Boyle leads entry for Irish Tarmac's Cork 20 finale

The 2025 NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship season reaches its conclusion this weekend on the Cork 20 Rally, where multiple title battles will be settled across 15 top-quality County Cork stages.

The fight for championship runner-up honours provides the headline act, with father and son duo Declan and Michael Boyle set to renew their Skoda Fabia rivalry on the fast Cork roads. Declan, seeded number one on the entry list, holds a 19-point advantage over his son Michael, who starts as the third seed.

Declan will be bidding for his first Irish Tarmac event win since 2014, while Michael comes in top form following his recent Wexford Stages Rally victory.

Adding further interest to the Cork 20 finale is the co-drivers' title race, where Declan Boyle's navigator Patrick Walsh carries a slender seven-point lead over Andy Hayes, who sits alongside second seed Desi Henry in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Beyond the Boyles and Henry, the Rally2 contingent features Cork local Daniel Cronin, who is seeded fourth in his Citroen C3 Rally2. The home advantage could prove crucial for Cronin as he looks to cap off his season with a strong performance in more familiar territory.

Ryan Loughran brings his Ford Fiesta Rally2 to Cork as the fifth seed, while Matthew Boyle completes his family’s representation sixth on the road.

A trio of Cork hopefuls in David Guest, Owen Murphy, and Cal McCarthy adds more local flavour to the top ten.

The Rally4 category features its own compelling finale as Kyle McBride and Joseph Kelly continue their season-long Peugeot 208 Rally4 rivalry at the head of the Class 2 pack. Both drivers are competing for crucial points in the Stellantis Motorsport Rally Cup.

Cork's Aaron Browne and Derry Long provide home interest in Class 2, while recently crowned ITRC 4 champion Kalum Graffin arrives with the momentum of his title success, eager to sign off the season with another competitive display.

McEvoy Motorsport & Flat 2 The Hat Modified ITRC

The modified category showcases a world-class standard of two-wheel-drive cars, led by the Ford Escort Mk2 contingent of Daniel McKenna and Andrew Grennan.

Donegal's Daniel Breslin will challenge his fellow Ulsterman, while drifting sensation Conor Shanahan brings his spectacular sideways style to the modified elite.

Patrick McHugh showcases the unique Darrian T90 ahead of the Mk2 Escorts of Mark and Kevin Dolphin and Kevin Kelleher.

Wales Motorsport Fabrication Historic ITRC

Wales Motorsport Fabrication Historic ITRC leaders John O'Donnell and Paddy Robinson arrive at Cork 20, starting the final round in a strong position; however, their rivals Meirion Evans and Anthony O'Sullivan start immediately behind in their Ford Escort RS1800, ready to capitalize on any mistakes from the leaders.

Adding star quality to the historic entry is the welcome return of Irish Tarmac Rally Champions Donagh Kelly and Rory Kennedy in a BMW M3, providing a formidable challenge to the title contenders.

Familiar faces to Irish Tarmac Championship followers, Neil Williams and Ray Breen, add further depth to the historic category, piloting an Escort RS1800 and Subaru Legacy, respectively.

Paul Browne Plant Hire & Civil Engineering Junior ITRC

Darragh Walsh, Graham Roche, and Kyle Browne will be gunning for Cork 20 glory in a three-way fight for the championship's final podium positions.

Ronan Dorrian and Mickey Joe Browne also take on the final round aboard their title-winning Honda Civic.