Declan Boyle in his Skoda will be in action in Cork
The 2025 NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship reaches its climax this weekend as the Cork 20 Rally plays host to a packed field and decisive battles across 15 fast-paced stages in County Cork.
While the overall title has already been decided in late August and Callum Devine taking the podium, attention now turns to the race for second place in the championship.
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That fight is headlined by the Boyle family, with Declan and his son Michael set to continue their fierce Skoda Fabia rivalry on Cork’s high-speed roads.
Declan, seeded first for the rally, carries a 19-point cushion over Michael, who lines up third. The veteran will be aiming to claim his first Irish Tarmac event win in over a decade, but Michael arrives in top form after a commanding victory on the Wexford Stages Rally.
The co-drivers’ championship is also on a knife edge. Patrick Walsh, alongside Declan Boyle, holds a narrow seven-point advantage over Andy Hayes, who partners Desi Henry in a Ford Fiesta Rally2. With so much at stake, every second on Cork’s tarmac will count.
The Rally2 battle is stacked with local interest. Daniel Cronin, seeded fourth in his Citroen C3 Rally2, will look to make home advantage pay, while Ryan Loughran (Fiesta Rally2) and Matthew Boyle add further depth to the top six. Cork’s own David Guest, Owen Murphy, and Cal McCarthy ensure plenty of homegrown talent within the top ten.
Class 2 also promises a tense finale, as Kyle McBride and Joseph Kelly resume their season-long duel in Peugeot 208 Rally4 machinery.
Both remain locked in a battle for valuable Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup points. Local contenders Aaron Browne and Derry Long strengthen Cork’s representation in the class, while recently crowned ITRC 4 champion Kalum Graffin will look to close his season on a high.
The modified field is once again brimming with quality. Daniel McKenna and Andrew Grennan lead the charge in their Ford Escort Mk2, while Donegal’s Daniel Breslin and drifting star Conor Shanahan are among the challengers eager to impress. Patrick McHugh’s distinctive Darrian T90 will line up ahead of Escort pairings Mark and Kevin Dolphin and Kevin Kelleher.
In the historic category, leaders John O’Donnell and Paddy Robinson arrive in Cork in a strong position, but the Ford Escort RS1800 of Meirion Evans and Anthony O’Sullivan starts close behind, ready to strike.
Adding extra star power are former Irish Tarmac Rally champions Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy, who return in a BMW M3. Familiar names Neil Williams (Escort RS1800) and Ray Breen (Subaru Legacy) also bolster a competitive field.
The junior ranks promise another thrilling contest, with Darragh Walsh, Graham Roche, and Kyle Browne all battling for final podium honours. Meanwhile, newly crowned champions Ronan Dorrian and Mickey Joe Browne will round out their successful campaign in their Honda Civic.
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