Kilkenny driver Eddie Doherty and his Limerick co-driver Tom Murphy were crowned Triton Showers Motorsport Ireland National Rally champions after taking victory in Sunday's Loughrea Plant & Tool Hire Clare Stages Rally.
The Skoda Fabia crew started and finished the rally in front, and with main rival Josh Moffett sidelined early, their maiden national crown was secured with one round still to go.
The Ennis-based event, organised by Clare Motor Club, marked the penultimate round of the championship and featured nine stages around Ruan and Ballinruan.
Changing weather throughout the day kept crews guessing, but Doherty’s cautious approach paid off.
Speaking at the finish, Doherty admitted he had kept his focus on staying clean.
"Over the afternoon loop I just tried to keep my nose clear. The conditions were tricky, and I didn’t want to do anything silly. At the start of the year I wouldn’t have picked the wet rallies as the ones I’d win, but I’ve ended up winning Kerry, Sligo and now Clare, all in the damp. It seems to suit me somehow," he said.
Reigning champion Josh Moffett, partnered by Keith Moriarty, had to retire after the morning loop when his Hyundai i20 R5 suffered a broken front hub.
That mechanical issue not only ended his challenge in Clare, but effectively handed the title to Doherty, as Moffett could no longer close the gap before the Bantry finale.
Declan Boyle had been second for most of the day in his Skoda Fabia RS Rally2. A puncture on one of the afternoon stages cost him over 20 seconds, but he held on to secure another podium in second place.
Behind him, his son Michael delivered one of the best drives of his career.
With Stephen Joyce on the notes for the first time, he steered another Fabia RS Rally2 to third overall.
Joyce, who was making his debut alongside the young Donegal driver, marked the day with his own maiden trip to the overall rostrum.
Cavan’s Gary Kiernan and co-driven Conor Smith, who are fresh from a recent European Junior Rally Championship victory, claimed fourth place in their Ford Fiesta Rally2.
Kiernan had shown excellent pace in dry conditions on the ALMC Rally earlier in the summer, and his Clare performance gave him valuable confidence in the wet.
Bantry’s Daniel Cronin, co-driven by Padraig O’Donovan, was the best of the Citroën runners in his C3 Rally2. They rounded out the top five, building useful mileage and pace ahead of the championship finale.
Australia’s Richard Dalton made his first ever Irish rally appearance and impressed immediately.
Driving a Ford Fiesta Rally2 with Martin Brady alongside, Dalton was at home in the slippery conditions and worked his way into the top ten.
However, he retired from sixth place late in the day, still a strong showing considering his limited Irish asphalt experience.
