Coach Linda makes history as she takes charge of Irish team

ONE of Arklow Boxing Club’s coaches became part of boxing history when Linda Morgan was appointed team manager of the first Irish International schoolgirls boxing team to take on the might of England at the National Stadium last weekend.

It was the first international at this level for both countries and what a cracking match it turned out to be. England got off to a flyer, winning the first two bouts, but Ireland won the next four to take the lead.

England then won three in a row to leave the match five bouts to four for the visitors with one bout remaining.

To the delight of the crowd the Irish girl put in a tremendous effort to win the bout and earn the home team a draw. This was an excellent result as the English team had been training together for three months before the competition.

Arklow’s Amber Byrne was on the Irish list to be matched but England could not come up with an opponent.

The Arklow girls will be back training mid August to prepare for the Esker tournament, which will include top class girls from all over Europe.

Linda, who qualified as a coach and boxing judge about three years ago, is Girls Coach with the club and also Club Secretary and is presently in charge of the Leinster girls development squad.

There are over 200 girls registered and Linda arranges collective training in four different venues which is an enormous task but no bother to her.

Linda is well known and respected by all the clubs in Leinster and is now being recognised at national level, thus her appointment as manager at the weekend. Everyone at the club are delighted and wish Linda well.

The chairman of Wicklow County Council, Councillor Pat Fitzgerald congratulated Linda on being appointed manager of the Irish team on the occasion of this inaugural international.

‘It is a great honour for Linda and her family and for Arklow Boxing Club, which is one of the most progressive boxing clubs in the country,’ he said.