Michael Boyle secures maiden victory at the National Rally Championship in Bantry

MOTORS: Donegal's Michael Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) and co-driver Dermot McCafferty took a fine victory in the Bantry based Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally, the final round of both the Triton Showers National Rally Championship and the Top Part West Coast Rally Championship. Picture: Martin Walsh.

Donegal's Michael Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) continued his rich vein of form to secure his maiden victory in a round of the National Rally Championship with an impressive victory in the Triton Showers season ending Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally in Bantry. Accompanied by fellow countyman Dermot McCafferty, they finished 18.6s ahead of the Citroen C3 Rally2 of Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin and his Castlemartyr co-driver Padraig O'Donovan. The all-Donegal pairing of Matthew Boyle/Michael Boyle (Ford Fiesta Rally2) were 7.2s further behind in third.

On the morning's opening stage near Dunmanway, top seed Declan Boyle was the first retirement when his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 flipped over on its side. In tricky conditions, local driver Daniel Cronin led initially but Tyrone's Jason Dickson (Ford Fiesta Rally2) was only eighth-tenths of a second off the pace and Michael Boyle a further second behind with Clonakilty's Cal McCarthy (Citroen C3 Rally 2) completing the top quartet. Having lost his rhythm at the scene of his father's (Declan) accident, Michael Boyle was very much in the groove on the remaining two stages of the loop to lead the Ford Fiesta Rally2 of Tyrone's Ryan Loughran (who was best on SS3) by 9.4s with Cronin a mere fraction of second behind in third. Matthew Boyle, McCarthy and Clonakilty's David Guest (Ford Fiesta Rally2) rounded out the top six.

Most of the crews opted for a wet compound tyre for the repeat loop as conditions changed. Michael Boyle and Cronin mastered the greasy conditions best on SS4 with the former leading by 18.4s at the final service in Drinagh. Rally leader Boyle opined that he was much more confident on SS4 but found SS5 very slippery while Cronin changed the rear right wheel prior to SS6. Loughran - 4.8s further behind, gave the impression that second spot was still in his mindset. Having chosen a full set of wets (tyres) Mathew Boyle (fourth) punched in a stage win on SS6. Cal McCarthy and David Guest, both with untroubled runs followed.

On the final run over Nowen Hill, Michael Boyle, with that lead of 18.4s seemed to back off too much and Cronin cut the deficit to 9.4s to set up a final stage decider, however, Boyle held his composure and his recent wins in Wexford and the Cork '20' provided the experience to see him through for a first national round victory. In a season where he didn't showcase his talent, Daniel Cronin secured a very welcome second while Matthew Boyle had another stage win and when Ryan Loughran's Fiesta was parked with a damaged wheel at the stage end didn't make the final control, the younger Boyle took third. Incidentally, the Boyles, Declan, Michael and Matthew clinched the top three overall spots in the popular Top Part West Coast Rally Championship.

Meanwhile, Cal McCarthy and David Guest took season best results - fourth and sixth respectively with Dickson in the sandwich. Mayo's John Warren (Ford Fiesta Rally2) was seventh from Tyrone's Barry Morris (Darrian T90 GTR) and his Barryroe co-driver Dylan Doonan (the top two-wheel drive finishers) in a top ten completed by the Ford Fiesta Rally2 Dunmanway's Jason McSweeney and Donegal's Patrick McHugh (Darrian T90 GTR).

Elsewhere, fourth place on the Lewis and Hunter Cambrian Rally was enough Moira's William Creighton to become the fourth Irish driver to win the British Rally Championship title. Denied in agonising circumstances last year, Creighton and his co-driver Liam Regan stayed out of trouble on board their Castrol MEM Rally Team Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 to secure the title.

The rally was won by Scottish born Australian domiciled Max McRae, who debuted a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 and edged out the Ford Fiesta Rally2 of Estonian Romet Jurgenson on the final stage to win by 5.6s with Welsh driver Meirion Evans (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) 18.3s further behind. Creighton, Jurgenson and Evans were all in the title decider but Creighton had the luxury of not requiring a rally win to seal the title. Indeed, that was his approach and after the opening stage was cancelled, he took a steady run over the morning's three stages to hold second place - 8.7s behind McRae. 

In the afternoon stages he manged his pace to claim the BRC crown. It was also a hugely significant weekend for Donegal's Kyle McBride (Peugeot 208 Rally4) and co-driver Darragh Mullen, who not alone won the Junior BRC title but also annexed the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup and the prize drive in next season's FIA European Rally Championship. McBride and fellow Donegal driver Joseph Kelly, also in (Peugeot 208 Rally4) had a great battle all through, indeed, Kelly led the way until SS5 (Clocaenog) where he was held up by a slower car and McBride moved ahead to secure both titles.

Westlodge Hotel Fastnet Rally (Final rounds of Triton Showers National Rally Championship & Top Part West Coast Rally Championship) Bantry: 1. M. Boyle/D. McCafferty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 56m. 28.4s; 2. D. Cronin/P. O'Donovan (Citroen C3Rally2)+18.6s; 3. M. Boyle/D. Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+25.8s; 4. C. McCarthy/E. Calnan (Citroen C3 Rally2)+1m. 23.4s; 5. J. Dickson/M. Brady (Ford FiestaRally2)+1m. 47.2s; 6. D. Guest/S. Quin (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+2m. 27.5s; 7. J. Warren/R. O'Connor (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+3m. 51.2s; 8. B. Morris/D. Doonan (Darrian T90 GTR)+3m. 55.6s; 9. J. McSweeney/J. McGrath (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+4m. 18.8s; 10. P. McHugh/P. O'Donnell (Darrian T90 GTR)+4m. 27.9s.

Cambrian Rally (Round 7, Probite British Rally Championship) Wales: 1. M. McRae/C. Fair (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 42m. 29.2s; 2. R. Jurgenson/S. Oja (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+5.6s; 3. M. Evans/D. Furniss (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+ 23.9s; 4. W. Creighton/L. Regan (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+25.1s; 5. K. Gustafsson/T. Törngren (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+52.2s; 6. M. Hirst/D. Dear (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+1m. 05.8s; 7. G. Pearson/H. McKillop (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m. 28.7s; 8. T. Williams/M. Gilbey (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+1m. 56.7s; 9. E. Payne/P. Walsh (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m. 58.0s; 10. L. Clark/J. Morton (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+2m. 56.1s.