Sebastien Loeb has been confirmed as Rally Ireland champion, with Wexford's Eamonn Boland proudly the first Irishman home in ninth place - just outside the points.

The five-times world champion finished 1 minute 27 seconds clear of Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo.

Third was Mikko Hirvonen, who won most of the final day's stages, with Henning Solberg reclaiming fourth spot ahead of Chris Atkinson.

Boland's ninth place is his best ever WRC performance, with Aaron MacHale in eleventh, Tim McNulty twelfth, and after an earlier major mishap, Shaun Gallagher won Group N by coming home thirteenth.

The only woman in the race, Toni Kelly, finished 22nd overall to win Class 7.

Sunday, February 1, 2009 - 1100 UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb leads Citroen stablemate Dani Sordo by 83 seconds heading into the final two stages of Rally Ireland.

Eamonn Boland is leading Irishman in ninth, 40 seconds ahead of Aaron MacHale, whose brother Gareth bowed out overnight with engine trouble.

Shaun Gallagher in twelfth leads the battle for Group N, he's 15 seconds clear of Alan Ring.

Toni Kelly in 22nd leads Class 7 by 3 minutes 10 seconds from Dutchman Kevin Abbring.

Sunday, February 1, 2009 - 1000 UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb leads Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo by 77 seconds heading into the final three stages of Rally Ireland.

After Stage 16 in Arigna, Mikko Hirvonen's BP Ford Abu Dhabi remains third, with Chris Atkinson's Citroen in fourth.

Eamonn Boland is top Irishman in ninth, with Aaron MacHale tenth - brother Gareth was forced out overnight - while the Group N battle sees Shaun Gallagher leading Alan Ring by 15 seconds.

Sunday, February 1, 2009 - 0900 UPDATE

The first of the final five stages of Rally Ireland is underway.

There's been a slight change in the leaderboard.

Chris Atkinson has replaed Henning Solberg in fourth - Sebastien Loeb still leads Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo by 69 seconds.

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 1630 FINAL UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb will lead Citroen colleague Dani Sordo by 69 seconds heading into the final day of Rally Ireland, with Mikko Hirvonen stranded in third in his BP Ford Abu Dhabi, a full 2:30 behind.

Henning Solberg lies fourth, Chris Atkinson fifth, while in a major move, Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier has pushed his Citroen up into sixth ahead of the Stobart Ford of Matthew Wilson.

There's been a significant development in Group N, as Shaun Gallagher has overtaken long-time leader Alan Ring of Kerry, but only by five seconds - overall, Gallagher is 13th, Ring 15th.

Top Irishman overnight will be Eamonn Boland in ninth, after Gareth MacHale suffered turbo and oil pressure problems on the day's final stage, Stage 14, seeing him drop to twelfth - brother Aaron lies tenth overall.

Niall McShea has gone off again though.

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 1605 UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb has been quickest on the final two stages on the middle day of Rally Ireland around Ballinamallard and Tempo.

It means his lead over Citroen colleague Dani Sordo is now 69 seconds heading into the final day, with Mikko Hirvonen still third in his BP Ford Abu Dhabi, a full two-and-a-half-minutes behind exactly.

Henning Solberg lies fourth, Chris Atkinson fifth, with Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier sixth - Citroens make up four of the top six.

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 1550 UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb has been quickest again on Stage 13 of Rally Ireland around Ballinamallard.

It means his lead over Citroen colleague Dani Sordo is now 65 seconds, with Mikko Hirvonen still third in his BP Ford Abu Dhabi, a full 2:27 behind.

Henning Solberg lies fourth, Chris Atkinson fifth, while in a major move, Monte Carlo Rally winner Sebastien Ogier has pushed his Citroen up into sixth ahead of the Stobart Ford of Matthew Wilson.

There's been a significant development in Group N, as Shaun Gallagher has overtaken long-time leader Alan Ring of Kerry, but only by four seconds - overall, Gallagher is 13th, Ring 15th.

Top Irishmen are Gareth MacHale in eighth, Eamonn Boland in tenth is fifty seconds behind, with Aaron MacHale eleventh.

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 1500 UPDATE

Mikko Hirvonen has been fastest on Stage 12 of Rally Ireland around Sloughan Glen.

The Finn was 17 seconds quicker than rally leader Sebastien Loeb, who holds a 59.8 second advantage over Citroen colleague Dani Sordo.

Hirvonen is third overall, 2:15 behind, with Henning Solberg fourth and Chris Atkinson fifth.

Leading Irishman in eighth place is Gareth MacHale, who is now 48 seconds ahead of tenth-placed Eamonn Boland, with Aaron MacHale in eleventh a further 68 seconds back.

Alan Ring in 14th leads Group N by 12 seconds from Shaun Gallagher.

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 1420 UPDATE

A long break for service and lunch later, Mikko Hirvonen has been quickest on Stage 12.

But the BP Ford Abu Dhabi driver was only two seconds faster than Dani Sordo.

Saturday, January 31, 2009 - 1200 UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb's lead at Rally Ireland over Citroen colleague Dani Sordo has increased to 1 minute 12 seconds after Saturday's first three stages across Tyrone and Fermanagh.

Mikko Hirvonen has had technical trouble that has seen him fall two-and-a-half-minutes behind the lead, with Gareth MacHale leading Irishman in eighth, one position ahead of Eamonn Boland.

And veteran Austin MacHale has withdrawn following the death of his co-driver Dermot O'Gorman's mother.

Friday, January 30, 2009 - 1615 UPDATE

The rest of the first day's action at Rally Ireland has been abandoned due to flooding, meaning Stages 7 and 8 will not be raced this evening.

An official statement is on the way.

Sebastien Loeb leads Citroen team-mate Dani Sordo by 44 seconds after a rain-sodden opening day, with the BP Ford Abu Dhabi of Mikko Hirvonen in third.

Leading Irishmen are Gareth MacHale in ninth and Eamonn Boland in tenth.

Friday, January 30, 2009 - 1515 UPDATE

World rally champion Sebastien Loeb has pounced on the opening day of Rally Ireland.

The Frenchman has taken a further 28 seconds off previous leader Urmo Aava to lead Citroen stable-mate Dani Sordo by forty seconds after five stages.

On stage six, Aava has hit a ditch, and Chris Atkinson has collided with a telegraph pole.

Top Irishmen are Gareth MacHale in ninth, and Eamonn Boland in eleventh.

Friday, January 30, 2009 - 1400 UPDATE

Sebastien Loeb is the new leader of Rally Ireland.

The five-times world champion has dominated Stage 4 at Glenboy, taking 38 seconds off previous leader, the Stobart Ford-driving Estonian Urmo Aava.

Loeb's Citroens team are slowly beginning to dominate elsewhere, with Dani Sordo leap-frogging Mikko Hirvonen into fourth.

Top Irishman remains Gareth MacHale in seventh, with Eamonn Boland eleventh.

Toni Kelly leads Group 7 in her Honda.

Friday, January 30, 2009 - 1200 UPDATE

World champion Sebastien Loeb is beginning to turn the screw at Rally Ireland.

He's cut Urmo Aava's lead to six-point-seven seconds, after the third stage at Aughnasheelen.

Previous leader Jari-Matti Latvala is now 22nd under super rally rules after originally bowed out with suspension damage after suffering two punctures on stage two.

Ireland's Niall MacShea is out after being in the top five throughout in the Super 2000 specification Proton Satira Neo.

Top Irishmen now are Gareth MacHale in seventh and Eamonn Boland in eighth.

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