Toland leads way for Holy Family Ulster title success

IT was an evening of celebration for Holy Family in the Ulster Hall last night as they claimed the first three titles on offer during the Ulster Elite finals.

Sionnan McKenna, Diarmuid Toland and Rory Lavery all had their hand raised in victory, each in contrasting circumstances.

In the opening final of the evening, McKenna overcame Gilford’s Clodagh McComiskey 3-2 after an absorbing women’s 54kg decider.

The Gilford girl perhaps shaded the opener as she was more economical with her punches, but McKenna began to warm to the task by the end of the round and enjoyed a good second with her punch selection impressing the judges.

It was all to play for in the final round, but McKenna prevailed as she timed her jabs and right hands excellently to take the win.

Toland was next and he boxed to perfection against Cookstown’s Craig Bigger.

The Holy Family man found his range excellently as he picked his shots and circled the ring with a right hand through the middle catching the eye in the opener.

Bigger was looking to walk him down and make this a battle up close, but Toland was simply too quick and slick as he controlled the action off his jab and while the Cookstown man did enjoy some success late in the third, it was Toland who took the light-flyweight title.

“Craig likes to come forward, but I just stuck to my boxing and that’s what got me through so I’m happy enough with my performance,” he said.

“I was disappointed last year, so I’m just happy to have got the win this time.”

Next up, Lavery was victorious at 60kg over Mosa Kembula, but earned the nod after the fight was stopped after the first due to a nasty cut under his eye from a head clash.

Kembula was cut in last week’s semi-final and that gash opened immediately despite landing the first shot with his opening attack, but Lavery quickly settled and was evading and countering well as he began to take charge and had certainly won the round as it ticked towards the end when the clash occurred, leaving the doctor to advise the referee to wave it off.

“It wasn’t how I’d like to have won it, but it’s a victory nonetheless,” he said.

“I was starting to get into my rhythm there and my jab was beginning to land. I caught him with a few nice right hands there towards the end and the heads went in.

“It was an accidental clash there and these things happen, but I won the trophy so I’m happy enough.”

Kane Tucker wasted no time in taking the 81kg honours as a huge right hand left Eastside’s Gareth McDowell in no position to continue early in the fight.

The super-heavyweight title went the way of Patrick Rodgers, who overcame Dennis Borskins on a unanimous decision after three highly entertaining rounds.

The St John’s, Swatragh man and his Sacred Heart, Newry opponent traded some heavy fire in the opener, but it was Rodgers who enjoyed greater success.

Borskins was warned for continuing to duck his head low as Rodgers began to take charge and landed some excellent uppercuts.

The Sacred Heart man did catch Rodgers with a long right in the final round, but it was not enough as all five judges gave the decision to the St John’s man.

At heavyweight, Karol Dlugosz handed Holy Family their only loss of the evening when defeating Michael Erpelding on a unanimous decision.

The Mac man was a deserving winner as he landed eye-catching rights throughout and completely dominated to claim the title.

Daryl Clarke tasted victory at 63kg as he edged out Jack McGivern in a split 3-2 verdict.

McGivern opened well with a flurry, but Clarke was soon into his stride as he solved the southpaw riddle and began scoring with his jab. The Monkstown man began to get his jab into play with McGivern falling short with his punches, but he changed tactics to turn the final frame into a war and this suited him with a head clash opening a cut over Clarke’s eye.

Both felt they had done enough, but Clarke got the nod.

Ireland squad: H Tector (capt), J Cameron-Dow, C Campher, G Delany, G Dockrell, S Doheny, S Getkate, T Kane, J Little, J McCollum, N Rock, J Tector, G Wilson, C Young.