Title wins for the magnificent seven

Seven Clare boxers emerged with provincial titles from the Munster Youths and Boys Championships which were held in the Corpus Christi Youth centre in Limerick last Saturday and Sunday.

 

Luke Moriarty, Mike McDonagh, Brian McDonagh, Keelan Sexton, Rory Brennan from the Ennis club, as well as Padraig Malone (Kilfenora) and Alan Sweeney from the newly formed Doolin Club, were all crowned champions on Sunday.
The finals of the Schoolboys 1, 2, and 3 divisions will be decided this Saturday and eight Clare fighters remain in contention for titles. Hopes are high that two or perhaps three could embellish the already significant return that carries the bonus of a crack at the upcoming Irish Championships in Dublin.

European medalist Keelan Sexton was the captain and motivator behind the Clare squad in these championships and his final battle with Terry Harris from the St Francis Club in Limerick was a thriller. Harris was the underdog in this one, but he fought his heart out and made the Ennis boxer pull out all the stops to earn his 10-2 victory.

Sexton garnered his fifth provincial title in the process and now makes his bid to regain his Irish title surrendered last season. He is in tremendous form, boxing well and punching with the power of a middleweight and he exuded strength and fitness against Harris as he landed consistently with his favourite left hook.

60kg youth champion Mike McDonagh also came through as expected, but his 5-4 margin of victory in his final with Rhys Moran from Waterford was tenuous, with little separating the boxers until the final seconds of the fight when the Ennis fighter connected with two perfect southpaw lefts to seal the issue. McDonagh, whose younger brother Patrick goes in the final of the 46kg boy 2 class on Saturday, has won two runner-up medals in the Irish championships, and he feels that he may well go one better in April.

Kilfenora’s 80kg youth Padraig Malone retained his provincial title with a good win over Eric Fanning from the Thurles club. Malone is a big hitter and he had Fanning in trouble early in the second round from two powerful right hands, before the referee terminated the contest in the first minute of the third round. His younger brother, Conor, will be seeking a double for the Malone family on Saturday when he contests the 36kg final against Feargal de Faoite from Clonmel. Young Malone looked impressive in his semi-final against Michael Hutchinson from Cashel on Sunday last.

Boy 4 66kg Brian McDonagh from the Ennis club is a reigning Irish champion and three times Munster champion and is showing good form at present. His younger sibling Bradley is looking to emulate his brother’s achievements as he makes his championship final debut on Saturday in the 48kg class. He stopped Kerry’s Jamie McVeigh in last Sunday’s semi-final and should have the measure of Cork’s Eoin Cronin (St Nicholas) in Saturday’s final.

Doolin’s Paul Flynn found the going tough in his 52kg semi-final with Jordan Dalton from the Rylane club in Cork and made his exit 9-4, but Davy Keenan (Ennis) kept the audience enthralled with a sparkling display against Timmy Lee Casey from the OLOL club in Limerick. The bout ended in a welter of excitement on a 10-10 scoreline and had to revert to the computer countback for a 28-27 victory for the gritty Keenan.

Davy’s heavyweight brother Martin captured the Irish novice title in January, and hopes are high for the diminutive Davy on Saturday.

Mark Kearney and Killian O’Gorman from the Ennis club, each of whom was making their debut in championship boxing, thoroughly enjoying the experience, came through hard semi-finals battles with Kearney losing out 13-5 to Cork’s Mike McDonagh and the fiery O’Gorman losing out to Kevin O’Gorman from Nenagh in their respective finals. Pat Chesser (66kg) and Adam Howard (80kg) are both 16 and in their first year in boxing and acquitted themselves well losing out in the semi-finals in their respective divisions.

Reigning Irish champion Conor Doyle will bid for his third Munster title on Saturday when he meets Kevin Cotter from the Rylane club in Cork in the final of the 60kg boy 3. Doyle is a member of the national elite squad and is fancied to complete the hat-trick although little is known of the Cork fighter. He will be joined in his quest by clubmates Martin Mongan and Johnny Ryan who also meet Cork opponents.

Peter Quinn, a 29kg contender, goes in against Myles Casey from the “Big Bang” stable in Limerick.
Two brothers Edward and Paddy Donovan from Ennis but boxing out of the OLOL club in Limerick will be fancied to make it a family double on Saturday afternoon.