BOXING CLUB WIN SIX TITLES
March 1988
KILKERLEY boxing club wins six titles at the Co. Louth championships in Collon.
The successful fighters are Robert McElwaine 2nd year youths at 81kg; Paul Shevlin 4th year boys at 36kg; Eugene Martin 3rd year boys at 45kg; Eugene Callan 2nd year youths at 45kg; Barry Callan 4th year boys and Michael Martin 1st year boys at 36kg.
Others to perform well are Gerard Garvey 2nd year boys at 36kg and Jim Reilly 1st year boys at 33kg.
Gareth Callan, 2nd year youths at 75kg, after stopping his semi-final opponent in the first round, is unfortunately forced to retire in the second round of the final.
Seamus Hanratty boxing at novice juniors, and entering the ring for the first time, puts up a great display, but loses narrowly in the final.
Trainers Eddie Sharkey and Ben Wallace are delighted with all of the performances.
Next for the six champions is the Leinster championships in Portarlington. UP-AND- COMING Dundalk jockey Stephen Gray secures a ride at the Cheltenham Festival aboard Take Your Mark in the Coral Cup.
The handicap hurdle over 2m 5f goes on after Wednesday’s feature the Champion Chase.
Take Your Mark is trained by David Broad, and Gray is in the saddle for the horse’s Cheltenham prep at Naas on 24 February.
It’s his first link up with the 10-year-old Goldmark gelding, and they finish a one-length runner-up to Fen Game, after making a lot of late ground over the two-mile trip.
Take Your Mark goes off at 20/1 in the Coral Cup and is unlucky not to finish a lot closer than his final position of tenth of 24.
Racing in midfield, the horse is hampered at the sixth hurdle and loses his place.
However, the 7 lb claimer galvanises his mount. Take Your Mark stays on before the final flight, eventually ending up 15 lengths behind the winner, Naiad Du Misselot, ridden by Davy Russell for trainer, Ferdy Murphy.
They pip Kicks For Free and Ruby Walsh by a nose. Earlier, Walsh takes the Champion Chase in emphatic fashion on Master Minded.