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So Eamonn Boland has done it once more - for the fifth time in fact, and his margin of victory was greater than even he would have originally given himself credit for.
With four seconds lopped off the overall time being monitored by navigator Damine Morrissey - himself now a five-time winner - Boland traversed the sixteen stages in a time of one hour, 31 miutes, 55 seconds.
That was a full three minutes and six seconds clear of Devon's Steve Hendy, with Bob Fowden in third spot.
Only Tim Ball's self-monitored time was out from the official mark - and again, he performed better than he'd thought, gaining four seconds from the re-calculation.
His two-wheel drive performance - and that of six-placed David James - was a phenominal one amongst all the four-wheelers.
Here's how the top 25 provisonally finished -
| Position |
Number |
Driver |
Co-driver |
Car |
Class |
Total |
Difference |
| O/A |
Class |
from prev |
from 1st |
| 1 |
1 |
1 |
Eamonn Boland |
Damien Morrisey |
Subaru WRC S7 |
8 |
1:31:57 |
|
|
| 2 |
2 |
4 |
Steve Hendy |
Aled Davies |
Ford Escort Coswor |
8 |
1:35:01 |
0:03:04 |
0:03:04 |
| 3 |
1 |
6 |
Bob Fowden |
Jerry Hynes |
Mitsubishi Lancer |
4 |
1:35:43 |
0:00:42 |
0:03:46 |
| 4 |
1 |
8 |
Tim Ball |
Rob Watson |
Darrian T90 |
13 |
1:37:55 |
0:02:12 |
0:05:58 |
| 5 |
1 |
2 |
John Price |
Caroline Price |
Metro 6R4 |
15 |
1:38:39 |
0:00:44 |
0:06:42 |
| 6 |
2 |
14 |
David James |
Jim Crowe |
Ford Escort BDX |
13 |
1:39:04 |
0:00:25 |
0:07:07 |
| 7 |
2 |
7 |
Aaron MacHale |
Damien Connolly |
Mitsubishi Lancer |
4 |
1:39:11 |
0:00:07 |
0:07:14 |
| 8 |
1 |
15 |
Derek Smith |
Paddy Flanigan |
Ford Escort |
14 |
1:39:50 |
0:00:39 |
0:07:53 |
| 9 |
3 |
9 |
Kieran Molloy |
Brian Boland |
Mitsubishi Lancer |
4 |
1:40:21 |
0:00:31 |
0:08:24 |
| 10 |
4 |
39 |
Noel Redmond |
David Doyle |
Mitsubishi Lancer |
4 |
1:42:17 |
0:01:56 |
0:10:20 |
| 11 |
3 |
11 |
Tim Wilson |
Laurie Walker |
Subaru Impreza WRC |
8 |
1:42:36 |
0:00:19 |
0:10:39 |
| 12 |
1 |
23 |
Tomas O'Rourke |
John O'Rourke |
Vauxhall Astra Gsi |
3 |
1:42:55 |
0:00:19 |
0:10:58 |
| 13 |
4 |
5 |
Tom Holton |
Ron Guha |
Toyota Celicia |
8 |
1:43:46 |
0:00:51 |
0:11:49 |
| 14 |
3 |
92 |
Padraig Price |
Richard Price |
Ford Escort |
13 |
1:44:02 |
0:00:16 |
0:12:05 |
| 15 |
5 |
50 |
Willie Fannin |
Brian Duggan |
Mitsubishi Lancer |
4 |
1:44:08 |
0:00:06 |
0:12:11 |
| 16 |
1 |
29 |
Enda O'Brien |
John Butler |
Ford Escort |
11 |
1:44:18 |
0:00:10 |
0:12:21 |
| 17 |
4 |
72 |
Raymond Spence |
Anthony Jordan |
Ford Escort |
13 |
1:46:12 |
0:01:54 |
0:14:15 |
| 18 |
2 |
44 |
Mark Nangle |
Brendan Stears |
Toyota Corolla |
11 |
1:46:45 |
0:00:33 |
0:14:48 |
| 19 |
5 |
61 |
Eugene Fitzpatrick |
Mary Fitzpatrick |
Ford Escort G |
13 |
1:47:03 |
0:00:18 |
0:15:06 |
| 20 |
3 |
65 |
Billy Collins |
Denis Foley |
Ford Escort |
11 |
1:47:04 |
0:00:01 |
0:15:07 |
| 21 |
6 |
41 |
Johnny Murphy |
Martin Nolan |
Ford Escort |
13 |
1:47:25 |
0:00:21 |
0:15:28 |
| 22 |
1 |
153 |
Shay White |
Bea White |
Toyota Starlet |
10 |
1:47:41 |
0:00:16 |
0:15:44 |
| 23 |
1 |
156 |
David Harris |
Brian Featherstone |
Ford Escort |
12 |
1:47:52 |
0:00:11 |
0:15:55 |
| 24 |
1 |
79 |
Wayne Evans |
Alan Davies |
Ford Escort |
17 |
1:47:55 |
0:00:03 |
0:15:58 |
| 25 |
2 |
69 |
John Brennan |
John Rafter |
Ford Escort |
12 |
1:48:06 |
0:00:11 |
0:16:09 |
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