Boland takes the biscuit yet agaiin

Website office (Rally HQ)

Will Downing and John Dier

Sunday 10th September

Eamon Boland has claimed his seventh Dick Bailey Stages Rally - the first under the new sponsorship of the Riverbank House Hotel.

Boland, partnered in his Ford Focus by Francis Regan, eventually won a hard-fought battle with Noel Redmond, coming out on top by 55 seconds.

An overnight lead of 19 seconds was whittled down by four over the first two stages this morning, and with four stages to go, still was only holding off Redmond's Impreza by 18.

But a powerful twelfth stage saw Boland double his advantage, with another 18 seconds gained on the final stage - from there, Boland was never going to be denied.

The ever-popular David James was fourth overnight, 25 seconds behind third-placed PJ McGrath - only for a disastrous final stage seeing McGrath record the slowest time over the ultimate circuit, gifting James third spot.

TOP TEN Results

 1 	Eamonn Boland 	 Francis Regan 	Ford Focus 05 	  1:38:44 	  	 
 2 	Noel Redmond 	 Alan Keenan 	Impreza S11 	  + 55 sec
 3 	David James 	 Jim Crowe 	Ford Focus WRC 	  + 5'33"
 4 	George Cullen 	 Jakes Kelly 	Subaru S9 WRC 	  + 8'07"
 5 	Neil Williams 	 Eurig Davies 	Ford Escort RS 	  + 9'13"
 6 	Willie Whitty 	 Johnny Whitty 	Ford Escort Mk II + 9'34"
 7 	Eoin Doyle 	 Paul Walsh 	Subaru Impreza 	  +10'29"
 8 	Ollie McPhillips Billy Collins 	Toyota Celica     +11'03"
 9 	Eugene Ferry 	 John Gallagher Ford Escort Mk II +11'36"
10 	David Parle 	 Aidan Kent 	Mitsubishi Evo 8  +11'43"