Ulster Rally 2008 Top Twenty Entry List, new Irish Tarmac Rally Champion Eamonn Boland heads the field

Irish tarmac champion, in all but name, Eamonn Boland heads an impressive entry on this year's Toddsleap Ulster Rally. Boland is champion, as Mark Higgins admitted to the Belfast Telegraph that he will not be in Cork this year due to his BRC commitments. Higgins though said that he wouldn't have caught Boland this year anyway as only had a very outside mathematical chance.

No.2 is Eugene Donnelly, in the Fabia for the first time since his win in Donegal. Lynch is at three in the S12B and no.4 is Kenny McKinstry making a return to the Ulster. Hurson is at five, with DMG six but it is unknown if he will start as has recently had another operation on his shoulder.

Other, interesting entries include a return to the Ulster stages for James Cullen in his new Subaru WRC. Simon Jean-Joseph in the C2R2 Max, Glenn Allen in the Corolla and Biggerstaff in his Subaru. The rally ought to be one of the best events of the year for both the ITRC and BRC.

The biggest support for a driver on the rally will  undoubtedly be for Phillip Morrow after his dismissal from Mitsubishi UK. The expected BRC runners will be there as well as Gwyndaf Evans who replaces Morrow in the Mitsubishi squad.

BTW: the Will Corry at no.17 on the Lurgan Park Rally entry is actually the son of the former owner of the Corry Car Company, Will snr. Corry junior has been competing recently in the Rally America series.

Top Twenty

1 Eamonn Boland (IRL /Damien Morrissey (IRL) - Subaru S12B WRC
2 Eugene Donnelly (IRL)/Paul Kiely (IRL) - Skoda Fabia WRC
3 Kevin Lynch (GB)/Francis Regan (GB) - Subaru S12B WRC
4 Kenny McKinstry (GB)/Noel Orr (GB) - Subaru Impreza WRC5
5 Peadar Hurson (GB)/Allan Harryman (GB) - Subaru S10 WRC
6 Derek McGarrity (GB)/J McKee (GB) - Subaru ImprezaWRC
7 Mark Higgins (GB)/Rory Kennedy (IRL) - Subaru Impreza N12
8 Guy Wilks (GB)David Moynihan (IRL) - Mitsubishi EVO 9
9 Gwyndaf Evans (GB)/TBA - Mitsubishi EVO 9
10 David Higgins (GB)/Ieuan Thomas (GB) - Subaru Impreza N14
11 Glenn Allen (IRL)/Damien Connolly (IRL) - Toyota Corolla WRC
12 Denis Biggerstaff (GB)/P Robinson (IRL) - Subaru S9 WRC
14 James Cullen (IRL)/Neil Doherty (IRL) - Subaru Impreza WRC
15 Simon Jean-Joseph (FR)/Jack Boyere (FR) - Citroen C2R2 Max
16 Seamus Leonard (GB)/Gerry McVeigh (GB) - Mitsubishi EVO 9
17 Colm Murphy (IRL)/Ger Loughrey (IRL) - Mitsubishi EVO 9
18 Phillip Morrow (GB)/Gordon Noble (GB) - Mitsubishi EVO 9
19 Darren Gass (GB)/Neil Shanks (GB) - Mitsubishi EVO 9
20 Emma McKinstry (GB)/Kenny Hull (GB) - Subaru S8 WRC

Eamonn Boland ITRC champ 2008

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• Ulster Rally 2008 Results: Eamonn Boland wins to clinch his first Irish Tarmac Rally Championship title
• Eamonn Boland plans to contest a few WRC events in the next few months and 2009
• 2008 Toddsleap.com Ulster International Rally and the reigning European rally champion Simon Jean-Joseph is entered in the C2-R2 Max
• Revised Galway International Rally 2009 Entry List: Conrad Rautenbach and Aaron Burkart are top seeds
• Murphy Construction Cork 20 Rally 2008 Results: Eamonn Boland wins to round off a fine year