Clare takes home 10 provincial titles

CLARE boxers annexed a total of 10 provincial titles in the Munster Juvenile and Youths Championships, which were held over the last three weekends in the Corpus Christi complex in Limerick City.
The new champions now have the added bonus of the opportunity to compete for the blue riband of Irish boxing in the championships that will be held in the National Stadium over the coming four weeks and while competition will be fierce in Dublin, each will feel he has a fighting chance for the title.

Ennis boxers captured eight of the 10 titles, while Kilfenora’s Pádraig Malone (80kg) and Doolin’s Alan Sweeney (90kg) were the other winners.

Defending Irish champion Conor Doyle (60kg) and European medalist Keelan Sexton in the middleweight division were emphatic winners in their respective categories, with Sexton romping to his fourth consecutive provincial crown and Doyle winning his third.

Doyle pulverised Kevin Cotter from the Rylane club in Cork with accurate left and right hooks to the head and body in the first round of their final and there was an inevitability about the fate of the Cork boxer, as he tentatively rose to face the action for the second. Doyle was on him like a flash and a combination of jabs and uppercuts forced the referee to terminate proceedings after only 45 seconds of the round, with the Ennis youngster virtually unscathed from his exertions.

There is absolutely no doubt that both Doyle and Sexton will face more strenuous tasks when they go in search of national titles in the coming weeks but both boxers will rise to the occasion in their respective divisions.

Brothers Brian and Bradley McDonagh won titles in the 66kg Boy 4 (15 years) and 48kg Boy 1 (12 years) categories and take their national title ambitions to Dublin. Brian holds a national title from 2010 and the younger sibling, Bradley, is an exciting prospect with a great chance of success.

Kilfenora brothers Conor and Pádraig Malone met with mixed fortunes. While Pádraig captured the middleweight title, stopping Eric Fanning from Thurles in the third round of his final, young Conor lost out in his final with Feargal deFaoite from Clonmel.

It was anticipated by the Kilfenora mentors Pat McCormack and Robert Cassidy that both would come through for the nationals but De Faoite was a formidable force in the 36kg final, winning out on a 10-7 margin.

Another set of brothers, Michael and Patrick McDonagh from the Ennis club, completed the double with victories in the 60kg Youth and 46kg Boy 2 divisions. Michael used his southpaw skills to outpoint Rhys Moran from Waterford, 5-4 in a virtual cliffhanger, while Patrick applied pressure and power to outpoint the brave Arthur Geronimo from Thurles in his final. It has to be said that the younger sibling was undaunted by the ominous-sounding name of his opponent.

Ennis boxers Peter Quinn (29kg Boy 1) and Davy Keenan (42kg Boy 2) bowed out in contrasting fashion in their respective finals. While Keenan was beaten by a single point in a fantastic final, young Quinn found the going a bit rough in his first year in championship action and surrendered the initiative in the first round against southpaw Myles Casey, son of Willie ‘Big Bang’ Casey, who was on hand to do his son’s corner.

Sparmates Martin Mongan (63kg Boy 3) and Johnnie Ryan (70kg) also lost out in their finals and both were satisfied that there is potential for the coming years after their first taste of championship fare.

The ladies of both Ennis BC and Kilfenora BC are now preparing for their county and provincial championships in May. There is much at stake for the girls, with the world and multi-nations championships due in September.