BOXING 2008 National Senior Champions Crowned
The 2008 National Senior Championships concluded at a packed National Stadium in Dublin over the weekend with ten top class finals.
The Championships had a double significance this year as boxers winning or retaining senior titles will be part of the Irish squad for the second last Olympic qualifier for European boxers in Pescara, Italy in late February.
Super Heavyweight
Defending super heavyweight champion, Cathal McMonagle was already guaranteed his place on the Irish squad for Italy after receiving a walkover after his opponent Alex Vedernikov had to withdraw because of a family illness.
Flyweight
Ruairi Dalton and Shane Cox got proceedings underway with an eagerly contested flyweight final, Cox taking the first round 4-0 with most of his scoring arriving via his rabid fire left hand.
Two further lefts stretched the Wexford mans lead by a further two points in the second before Dalton finally got on the scorecard with a close range right.Cox, who lost last years final by a paper thin margin of one point, directed another left straight through Daltons guard in the third but Dalton reduced the deficit to six points going into the fourth and final round.
However, and despite a brave display by the Antrim man in the final two minutes, it was Cox, fighting out of the blue corner, who had his hand raised in victory.
Bantamweight
John Joe Nevin and TJ Doheny contested the bantamweight final, and it was Nevin, who eliminated reigning champion Ryan Lindberg in the semi finals, who emerged victorious from an encounter of contrasting styles.
Nevin did most of his good work in the second round, counter punching on the backfoot against an opponent who refused to stop coming forward.
A furious exchange in the fourth saw Nevin stretched his lead to 8-1. Doheny registered two scores late on, but a five point margin of victory was a fair reflection of victory for Nevin from a very technical four rounder.
Light Heavyweight
Irish captain Ken Egan, unbeaten in Irish competition this century, claimed his eight senior title on the trot following a convincing win over the brave Ciaran Curtis.
Egan worked in bursts throughout this light heavyweight clash, forcing the Dealgan man into a standing count in the second following a barrage of shots to the head and body.
The Neilstown man forged 11-1 ahead in the third ahead of adding another eight points to his total before accepting the winners trophy from the President of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, Dominic O'Rourke.
Heavyweight
Con Sheehan was carrying the well wishes of boxing fans in Tipperary into the ring for his heavyweight final with Tommy Sheehan. But despite the Clonmel mans vociferous support it was Sheehan, of the St Michael's Athy Club, who took the first round 3-0.
Sheehan chalked up his first scores in the second, landing with a close range left and a right to reduce the arrears to 3-2 before leveling and going ahead with two straight lefts down the middle in the third.
An overhead right stretched the Tipp’s mans lead in the first 30 second of the fourth before two further shots sealed an impressive victory for the Clonmel man who will now carry Ireland's heavyweight hopes into the Olympic qualifiers in Pescara.
"I'm lost for words and I would like to thank my coaches for all their help," said the ecstatic 18 year old new champion after he was presented with his trophy.
Middleweight
The introduction was loud, and you could cut the tension with a knife as the most eagerly talked about Irish fight in years got ready to rumble.
Defending middleweight champion Darren Sutherland and Darren O'Neill were both in the ring with an Irish title and a place on the Irish squad for Pescara up for grabs.
O'Neill claimed the first round, manoeuvring to the flanks of Sutherlands full frontal assault to land four punches in quick succession approaching the bell.
A classic second round saw O'Neill stretch his lead to four points - landing a beautiful right on the retreat -although he was caught by a stinging jab from Sutherland in a neutral corner.
Sutherland showed the heart of a true champion to take the third round however, forcing O'Neill into a standing count en route to overturning the first two rounds and taking a 16-13 lead.
The St Saviours OBA man then added another five points to his tally to claim his second Irish title in a row from an absorbing four rounds of boxing which was worth the entrance fee alone.
A thrilled Sutherland said: "That was one of the best scraps to grace the National Stadium in years and I'm absolutely thrilled with the win."
O'Neill admitted after the fight that he was desperately disappointed with the result, but the Kilkenny man very sportingly wished his Irish team-mate the best of luck in the Olympic qualifiers in Pescara.
Lightweight
The skilful Ross Hickey has impressed at these Championships, and will be also on the plane to Pescara with an Irish senior lightweight title to his name after edging out Anthony Cacace.
Hickey won the first 1-0, but both boxers were level at 1-1 at the end of the second. Hickey went back in front in the third before withstanding a late comeback for Cacace to be crowned the new lightweight champion of Ireland.
