Michael Boyle claims maiden Irish Tarmac win as Boyles dominate Cork 20 finale

Donegal's Michael Boyle (right) and Dermot McCafferty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) celebrate their victory in the  O'Connell Group Cork '20' Rally, the final round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Picture: Martin Walsh.

Michael Boyle and Dermot McCafferty secured their first Irish Tarmac Rally Championship victory on the Cork 20 Rally.

The Donegal driver's breakthrough triumph not only marked a career milestone but also secured third spot in the championship standings, while his father Declan Boyle's second-place finish guaranteed the co-drivers' title for Patrick Walsh.

The weekend began in challenging fashion as Storm Amy's aftermath left slippery Cork stages for the anticipant crews. Michael Boyle mastered the difficult opening conditions to claim the fastest time on stage one, ahead of Desi Henry, with father Declan still feeling the effects of his Wexford Stages Rally crash, limiting his early pace.

Henry seized control on stage three, building a 2.4-second advantage after Michael Boyle suffered a significant moment that cost him precious seconds before reclaiming the lead on stage four.

Henry's pace over the tricky terrain overturned Boyle's 2.2-second lead on stage five, converting it into his own 2.1-second advantage. The Ford Fiesta Rally2 driver looked in command as Michael Boyle's charge stalled with brake issues on stage six.

A hat-trick of fastest times on Saturday evening extended Desi Henry and Andy Haye’s lead to 16.1 seconds ahead of Sunday’s six stages.

Henry looked to be holding off Boyle’s charge on Cork’s final day of action but his rally-winning hopes and Andy Hayes' co-drivers' championship aspirations were shattered when they slid off the road on the penultimate stage. Their Fiesta Rally2 would go no further with a broken steering arm, ending what had been a compelling performance.

The same stage proved treacherous for others, with Cal McCarthy sliding into the same field as Henry, while Ryan Loughran survived a moment to continue his podium challenge.

With his main rival out, Boyle and McCafferty cruised through the final stage to claim their first victory in the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship and Boyle’s second rally win on the trot.

Declan Boyle secured second place, just nine seconds behind his son, completing a memorable family one-two while simultaneously securing the co-drivers' championship for Patrick Walsh.

Loughran and Dale McGettigan completed the podium in their Ford Fiesta Rally R5, surviving the weekend's dramas to claim a well-deserved third-place finish.

Matthew Boyle made it a remarkable day for the family by securing fourth overall, meaning three Boyles finished inside the top four positions on the Cork 20 Rally, an unprecedented achievement in Irish rallying.

The local crew of McCarthy and Eric Calnan completed the top five in a Citroen C3 Rally2 while Mark Kelly and Will Atkins recorded a sixth-place finish on their Cork 20 debut.

In Rally4, Kyle McBride and Darragh Mullen claimed a start-to-finish victory in their Peugeot 208 Rally4.

McBride's first event since securing a Billy Coleman Award nomination started in style with a fastest time on the opening Curryglass test, fast enough to sit inside the top ten overall.

Five fastest class times on Saturday gave them a 45.8-second overnight lead before they continued their strong pace on Sunday to claim a one-minute, 25.2-second victory over Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup rivals Joseph Kelly and Killian McArdle.

Cork 20 Rally top five:

1 Boyle/McCafferty (Skoda Fabia Rally2) 1:48:21.7s

2 Boyle/Walsh (Fabia Rally2) +9.0s

3 Loughran/McGettigan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) +35.8

4 Boyle/Byrne (Fiesta Rally2) +1:32.6

5 McCarthy/Calnan (Citroen C3 Rally2) +3:07.0

McEvoy Motorsport & Flat 2 The Hat Modified ITRC

Daniel McKenna and Andrew Grennan delivered a masterclass in two-wheel-drive rallying, dominating Cork 20's modified section from start to finish. The Ford Escort Mk2 crew led the category from the opening stage, setting fastest times on all but one of the weekend's 15 stages to secure a commanding two-minute victory.

Their performance was exceptional enough to claim seventh overall, demonstrating the pace of the leading two-wheel-drive machinery against the Rally2 cars.

