Eamonn Boland has claimed his third Talbot Hotel Wexford Rally in a row.

After seeing most of his rivals either drop out or fade away, the Wexfordman pulled away from Pete Doughty, who suddenly found himself second after overnight challenger Melvyn Evans blew a head gasket.

Boland was consistantly faster in the Sunday stages, only once in the first six outings being slower than the cross-channeller, and that was only by three seconds.

After the opening three stages, Boland held a lead of 44 seconds, which he extended to 51 after the second series of Sunday stages.

The champagne was already being readied by this stage, with Boland arriving in triumph to the Talbot Hotel around a quarter to seven - his third win on the spin, making him the second most successful driver in the 'Wexford' behind Stephen Murphy, who managed to do it five years in succession, and that has to be Boland's main aim in his sporting life now.