Latest news with #DeclanBoyle
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Devine seals Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title with Ulster win
Derry driver Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) captured a second Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title in three years in style with a start-to-finish victory in the Modern Tyres Ulster Rally, the penultimate round of the NAPA Auto Parts series. At the end of the 12-stage event, he was 21.4s ahead of the Hyundai i20 Rally2 of Welsh driver Osian Pryce with Donegal's Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia Rally2) 33.2 seconds further behind in third. Devine started Saturday's second and final leg with a 12.9s lead over Boyle and when that margin became 22.2s when Boyle had an overshoot, Devine's task became one of lead management. Without taking any risks, he achieved his aim and with four consecutive victories, he put the Fisher Family Perpetual Trophy out of reach of his rivals. An issue with the pop off valve on the final stage brought a heart-stopping moment before he could seal the series. Having lost time, Boyle came under pressure to hold second from the constantly improving Pryce, who was fine-tuning the Hyundai as new co-driver Andy Hayes adapted to the Welshman's pacenote requirements. He reeled in Boyle on SS9 and, with a total of six stage wins, was happy with what was his preparation for the ERC/BRC championship Rally Ceredigion in early September, his home event. Kevin Eves (Ford Fiesta Rally2) took fourth place - a battle with fellow Donegal driver Matthew Boyle ended when the latter's similar car burst the steering rack on a road section. Armagh's Damian Toner (Ford Escort) won the Modified category and also netted sixth overall. Earlier, Laois driver Aidan Bourke (Ford Escort) gave a sterling performance and led until he slid off on SS8. Meanwhile, the ALMC Hellfire Rally in Oldcastle, round six of the Triton Showers National Rally Championship, was won by Monaghan's Josh Moffett, who campaigned a Dom Buckley hired Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, he finished 5.5s in front of Kilkenny's Eddie Doherty (Skoda Fabia R5) with Declan Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 5.2s further behind in third. Although Josh Moffett led initially - 2.7s ahead of top seed Eddie Doherty, it was Gary Kiernan (Ford Fiesta Rally2) that topped the leaderboard after the second and third stages. At the service park and while he agreed he was somewhat surprised, he explained: "We did a pre-event test, we changed my seat, it was a better fit, we also softened the front suspension and that was it." After the three stages, he was 1.1s ahead of the similar car of Derry's Desi Henry, who lost time and momentum on the opening stage. Moffett was 2.1s further behind with Doherty (fourth) 6.1s off top spot - mostly due to the selection of a tyre compound that was too soft, and the remainder, by admission, down to his own driving, a pop of valve issue didn't help the situation. A cautious Declan Boyle held fifth from Barry Morris (Darrian T90 GTR). Second overall after SS2, a front left wheel puncture dropped Michael Boyle (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) to 29th. On the second loop, a spin on SS5 saw rally leader Kiernan slip to fifth as Moffett moved in front and at the final service was 5.3s ahead of Henry. As Moffett continued to lead from Henry, Doherty leapfrogged Boyle into third on the penultimate stage. Moffett went on to win from Doherty and Boyle but a puncture on the final stage saw Henry drop to fourth. Kiernan was fifth from Matthew Boyle (sixth) and Enfield's Tom Holton, who quickly adapted to his new Ford Fiesta Rally2 and along with Jason Dickson, Ballylickey's Daniel Cronin (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Kenagh's Tommy Doyle (Hyundai i20 Rally2) rounded out the top ten. In the Barum Czech Rally Zlin, round six of the European Rally Championship (Round 6) John Armstrong (Ford Fiesta Rally2) took a superb second place and has hauled himself (from sixth) into third place in the series. The Kesh driver and Donegal's Shane Byrne finished 10.7s ahead of the Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2 of local driver Jan Kopecky, who won the event for a twelfth time. Ulsterman Philip Allen (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) crashed on SS6. Modern Tyres Ulster Rally (Round 6, NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship) Newry: 1. C. Devine/N. O'Sullivan (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 1h. 29m. 28.1s; 2. O. Pryce/A. Hayes (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)+21.4s; 3. D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+54.6s; 4. K. Eves/C. Melly (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+2m. 25.1s; 5. N. Roskell/D. Barritt (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+6m. 