Light Flyweight
Defending light flyweight champion Paddy Barnes has already qualified for next summers Olympics having booked his ticket for Beijing at the World Championships in Chicago last October.
However, the Holy Family Belfast man still had to defend his Irish title tonight, and once again, Jimmy Moore from the St Francis club in Limerick, was standing in his way.
Barnes beat Moore in last years 48Kg final just twelve months after Moore beat the Ulster man in the 2006 decider. Barnes looked sharp in the first round the third series, landing two good rights, although Moore was doing an incredible amount of work throughout the round.
Barnes was credited with just one score in the second - landing with a short left following an exchange near his own corner. The 2008 Irish Olympian opened up an 11-0 lead in the third and Moore’s corner then retired their man in the fourth.
Light Welterweight
John Joe Joyce is still only nineteen years old, but that didn't stop the St Michael's Athy man taking home his third senior title on the trot (two at lightweight) following a comprehensive light welterweight win over Jamie Kavanagh.
Joyce forced the Crumlin man into standing counts in each of the first three rounds before the contest was stopped on the 20 point rule (27-7) in round three.
Featherweight
Kevin Fennessey was hoping to make it a Clonmel double against defending champion David Oliver Joyce in the featherweight final - Joyce was also looking to do the double for St Michael's Athy.
This contest started at a furious pace with both boxers using the full width of the apron in a running attempt to carve out an attacking angle. Joyce took the first two computer scores to lead 2-0 at the end of the first.
Fennessey registered his first score in the second, but Joyce landed six clear shots to lead 8-1 at the bell.
The third round saw Fennessey receive two public warnings while Joyce also incurred the wrath of the referee on his way to recording a deserved 22-4 win.
Welterweight
Like his St Michael's Athy team-mate, John Joe Joyce, Roy Sheahan was targeting his third senior Irish title on the trot at the expense of John Joe McDonagh in the final bout of the 2008 finals - a welterweight decider which finished in the early hours of this morning.
Sheahan was boxing well within himself in this four rounder, enough to lead 4-0 at the end of the second. Neither boxer scored in the third but Sheahan tagged his man with two good rights in the fourth and final round to claim a personal hat trick of Irish senior titles and the third title of the night for St Michael's Athy.
Boxer of the Tournament
Heavyweight Con Sheehan received the boxer of the tournament award to mark an incredible night for the talented young Tipperary man.
National Senior Championships Finals Results Friday November 11th National Stadium Dublin
48Kg: Paddy Barnes (Holy Family) beat Jimmy Moore (St Francis) (0-6,0-7,0-11) RET4
51Kg: Ruairi Dalton (St John, Antrim) lost to Shane Cox (Gorey) (0-4,1-6,3-9) 6-11
54Kg: John Joe Nevin (Cavan) beat TJ Doheny (Portlaoise) (1-0,4-0,6-1) 8-3
57Kg: David Oliver Joyce (St Michael's Athy) beat Kevin Fennessey (Clonmel) (2-0,8-1,16-13) 22-4
60Kg: Ross Hickey (Grangecon) beat Anthony Cacace (Holy Trinity) (1-0,1-1,3-1) 6-4
64Kg: John Joe Joyce (St Michael's Athy) beat Jamie Kavanagh (Crumlin) (9-1,19-5) RSCO3
69Kg: Roy Sheahan (St Michael's Athy) beat John Joe McDonagh (Brosna) (2-0,4-0,4-0) 6-0
75Kg: Darren Sutherland (St Saviours OBA) beat Darren O'Neill (Paulstown) (1-4,6-9,16-13) 21-15
81Kg: Ken Egan (Neilstown) beat Ciaran Curtis (Deagan) (5-0,6-2,11-2) 19-4
91Kg: Con Sheehan (Clonmel) beat Tommy Sheehan (St Michael's Athy) (0-3,2-3, 4-3) 6-3
91+Kg: Cathal McMonagle (Holy Trinity) beat Alex Vedernikov (Neilstown) W/O
Boxer of the Tournament Award Winner: Con Sheehan (Clonmel)
European Olympic Qualifiers
2nd last Olympic qualifier for European Boxers: Pescara, Italy (February 24th/March 2nd)
Final Olympic qualifier for European boxers: Athens, Greece (April 7th/14th)
2008 Olympic Games: August 8th/24th Beijing, China
For Further Information: Bernard O'Neill, Public Relations Officer,
Irish Amateur Boxing ssociation
Ph: 086 057 9558
Fax: 061 408627
bernard.oneill@oceanfree.net
www.iaba.ie