Ennis Shokotan members included in Irish team

THREE members of the WSKF Ennis Shotokan Academy have been included in the Irish team for the inaugural World World Shotokan Cup.
After a long summer of training, Conall Tunney (19), Patrick Tierney (19) and Cormac Hennessy (18) will, on October 11, be flying out to Cyprus, where the World Cup will be held.
The Ennis Academy’s kumite, or fighting, coach John Tunney is delighted with the news.
“This is the culmination of almost nine months of preparation,” he said. “The boys have worked very hard, particularly during the summer, training four, five and sometimes six times a week.”
Recently, the Irish panel have been putting the finishing touches to their preparations for Cyprus, training with some of the best coaches in Europe. Three weeks ago, they trained with the World Lightweight champion, Paul Newby.
Last weekend, they worked with the most successful karate fighter of all time, nine-times World and European all-styles karate champion, Wayne Otto.
In Cyprus, many of the competitors that the Ennis lads will be facing are full-time karate athletes, fully funded by their governments.
The Ennis club’s Sensei, Jim Bradley, is thrilled with this latest recognition of what his academy has achieved.
“For some years, these lads have been a credit to us and now the search is on for the next group of young competitors that we can bring to a standard where they can win national and even international titles.”
The Ennis WSKF Karate Academy train on Monday nights in St Flannan’s College at 7.30pm and on Friday nights in the Ennis Leisure Centre at 8pm.