Sexton in sparkling form

THE 70kg classic bout between European medallist Keelan Sexton and veteran James Daly from Westport brought the crowd to their feet at the annual Ennis Boxing Club match with St Ann’s, Westport, last Saturday.

It was touted as the top attraction of the night and it lived up to the billing, nominated subsequently as the bout of the tournament, with Sexton being awarded the best boxer accolade.

It was the Quilty youth’s finest performance since his European success two years ago and it has to be said that his power-punching is emphatic and accurate.

Daly tried everything in his vast repertoire to unhinge the aggression of the Ennis fighter but he was scarcely allowed scope to emerge from a defensive mode due to the ferocity and frequency of Sexton’s combinations and the 16-12 scoreline at the finish was a scant reflection of the Ennis boxer’s superiority.

A sensational victory looked to be on the cards in an enthralling 80kg youths contest, when local newcomer Adam Howard held all the aces going into the final round against the redoubtable Frankie Carr, only for the vast experience of the Mayo youth to prevail for a one-point victory.

Southpaw Howard grafted and frustrated the Mayo boxer in the first round and his persistent jabs to Carr’s head gave him a two-point lead going into the final round but the Clarecastle newcomer ran out of steam in the final seconds and shipped two scoring rights, which ultimately gave Carr an 11-10 victory and shifted the balance for a seven bouts to six win for the Mayo boxers.

Kilfenora’s Pádraig Malone won county and provincial titles last year in his first competitive season of boxing and coach Pat McCormack predicts national prominence for his charge in the coming championships. Malone came up trumps against Westport’s Alviro Bartek, who is a reigning Irish champion and gave an early indication that McCormack’s confidence could well be justified with a comprehensive 14-6 victory.

Ennis heavyweight Martin Keenan carried a height and reach advantage into his battle with Tom McDonagh from the St Ann’s club and looked imperious in the early rounds. However, a tendency to allow his opponent the initiative as he sought out openings for his lethal left hook almost unhinged the Ennis battler’s earlier superiority.

McDonagh twice connected with rights to the chin and body in the final round and it was Keenan who was on the defensive as the final seconds ticked away. In the end, the Ennis fighter probably merited the 12-9 decision and the win will enhance his prospects in the upcoming Irish Novice Championships in the National Stadium.

Local welterweight Brian McDonagh, an Irish champion two seasons ago, came good in a rather one-sided bout with Ivan Fumulski from the St Ann’s club and his younger brother Bradley, making his debut in championship boxing this year, was equally impressive as he romped to a 12-7 victory over Owen McDonagh.

Bradley made all the right moves and his hand speed and darting attacks mark him as one of the big hopefuls for Ennis in the coming championships.

It must be said that referee Sean Carrig had only to intervene once in this intriguing contest in which punches and combinations were swapped with enviable accuracy and speed.

St Ann’s BC coach and former great Peter Mullen accepted the trophy on behalf of his boxers and expressed delight at the quality of boxing and officiating on the day. Mullen has seven reigning Irish champions in his squad and boasts European and world junior title-holder Ray Moylette in his versatile stable of champions.

Results (Ennis names first)
36kg boys: Peter Quinn lost to Owen McDonagh; John McDonagh lost to James McStravick.
54kg boys: Bradley McDonagh beat Cian McAllister.
60kg: John Sweeney beat James McDonagh.
39kg: Jake Ryan lost to Conor Malone (Kilfenora).
48kg: Gavin Carr lost to Ryan Heraty.
65kg: Johnny Ryan lost to Oisín McDonagh.
60kg: Martin Mongan lost to Kasper Bera.
70kg youths: Padraig Malone beat Alviro Bartek.
80kg: Adam Howard lost to Frank Carr.
Welterweight: Keelan Sexton beat James Daly.
Light heavy: Martin Keenan beat Tom McDonagh.
Welter: Brian McDonagh beat Ivan Fumulski.