Four Irish titles for local boxers

There were four Clare winners at the National Girls 1-6 Boxing Championships, held in the National Stadium in Dublin over the past fortnight.
Ennis and Kilfenora Clubs shared two titles apiece for a hugely successful end to the boxing season and, while there was disappointment for defending champions, cousins Caoilinn and Shannon McCormack from Kilfenora, there was ample compensation in the victories of clubmate Niamh Ahern who was imperious through these championships. She stopped Stacey Curran from the Olympic Club in Galway for her second consecutive title in the 66kg final. Louise O’Regan won the 86kg title on a walkover.
This is the first year since 2007, when Kayleigh McCormack won the first ladies title for the Kilfenora club, that a McCormack name was not on the winners’ podium in the National Stadium on finals day.
Ennis girl Sally Carrig captured the 66kg title on a walkover to embellish the European bronze medal that she won last year, but the surprise packet of the Clare squad was Sally’s clubmate, 16-year-old Rebecca Windall.
The Ennis girl won the 70kg title with a comfortable victory over Ulster champion Rhia Devlin from the Cookstown Club. It was Rebecca’s first year in championship boxing and a massive launching pad to her aspirations in the sport.
Windall dominated the final with an accurate and penetrating left jab to the head of the bewildered Northerner winning all three rounds for an 8-1 margin of victory.
Rebecca’s first year in boxing was tempered with early season indifference and a bronchial flu that kept her out of the gym for the month of January. It seemed like the season had passed her by but some diligent coaching by her mentors Sean Carrig and Danny Fitzpatrick and the confidence of Tommy Lyons projected the diligent 16-year-old to unbelievable heights. An Irish title in only her first year inside the ropes in amateur boxing is the stuff dreams are made of.
The boxing season is now drawing to a close until the September opener for the 2013/14 season, and it is hoped to round off the current term with the home final of the Limerick /Clare match in the community centre in the next fortnight.
Results
Girl 4 54kg: Shannon Mc Cormack (Kilfenora) lost to Grainne Gavin (Castlebar) 8-9.
Girl 5 66kg: Niamh Ahern (Kilfenora) beat Stacey Curran (Olympic) RSC 2.
Girl 4 70kg: Clodagh Collins (Kilfenora) lost to Aoife Burke (St Mary’s Dublin) 16-1.
Girl 5 70kg: Rebecca Windall (Ennis) beat Rhia Devlin (Cookstown) 8-1.
Girl 5 86kg: Louise O’Regan (Kilfenora) WO.
Girl 6 66kg: Sally Carrig (Ennis) WO.