RAPHOE and Rathfriland were the big winners from an Ulster perspective at last weekend’s Irish senior championships – with Danny Duffy completing a memorable month between the ropes.
Fresh from claiming the Ulster bantamweight title at Crumlin Star sports and social club at the beginning of October, Duffy added the Irish crown when a clash of heads saw his clash with Oisin Worsencroft (St Colman’s) halted in the second round.
When the scores were totted up by the judges at the time of the stoppage, Duffy was well ahead and, officially, claimed a unanimous decision verdict.
It is a feat made all the more remarkable considering that, just six months ago, Duffy lost his mother and two other members of his family in a horror crash.
On April 27, Christine McKane, her brother Dan McKane and their aunt Julia McSorley were killed in a road traffic accident near Aughnacloy. The three, all natives of Strabane, were traveling from a family funeral in England when the minibus in which they were traveling collided with a lorry.
Duffy was a gold medalist at the Donegal open championships earlier this year and returned to training in the aftermath of the tragedy.
His Friday night success was followed by another Irish title heading back to Raphoe when middleweight Cathal McLaughlin upset favourite TJ King, the Ballyboughal man who is reigning Irish U22 champion and won the Celtic Box Cup in September.
It capped an impressive few weeks for McLaughlin, who notched wins over Ola Wahab (Midleton) and Peter Convery (St John’s, Derry) before defeating Mulhuddart’s Richard O’Leary in Friday’s 75kg semi-final.
In Saturday’s decider McLaughlin, who has been in and out of the sport for periods over the last decade, finished the job in superb fashion, claiming a 4-1 split decision win on the judges’ cards.
Joining the Donegal boys in the winners’ circle was emerging star Donagh Keary – celebrating his selection for next month’s European U22 championships by taking the 57kg title at the National Stadium.
Rathfriland haven’t had a senior champion since PJ McKay in 1990, and Keary added to his burgeoning reputation with three stellar performances during recent weeks.
The 19-year-old – an Irish U22 champion earlier in the year - claimed unanimous decision wins in his opening encounters, before forcing a second round stoppage of Paulstown’s DJ Murphy in the final, a crushing left to the body doing the damage.
“This is great experience for Donagh who is boxing beyond his years and getting better at each competition,” said Rathfriland coach Chris Sheppard.
“He has matured so much this year, works hard and deserves what success comes his way.”
Connie Gibbons, of Rostrevor club St Bronagh’s, took the 52kg Irish senior title via walkover.
Meanwhile, the entry and fees deadline for the upcoming Irish elite championships is 5pm on Wednesday, with the draw taking place on Friday.
Boxing gets under way on Wednesday, November 1, with the remainder of the schedule set after the draw. Finals will take place on the evening of Saturday, November 11.
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association (IABA) will also hold its AGM, an EGM and a strategy forum at the National Stadium from 11am that morning.
There is plenty of boxing taking place this weekend too, with County Antrim’s Halloween Box Cup taking place at Belfast’s Girdwood Community Hub on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
This year’s Box Cup will be contested across four categories - boy/girl 1 (2011), junior cadet (2010/2009), senior cadet (2008/2007) and U18s (2006/2005).
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IRISH U22 SQUAD GEAR UP FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
SOME of Ulster top young talents will get a crack on the international stage next month after being named in the Irish team bound for the European U22 Championships in Montenegro.
Belfast Olympian Michaela Walsh took part in the International Boxing Association (IBA) Champions’ Night in Paris last week, but this will be the first major tournament Ireland has entered since members of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association voted to remain part of the IBA, rather than join rival body World Boxing.
The European U22s take place in Budva from November 9-20, with 320 boxers from 38 countries taking part.
And there is a strong Ulster contingent among the team and support staff, with St John Bosco light-fly Padraig Downey and Holy Trinity’s Clepson dos Santos – who competed at last year’s Commonwealth Games – on the 15-strong team.
Dos Santos had previously flagged up his intention to challenge reigning 51kg champion Sean Mari at the Irish elites, with a place at next year’s Olympic qualifier up for grabs, but will instead compete in the Europeans.
Rathfriland’s Donagh Keary takes the 57kg spot while Erne’s Rhys Owens, on a rich vein of form in recent months, will hope to make his mark at 60kg.
Erne head coach Sean Crowley has been named team manager, while Jay Delaney (Emerald) and Liam Cunningham (Saints) are among the coaching staff.
Budva has a special resonance for Team Ireland, as it was the location of last year’s Women’s European Championships, where the team came home with three gold, a silver and two bronze medals, topping the table in the process.
Irish team
48kg: N Buckley (St Carthage’s); 50kg: C Robinson (Saviours Crystal); 57kg: R Kelly (Ballynacargy); 70kg: E Igharo (Clann Naofa); 75kg: B Doocey (Castlebar); 81kg: D Tinnelly (Clann Naofa); 48kg: P Downey (St John Bosco); 51kg: C dos Santos (Holy Trinity); 57kg: D Keary (Rathfriland); 60kg: R Owens (Erne); 63.5kg: S McDonagh (St Paul’s, Waterford); 67kg: G Dowling (Dublin Docklands); 75kg: G Rafferty (Dublin Docklands); 80kg: J Whelan (Dublin Docklands); 86kg: K Hedderman (OLOL)
Team manager: S Crowley; Coaches: J Delaney, L McEnery, L Cunningham, A Hennigan; Physio: L McGee; R&J: S Kelly
