My fists will do the talking, says confident Taylor
IRISH star Katie Taylor aims to shut up Jessica McCaskill with a ruthless performance in her first defence of the WBA lightweight title in London’s York Hall tonight.
Such is the lack of depth in women’s boxing, along with her undoubted talent, Taylor raced to world title success in only her seventh fight, a unanimous points win over Argentina’s Anahi Sanchez for the WBA belt on October 28.
“If (McCaskill) is as relentless in the ring as she is on social media it should be a great fight,” said Taylor.
“I’m more than happy to give her the opportunity and I certainly won’t be avoiding anyone as a champion.
“Trash talking is not really my thing but she seems to be happy to talk enough for the both of us anyway.
“Maybe it’s something she has to do for her own confidence but none of that matters once the bell rings.” TYRONE have a new chairperson of the county board after Roisin Jordan — the first female chairperson of a county board since the founding of the GAA in 1884 — was eliminated on the first count of the vote at the Annual County Convention in Garvaghey last night.
Eglish clubperson Jordan made history in December 2014 when she became the first female to hold the role.
Jordan also took unreasonable criticism when Tyrone club championship games were held outside the Red Hand county, with Armagh’s Athletic Grounds playing host when Omagh’s Healy Park was unplayable.
However, she has been a trailblazer in her role and, for two nights at least, there were two female chairs in the GAA as Cork’s Tracey Kennedy was appointed unopposed on Sunday night.
The matter in Tyrone was settled last night when former county PRO Damian Harvey entered the race and was nominated, while former vice-chairman Michael Kerr also declared an interest.
Harvey emerged as a strong favourite and was seen as a direct opponent against Jordan, promising an era of transparency.
In the first round, Harvey claimed 54 votes, Kerr received 50, while Jordan got 46, thereby eliminating her.
However, it would seem that a number of those that voted for Jordan granted their preference to Kerr for the second round of votes.
The Carrickmore man is an experienced operator who has been in the tricky role of Competitions Control Committee chair over the last number of seasons — a job which includes the thorny issue of fixture making, never a particularly envious role on any county committee.
However, one of his first tasks in the new role will be equally as difficult.
It has been reported that the Tyrone ladies’ Gaelic football team were charged for the use of the Garvaghey training facilities to the tune of £13,650 for 2017 during their run to the All-Ireland Intermediate final, which they lost against Tipperary.
It was also reported that the ladies players were left to sit outside on the bus transporting county players of both genders to Belfast, but the men’s team were granted their usual post-training meals, and there was no such provision for the ladies.
While the ladies association is a separate entity, the optics of this situation understandably has caused some anguish in the county, and some bridges would need to be mended in the relationships.
Former PRO Eunan Lindsay was elected as vice-chair.
Meanwhile, at the Fermanagh County Convention in Garrison, at the Devenish club, on the occasion of their centenary, Greg Kelly remained as county chairman.
It was a case of as you were in the other posts.