The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
Clare boxers Rory Brennan, Michael McDonagh and Keelan Sexton from the Ennis club and Alan Sweeney from the newly formed Doolin club will be in action over the two days.
European medallist Sexton takes on Peter Sweeney from the Inisfree club in Sligo in the Youth 1 semi-final on Friday night. Having come through the quarter-finals in fine style, he is considered favourite to advance to Saturday’s finals.
Sexton remains unbeaten so far this season and his grandfather and mentor, Martin Burke, feels that having adapted his style in the last few months, sacrificing power for precision in an age of computerised scoring, he stands a great chance of regaining a title that evaded him last year.
Sexton’s ambition is to make the Irish team for the European Youths Championships in August and winning the 75kg title would certainly enhance that ambition.
The youngster, who hails from Quilty, commutes two and three nights a week to his Ennis club. He brings with him his father, Kevin, recently qualified as a boxing coach and his grandfather, Martin, a man with huge boxing experience having boxed heavyweight in England in the ’50s and ’60s, and can take much credit for his grandson’s enviable record of three Irish titles and one European bronze medal.
This weekend could well be a catalyst for young Sexton, his family and his club, which boasts male and female European medallists and will be hoping that Rory Brennan and Mike McDonagh also take gold in their respective finals.
Southpaw McDonagh called on his entire repertoire of left and right hooks to dispose of John Perry from the Corpus Christi club in Dublin in last week’s semi-final of the 63kg division. He took the initiative from the first bell, jabbing from long range with an accurate right hand and led 3-2 going into the second.
It was here that he nailed Perry with two perfect left shots to the head and maintained his advantage through the final round for a 7-4 victory. His father, Patrick, won provincial titles in Connacht in his halcyon days and his younger son, also Patrick, is a contender for the upcoming boys championships next week.
Meanwhile, all of the family’s focus is on the older sibling, Michael, and he is quietly fancied to take the 63kg title on Saturday.
Rory Brennan, the 46kg contender, is the surprise packet of the Clare contingent.
In his first year of boxing, he is now on the threshold of title success and he tackles Ulster champion Ciarán Maguire from the Castleblaney club in Saturday evening’s final.
Kilfenora’s Pádraig Malone made his exit from the championships in last Saturday’s semi-finals, when he lost out 16-11 to Connacht champion Jonathan Sweeney, Inisfree.
Malone promised much in the opening round, when he used an accurate left jab to score against Sweeney, but he tired palpably in the final round and was frequently caught with solid right hooks to the head and body.
Brian McDonagh, who captured an Irish title in 2010, was quietly fancied to prosper in the 66kg youths division, having won convincingly in the Munster championships.
However, he never really got out of the blocks in his quarter-final battle with Kilkenny’s Kevin Kehoe, Marble City, and was tentative and out of sorts in all three rounds. The Ennis youngster damaged shoulder ligaments in the provincials and this inhibited his training and, in turn, his punching power against Kehoe.
Ennis club officials Tommy Lyons and Sean Carrig were among the officials at last weekend’s semi-finals and, between them, they officiated in most of the more than 100 contests over the two days.
They will again be called into action this weekend and when the boys championships get underway on Monday next, they will inevitably be pressed into service.
Conor Doyle will be endeavouring to win his third title in as many years in the boys championships as he seeks to add the 60kg Boy 3 title to his previous honours. Conor lost out on early season preparation with the passing of his mother but he has worked his way back to fitness with the help of his father, David, and the support of his clubmates and mentors.
Team-mates Bradley McDonagh, Luke Moriarty and Patrick McDonagh will be making their debuts in the Irish Championships next week.
The County Ladies and Girls Championships are also down for this week and it is anticipated that a strong Clare squad will advance to the Munster championships in the middle of April.
