European bronze for Sexton

ENNIS club welterweight Keelan Sexton captured a bronze medal at the European Schoolboys Boxing Championships in Grozny in Chechnya last week.
The Irish team claimed one gold, two silver and five bronze medals, which was a great return for the 15-strong squad, all of whom were aged just 14 and must augur well for the future of Irish boxing.
Sexton, who is a three-times Irish champion, came through the quarter-finals with an exciting win over Alexander Kpupadziorau from Belarus on a 3-1 scoreline and set himself up for a crack at Russian champion Ivan Shahmanov.
Guaranteed a bronze, the Ennis fighter was exuberant and went on the offensive from the first bell but the Russian danced and moved, jabbing and countering every punch that Sexton landed and was 6-1 up after the second round, adding a further four points in the final round.
It was a frustrating afternoon for the Clare youngster, who loves a stand-up battle and he admitted afterwards that perhaps he would have fought a different fight had circumstances prevailed.
“Home advantage was a big thing for the local competitors out there,” commented Sexton.
“It was a high standard but I enjoyed taking part in the event very much.”
The West Clare teenager is determined to return to the championships next year when he hopes to progress further.
“We return to training camp in two weeks time and the training will continue. I want to qualify for the Irish team that will take part in the world championships next year, while I also hope to get back to these European championships,” commented the versatile sportsman. Sexton plays football with Kilmurry-Ibrickane, hurling with Inagh-Kilnamona and soccer with Moneypoint.
He developed an interest in boxing from his grandfather Martin Burke, a native of Quilty, who was involved in professional boxing in London for many years and who travels to all of Keelan’s tournaments with him.
“I started out with the West Clare club under Noel Hogan when I was about 10 and I won my first title a year later,” he said, before paying tribute to everyone who helped him get to this level.
Director of boxing for the Irish team, Dominic O’Rourke was full of praise for Sexton and predicts many more honours for him.
He was delighted with the tally of medals for the Irish team, with John Joyce from Moate taking the gold at 48kg and James Cleary (Olympic Galway) and Matthew Burke (Ballinrobe) at middleweight taking the two silver; while along with Sexton, Craig Bonney (Trinity Boys, Belfast), Lewis Crocker (Cairn Lodge, Belfast) and Tiernan Bradley (Sacred Heart Belfast) won the bronze medals.
O’Rourke said the host nation were magnanimous in their hospitality, the marathon journey across Europe was formidable and the people of Grozny took the youngsters from Ireland to their hearts.
It was a memorable experience indeed and a portent perhaps of the wealth of boxing talent that Ireland exudes, many of whom may well make it to the Olympic Games in the decade ahead.