26.3s; 6. D. Toner/A. Gallagher (Ford Escort)+9m. 39.9s; 7. G. Black/C. Dunlop (Toyota Starlet)+10m. 51.5s; 8. B. O'Neill/R. Riordan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+11m. 07.8s; 9. J. Mulholland/R. Farrell (Ford Fiesta Rally3)+11m. 19.2s; 10. J. Gordon/G. Neill (Ford Escort)+11m. 35.0s. ALMC Hellfire Rally (Round 6, Triton Showers National Rally Championship) Oldcastle: 1. J. Moffett/K. Moriarty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 48m. 16.3s; 2. E. Doherty/T. Murphy (Skoda Fabia R5)+5.5s; 3.D. Boyle/P. Walsh (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+10.2s; 4. D. Henry/D. O'Sullivan (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+17.8s; 5. G. Kiernan/J. McCabe (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+23.3s; 6. M. Boyle/G. Byrne (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+56.5s; 7. 8. T. Holton/S. Joyce (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m. 39.5s; 7. J. Dickson/M. Brady (Ford Fiesta Rally2) 1m. 46.7s; 9. D. Cronin/P. O'Donovan (Citroen C3Rally2)+1m. 50.8s; 10. T. Doyle/L. Moynihan (Hyundai i20 Rally2)+1m. 58.4s; Barum Czech Rally Zlin (Round 6; European Rally Championship): 1. J. Kopecky/J. Hovorka (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)2h. 00m. 49.3s; 2. J. Armstrong/S. Byrne (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+10.7s; 3. A. Mabellini/V. Lenzi (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+13.8s; 4. S. Wagner/H. Ostlender (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)+16.5s; 5. E. Cais/D. Trunkat (Hyundai i20 N Rally2)+59.3s; 6. F. Mares/R. Bucha (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2)+1m. 04.1s Provisional Championship points after Round 6: 1. M. Marczyk 122pts; 2. A. Mabellini 111pts; 3. J. Armstrong 81pts; 4. M. Ostberg 76pts; 5. R. Korhonen 60ptsI. Reiersen 60pts.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Derry driver Devine leading the way with solid Ulster Rally lead
Derry's Callum Devine (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) leads the way in the Newry-based Modern Tyres Ulster Rally, the penultimate round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. At the end of Friday's opening leg of six stages he holds a 12.9-second lead over Donegal's Declan Boyle, also in a Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 with Welsh driver Osian Pryce (Hyundai i20 Rally2) 15.9 seconds further behind in third. Stating his preference for the opening stage rather than the remaining two stages of the loop, it wasn't surprising that Devine took a 9.2s lead on the first pass through the Slieve Roe stage to the north of Rostrevor. Boyle was next followed by Welsh ace Pryce, who was 6.3s further behind in third with Michael Boyle's Skoda Fabia another 2.5s behind. Pryce was best on SS2 (Camlough) where Michael Boyle's rally ended when he had an excursion that ripped two wheels from his Skoda Fabia. Out on SS3 Slieve Gullion, Declan Boyle became the third driver in as many stages to post the fastest stage time as the crews returned to the well-appointed service park at the Modern Tyres complex. There, Devine, who led Declan Boyle by just 3.9s reflected on his position. "All's good," he said. "I enjoyed the first stage but then the other two were extremely tough, especially with the jumps, it was a case of managing my pace. I'm concentrating on the championship, that is my target, That first stage, you need to be so committed to be on it and I'm looking forward to going out on it again for SS4, as for the other two, it's all about finishing them." Meanwhile, second placed Declan Boyle was happy with his pace while Pryce, on what was his first outing in some 12 months said: "I am trying to get the feeling with the car and the way I like it. It's a new car for me, new co-driver (Andy Hayes) and new team, a lot to learn." Pryce was 10.9s off top spot and 23.4 ahead of the VW Polo GTi R5 of an untroubled Darren Gass with Matthew Boyle (Ford Fiesta Rally2) in fifth. Donegal's Kevin Eves (Ford Fiesta Rally2) completed the top six. Extending his lead to 8.1s on the repeat of Slieve Rue, Devine stayed out of trouble and signed off with the best time on SS6 to lead by 12.9s. Boyle continued to punch in strong times as Pryce, who won the night's penultimate stage, reckoned some of the changes worked. An impressive performance saw Matthew Boyle (Ford Fiesta Rally2) slot into fourth from fellow Donegal driver Eves in a similar car with British driver Mark Kelly (VW Polo GTi R5) on his maiden Ulster Rally outing completing the top six. Unfortunately, Armagh's Gass, who injured three ribs in a workplace accident during the week, was forced to retire at the end of SS4 as the landings over the crests was causing him further discomfort. Laois driver Aidan Bourke (Ford Escort) leads the Modified category. There are six stages in Saturday's second and final leg.