Daniel Breslin and Sean Collins provided the nearest challenge in another Ford Escort, securing the runner-up spot ahead of a close battle for third.

Drift sensation Conor Shanahan successfully converted his on-track skills to Ireland's closed roads, finishing Saturday's opening day in fourth place in the modified standings.

Shanahan and co-driver Brian Quinlan overturned the challenge of Patrick McHugh and Pauric O'Donnell's Darrian T90 with three stages remaining to seal the final podium position, providing spectacular entertainment for the Cork crowds with his trademark driving style.

Cork 20 Rally Modified top five:

Cork 20 Rally Modified Top Five:

1 McKenna/Grennan (Ford Escort Mk2) 1:52:50.9s

2 Breslin/Collins (Escort) +2:05.6s

3 Shanahan/Quinlan (Escort) +2:10.7

4 McHugh/O’Donnell (Darrian T90 GTR) +2:19.1

5 Kelleher/Hayde (Escort) +5:19.6

Wales Motorsport Fabrication Historic ITRC

The Wales Motorsport Fabrication Historic ITRC title fight went down to the wire, with mechanical issues adding to the drama.

Championship leaders John O'Donnell and Paddy Robinson's title hopes appeared under threat when their BMW M3's gearbox seized mid-stage on stage four, forcing them to a standstill. Unable to engage the clutch, their Cork 20 Rally was over, leaving their championship fate in the balance.

Meirion Evans and Anthony O'Sullivan seized the opportunity, leading the rally from stage one and building a commanding advantage. The Ford Escort RS1800 crew had established a 19.2-second lead by Saturday's penultimate test.

However, stage eight delivered a cruel twist as Evans and O'Sullivan were forced to retire from their commanding position, their title hopes and Cork 20 victory dashed in an instant.

The retirement handed the advantage to Gareth James and Steffan Evans, who finished Saturday with a 4.2-second lead over Donagh Kelly and Liam Moynihan’s BMW M3.

The historic category also lost Fergus O'Meara on stage four when a broken gear lever ended his challenge.

James and Kelly renewed their historic rally rivalry across Sunday's six stages, with the Ford Escort pilot holding his nerve to claim an 8.1-second victory over the 2015 Irish Tarmac Rally Champion.

Ray Breen and Damien Morrissey rounded out the podium positions in their Subaru Legacy, rewarding their consistent weekend with silverware.

Despite their Cork 20 retirement, the results meant that John O'Donnell and Paddy Robinson claimed the Wales Motorsport Fabrication Historic ITRC title after several stunning drives aboard their BMW M3 throughout the season.

Cork 20 Historic Rally top five:

1 James/Evans (Ford Escort RS1800) 1:57:25.5s

2 Kelly/Moynihan (BMW M3) +8.1s

3 Breen/Morrissey (Subaru Legacy) +6:40.4

4 McCrossan/Burns (M3) +6:50.2

5 Cullen/McCay (M3) +8:48.8

Paul Browne Plant Hire & Civil Engineering Junior ITRC

The Junior Rally provided one of the weekend's most thrilling contests as Graham and Trevor Roche engaged in a ding-dong battle with Honda Civic rivals Ronan Dorrian and Mickey Joe Browne.

Roche started strongest, establishing early control before falling 30 seconds behind the already-crowned champions Dorrian and Browne at Sunday's halfway point.

The Roche crew mounted a stunning charge through Sunday's latter stages, posting increasingly competitive times as they hunted down the leaders. Their efforts culminated in a breathtaking 14.6-second fastest time on the Mullentaura decider.

When the times were calculated, Roche had snatched victory by a mere 2.3 seconds, completing the remarkable comeback that not just claimed top points in Cork but also secured the Junior ITRC’s runner-up position.

Aaron and Caolan Reid rounded out the podium positions in another Honda Civic.

Cork 20 Junior Rally top five:

1 Roche/Roche (Honda Civic) 52:50.0s

2 Dorian/Browne (Civic) +2.3s

3 Reid/Reid (Civic) +1:00.5

4 Browne/McDonald (Civic) +1:36.9

5 Walsh/O’Driscoll (Civic) +1:40.3