National title for Longford's Pakie Duffy

Midland Motor Club member Pakie Duffy alongside Evin Hughes secured the National Navigation Championship (2025/2026) recently. 

With one round of the championship still to run Pakie Duffy from Drumlish and Evin Hughes from Ballybay secured yet another title following a 2nd place finish in the Cavan MC run event. This was Duffy’s fourth title and a fifth one for Hughes. 

The penultimate event of the year was based in Ballymagauran, Co Cavan, with the route taking the 35 crews around the Cavan/Leitrim area.  

Related: PICTURES | Longford and Midland Motorclub crews compete at Cavan night navigation event

Monaghan pair Derek Mackarel/Conor Boylan (Subaru Impreza) won the event on fourteen penalties. It was a challenging course with the top team incurring penalties on timepoint 8 following a tricky section near the Leitrim/Cavan border. 

Duffy/Hughes also incurred penalties at an earlier timepoint involving a plot and bash. 

Another plot and bash sections at Bawnboy saw additional penalties for Duffy/Hughes, who eventually finished on 33 penalties but did enough to secure another title.

Longford/Monaghan crew of Shane Dalton/Ryan Treanor in a Subaru were in contention for an event win with six penalties until a double-visit to one time point saw them receive an additional thirty penalties and a fourth place finish. 

Related: Experienced Longford duo begin defence of hard earned rally titles

Cavan Navigation Trial (Round 8, National Navigation Trial Championship) Ballymagauran. Co. Cavan: 1st D Mackarel / C Boylan (Subaru Impreza) 14 pens, 2nd  P Duffy / E Hughes (Subaru Impreza) 33 pens,  3rd S Laverty / C Coyne (Subaru Impreza) 34 pens, 4th S Dalton / R Traynor (Subaru Impreza) 36 pens, 5th A Keenan / S Marron (Subaru Impreza) 43pens, 6th G Gallagher / Jake Mahoney (Subaru Impreza) 53pens.