Clare boxers continue to impress

Clare boxers continue the build-up to the Provincial and National Juvenile Championships, which get under way over the coming months, with a series of inter-club and inter-county matches in the Munster region.

The first leg of the series was held in St Francis’ Boxing Club in Limerick on Sunday last involving the local club and Clonmel BC and boxers from Ennis club.

Highlights included the return to winning ways of championship contenders Mike McDonagh, whose form against Pat Doyle from Clonmel was eye-catching, and Sally Carrig, who blitzed Val Hamilton from the Limerick club.

Bradley McDonagh, the 48kg prospect, remains unbeaten this season and, although pushed to the limits on Sunday, he still had enough class and movement to outpoint Limerick’s John O’Reilly.

McDonagh looked lethargic in the earlier part of the fight and obviously came in for some remonstration from coach Danny Fitzpatrick before opening up in the second to outscore the Limerick fighter with classic combinations.

Results (Ennis names first)
48kg boy 1 – B McDonagh beat John O’Reilly (St Francis, Limerick).
60kg boy 3 – Michael McDonagh beat Pat Doyle (Clonmel).
48kg boy 3 – Gavin Carr (Ennis) beat Martin Murray (St Francis).
52kg boy – Luke Moriarty beat Danny O’Donoghue (St Francis).
54kg boy 1 – John Sweeney beat Eddie O’Donoghue.
69kg girls – Sally Carrig beat Val Hamilton (St Francis).

The second leg of the inter-club will be hosted this weekend by the Ennis club and will take place at 3pm in the community centre in Ennis. It is anticipated that 14 contests will be on the bill and, weather-permitting, the tournament should be a crowd pleaser.

Meanwhile, heavyweight Martin Keenan from the Ennis club continues to progress in the National Novice Championships in the National Stadium in Dublin. He defeated B Jaskiewicz from Cavan in Saturday’s quarter-final bout, stopping the Ulster fighter in the second round.

Keenan now meets Bart Kingsley from Dunboyne in Saturday’s semi-final, and although both of his fights so far have resulted in second-round stoppages, the Ennis fighter may find Kingsley a harder nut to crack.