Monaghan pair Josh Moffett and Stephen Thornton (Ford Fiesta R5+) won the Omagh-based McKelvey Asbestos Bushwhacker Rally, the final round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship and the penultimate event in the McGrady Insurance Northern Ireland Rally Championship.

Moffett, quickest on seven of the 11 stages, finished 19 seconds ahead of the similar car of Tyrone’s Vivian Hamill and co-driver Andrew Grennan.

Top seeds Derry’s Desi Henry and Millstreet co-driver Liam Moynihan (Skoda Fabia R5) fought back to finish third — eight seconds behind.

Despite retiring from the rally with an oil leak, Derek McGarrity (Ford Focus WRC) netted his eighth Northern Ireland Rally Championship title.

Henry, running first on the road, lost time with the loose gravel that he swept away for his rivals. McGarrity had a moment on the second stage but managed to get his Ford Focus quickly back on the forest track.

After the opening three stages Moffett led the similar car of Barry McKenna by three seconds with Henry in third.

McGarrity was fourth but withdrew at the service park due to an oil leak.

Antrim’s Connor McCloskey (Subaru WRC) on his first rally in four months occupied fifth followed by Tyrone’s Adrian Hetherington (Toyota Corolla WRC), who lost time at a chicane. In the two-wheel category Down’s David Crossen (Escort) led the way although he hit a chicane on the opening stage, his rival, local driver Paul Barrett (Escort) spun on S.S. 2.

McKenna slid into a ditch and out of the rally on S.S. 5, rally leader Moffett endured a spin and hit a wheel and saw his lead cut to just two seconds by Henry, who still needed victory to keep his NI championship hopes alive.

Hamill was eight seconds further back in a top six that also featured McCloskey, Omagh’s Patrick O’Brien (Mitsubishi) and Down’s Cathan McCourt (Ford Fiesta R5).

A moment on S.S. 4 didn’t cost Crossen his lead in the two-wheel drive section where Barrett was just four seconds away but Shane McGirr (Escort) lost touch with transmission trouble.

Out on S.S. 6 Henry’s bid for glory took a tumble when the gear linkage of his Skoda Fabia R5 came loose and he had to secure it with several cable ties. By S.S. 8 Moffett had moved 13 seconds ahead of Hamill with McCloskey third — 10 seconds further behind.

Having claimed the Valvoline Irish Championship title on the previous round Moffett went on to claim event victory to ensure co-driver Stephen Thornton took top spot in the co-driver’s category of the series. Hamill was second and although Henry was fastest on the final three stages and secured third, his NI Championship hopes had gone awry and McGarrity was crowned champion for an eighth time.

Meanwhile, McCloskey, McCourt and Hetherington completed the top six. Barrett won the two-wheel drive category after Crossen put his Escort on its side and lost over a minute, Shane McGirr (Escort) was second in the category.