Keenan into national semis

Ennis heavyweight Martin Keenan made his way to the semi-finals of the national novice boxing championships, which got under way last Friday last in the National Stadium in Dublin.

 

The championships were initiated last year for boxers over  17 years who do not have more than 12 contests on their cards and who have not have boxed on the international team. Keenan won a provincial youth heavyweight title last season and won in Leeds in November but at 18 is considered young for these championships.

He stopped Eric Shaw from Coleraine in his preliminary bout on Saturday and then was fortunate enough to receive a bye into next Saturday night’s semi-final, where he stands a good chance of making it into the finals on the evidence of his demolition of the Derry fighter last Saturday. Ennis official Tommy Lyons is acting as a referee/judge in the championships.

On the home front, last weekend Ennis Boxing Club and Kilfenora boxed the first of a home and away competition as they both prepare for the upcoming county and provincial championships. The Ennis squad came away with a 6-4 win in a thoroughly entertaining night of boxing before a good crowd in the Ennis Community Centre.

The bout of the night was undoubtedly the 36kg contest between Jake Ryan from Ennis and Conor Malone from Kilfenora, with the craft and experience of the North Clare fighter prevailing in a thriller.

Malone’s older brother, Pádraig, who won county and provincial titles last year, found the going tough against Irish champion, Brian McDonagh and while he finished strongly, Malone had little answer to McDonagh’s combinations and accurate body punching.

Sixty kilo youth, Robbie Cassidy gave his club hope of a resurgence with a victory over Ennis favourite, Mike McDonagh, with the Ennis southpaw dictating matters in the early rounds  but succumbing to Cassidy’s aggression as the bout ended in a welter of excitement.

Patrick Chesser regained the initiative for the Ennis team with a solid victory in the 75kg class over Leon O’Connor, while his friend and sparring partner, Cillian O’Gorman, also produced the goods against James Howard from Kilfenora. Chesser and O’Gorman were both tasting their first competitive action and looked impressive.

Results (Ennis names first)
36kg boys, Bruce Pigott lost to Dylan Molloy.
39kg Dale Watson beat David Montgomery.
36kg Jake Ryan lost to Conor Malone.
60kg Boy 4, Pat McDaid beat Duncan McCormack.
70kg Brian McDonagh beat Pádraig Malone.
46kg Youth Rory Brennan beat Jack Devitt.
75kg Cillian O’Gorman beat James Howard.
60kg Michael McDonagh lost to Robbie Cassidy.
63kg Pat Chesser beat Leon O’Connor.
Girls, Youth 2, Sally Carrig lost to Niamh Ahearne.