, Gerry O’Reilly, would be sent to the line on a red card. Armagh will need to right themselves in the next two weeks as they are scheduled to meet McAnespies on June 10th.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Wall was just outstanding for Tipp [Photo Neil McDaid]

Game 4, SCH: Tipperary 3:18 to Wexford 1-04
As with the football game that proceeded, the second hurling game on the day would prove to be a one-sided affair. Not the typical performance we would expect from Wexford. I would have to say that a few of their key players might have been overworked as Peter Nolan, Pat Nolan, Peter Ryan, Donal Redmond, and Jonathon Ryan all featured for Galway in a hard fought 85 degree football game the night before. But in saying that, the same was not true for the clear star of this game the multi-talented John Wall for Tipp, Wall had also played the night before for the Blues against Galway and showed little affect. Wall was unstoppable as he notched up point after point . Paul McElligot would take credit for the three goals that were registered for Tipp. With the pressure on, tempers flared resulting in the ejection of Wexford’s Jonathon Ryan and Tipp’s Cronan Dempsey. The only bright spot for Wexford was a back handed goal from Pat Slone, who also contributed a few points.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

McAnespies had a lot of trouble containing Cork in the first half [Photo Neil McDaid]

Game 5, SCF Cork 1-9 to McAnespies 1-12

To the surprise of the McAnespies and many others on the side lines, Cork would put in an effort like we have not seen from them in awhile. It would make for one of the most exciting action packed games of the day. McAnespies, who stormed through to take the 2007 O’Brien Cup, were unable to answer the game that Cork brought to the field in the first half. Cork’s captain, Gavin Wren, would run riot around McAnespies' back line, scoring three of Cork's first half points. Wren would also drive home a great goal against McAnespies' keeper Derek Davis and Declan Traynor, who was also on the goal line. At the break Cork were ahead by 1:07 to 0:05.
Eugene McKenna would find his mark for the McAnespies early in the second. That, along with Peadar Nugent being brought in from the bench, would finally see things starting to turn in McAnespies' favor. Under pressure to stay ahead Cork would fowl Paddy McCusker in the space, resulting in a penalty being awarded to the Mc’s. Christy Lynch slotted the ball into the left corner just past the finger tips of Cork's keeper Keith McNamara. Colm McCory, who had worked so hard for McAnespies in the first half, would tie with score with a great point he ran in from midfield.
Kieran Connelly, who was definitely in control of midfield for Cork throughout the game, would take a hard tackle from Declan Traynor, putting him on the ground for some time. Traynor was ejected from the game on his second yellow. Points from McGettigan, McCrory and McKenna would make the difference for McAnespies, as they just about got past Cork.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------