OLYMPIAN ADAM NOLAN was among the big winners at tonight’s elite male national boxing finals as the Wexford man claimed victory over John Joe Joyce.
The Bray clubman had the better of the early stages in the 69kg welterweight decider, catching Joyce as he strode forward. And Nolan was able to sustain that advantage to come away with a unanimous points decision to earn his fourth national title.
The 91kg heavyweight decider saw Olympic middleweight Darren O’Neill win out in a split decision against Athlone’s Ken Okungbowa.
O’Neill had to persevere and use his movement to overcome a larger opponent who managed to cut O’Neill before the final round.
In what was arguably fight of the night, Mayo’s Ray Moylette was unable to dethrone defending champ Dean Walsh in the 64kg light welterweight final.
The close contest was decided on a split decision, Walsh battling back aggressively after a slip in the first round when Moylette appeared ready to take control.
The only other defending champion on the night Michael O’Reilly was also successful, retaining his title with a unanimous points decision over Dundalk’s Stephen Broadhurst.
The early bouts brought unanimous points victories for Belfast, St Paul’s Brendan Irvine defeating Hugh Myers of Kildare and the Canal Club’s Kurt Walker defeated St John Bosco’s Sean Higginson. Holy Trinity’s Sean McComb won out in a split decision over George Bates in the lightweight final.
Kildare fighter Roy Sheahan claimed a national crown in the 81kg light-heavyweight final with an accomplished victory over Limerick’s Matthew Tinker. Tinker’s clubmate Myles Casey (brother of Willie) did manage to bring a title back to St Francis’, beating Evan Metcalfe in the 52kg flyweight bout.
The final fight of the night brought the national 91kg+ super heavyweight title to Dean Gardiner, the Clonmel man defeating Constantin Popovicu by unanimous decision.
Something not right with them this year. There’s almost too many players. No idea.
@Peter Brophy: I think the problem is that Leo is rotating his players too much. He needs a consistent core group of players so that when the internationals come back into the side, it won’t be such a jump. Having said that, it’s worrying that Leinster haven’t had a single good performance this season and they’re only a game away from their first Championship Cup fixture.
A lot of credit must go to how Edinburgh approached the match and made things difficult for Leinster. Reduced to some aimless kicking or loose running, it was up to Leinster to think their way out of it. No trophies won in September so move on to the next one and take the 4 points and them taking nothing.
This team will get much better. They just need to reintegrate all the big names. It was like their first day at school last night…. no need to panic
From a munster and Ireland fan sexton is shitte hot …munster Leinster this year
He brushed over the lineout issue.
A couple of missed calls? How can there possible be a missed call? The pack huddle, make a call and then the prop tells this call to the hooker. Unless either the prop or the hooker doesn’t speak or understand English someone please tell me how they could get the call wrong.
“3 or 4 international class players in every position”
@Paul O’Connor: And yet they look like AIL players. And you can ask why. And the answe is they all think they are the dogs bollo&, but it is high time they earned their wages. They are overpaid, overhyped, muck