Moffett victorious after Bushwhacker battle - Bushwhacker Rally 2026 Review

Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes had to dig deep to pull out an overall victory on Omagh Motor Club’s Bushwhacker Rally on what was one of the most exciting days of rallying this season. Moffett and Hayes now move level with Mark Donnelly and Martin Brady in the Championship with just two rounds left to go.

The Bushwhacker has a reputation for being one of the fastest gravel rallies on the island and is popularly known as the ‘Omagh Grand Prix’ and it more than lived up to its name with flat out stages and some incredibly tight racing. 

Mark Donnelly and Martin Brady travelled to Wales the week before the rally in order to get some seat time in their new Skoda and this seemed to have paid off as they went fastest on the first stage at Slievedoo. The duo survived a massive moment when they clipped a bank on the inside of a fast right hander and were launched onto two wheels which seemed to shake Mark’s confidence just a touch. Nevertheless, they opened up a 3.3 second advantage over Moffett, with Jordan and Paul Hone just two tenths further back to continue the three-way battle that has been raging all season.

Josh, who had also welcomed a new baby during the week, was faster than Donnelly on SS2 and SS3 to cut the gap to 2.6 seconds. It was the Hones who put in the stand-out performance of the opening loop however as they flew through SS4 and SS5 to leapfrog Moffett and move into second place, only 0.9 seconds back from Donnelly. With Moffett third and only a further two tenths back on Hone, it looked set for a grandstand finish with our three Championship rivals separated by just 1.1 seconds.

The bogey was unfortunately beaten by most of the leading crews on SS6, but Moffett and Donnelly swapped fastest times on SS7 and SS8. Jordan Hone was perplexed by his stage times, feeling that he was driving better than on the morning loop which was not being reflected by the clocks. SS9 would prove to be the decisive stage in the event. Moffett took a huge 6.3 seconds off of Donnelly on the altered running of Lough Bradan, and while Hone managed to find his pace and go even quicker it wasn’t enough to make up for lost time. Moffett and Donnelly remarkably set equal times on the final stage, meaning Josh took the victory by 4.6 seconds, his third of the season.

David Condell and Michael Coady were fourth in their Skoda and were one of several crews who were struggling with power on the first loop but were much happier in the evening. Ian Dickson and Mark McGeehan were fifth.

In the 2WD category, Paddy McToal and Connor O’Loan picked up where they left off on the Lakeland Stages with a fastest time on SS1. They wouldn’t have it their own way however as Hugh McQuaid and Declan Casey took time from them with a fastest time on SS2. McToal had stretched the lead to 9.7 seconds by service, although it had not been without risks as they clipped chicanes on both SS4 and SS5 and carried a bent wing for the rest of the day. Shane McGirr and Denver Rafferty were early casualties with break issues, while Liam McQuaid and Mervyn Galbraith retired after a strong early start.

McToal’s primary concern on the second loop was battling for the overall 2WD honours with Paul Barrett, who was not registered for championship points but was putting in an incredible performance in his historic Escort. McToal ultimately came out on top by just 0.7 seconds. McQuaid and Casey seemed like they would keep pushing them on throughout the day, but dropped over three minutes with an off-road excursion on SS7. This promoted Jack Harris and Aaron O’Regan, who are continuing to focus on Class 2 points, into a fine second place in their lower-powered Rally4 car which means they remain 22 points clear at the top of the 2WD standings. Shane McCanney and Diarmaid Campbell finished a fine third in their Class 13 Twincam, meaning we had three class winners on the 2WD podium.

Things were just as interesting in the class battles. Jack Harris has put himself into pole position in Class 2, although he still requires one more points finish to secure the title. The Class 2A battle between Tommy Furlong and Francis Kelly has continued to be tit-for-tat and Furlong took the victory in Omagh with a fantastic drive, but it seems likely they will have more competition in Laois when the MIJRS contenders rejoin the series. Jack Brennan’s winning streak in Class 4 ended after his engine expired on SS7, handing a maximum score to Darragh Kelly which closes the gap to seven points. 

Gerard Walshe was the only starter in Class 9 but unfortunately retired in service after picking up suspension damage, while Paul Cullen and Brian Rowan took maximum points in Class 10. Class 11F continues to provide one of the most intriguing battles in the championship, with Eugene Ward and Christy Butler level on points and Mickey Joe Browne just six points behind. Browne was victorious on the Bushwhacker with a very good performance. The long trip north didn’t pay dividends for the sole Class 11R runner Mick Cuddihy who retired after SS8, while Cormac Noonan kept his Class 12 hopes alive with a maximum score. Class 13 has gotten very interesting after Hugh McQuaid’s excursion, as Shane McCanney movesinto the class lead by just 1 point, with Mark Stewart now third a further eight points back. Paddy McToal closed the gap in Class 14, while event sponsor Robert McKelvey took maximum points in Class 15. Last but not least, Ali Burrows seems well placed to secure the Class 20 silverware after another maximum points finish.

The championship now heads to Laois on October 4th for the Laois Rally Sport Club’s inaugural forestry rally, which promises to be an incredibly exciting event with a lovely loop of stages that offers a fresh challenge as we enter the home stretch of the 2026 season. The Dogleap Rally in Limavady will host the conclusion to the series on October 17th.

Want to keep up to date with the Trailer Parts & Spares Irish Forest Rally Championship? Check out the Championship Website at www.IRLForestRally.com, the online Sportity Noticeboard at IrishForestChamp, or check out the Championship on Facebook & Instagram!