CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS
Pressure to impress at the Ulster championships
THE Ulster Elite championships concluded at Ulster Hall in Belfast on Friday (November 25). With the Commonwealth Games looming next year, these finals assumed special significance for the champions hoping to be selected for Gold Coast 2018.
Sean Mccomb triumphed at light-welterweight, beating Gleann’s
Caoimhin Ferguson. Mccomb is targeting boxing for Northern Ireland at the Commonwealths and taking vengeance for a European championships loss against England’s Luke Mccormack. “The Commonwealth Games team has yet to be officially announced but I am very confident about going there and hopefully getting a bit of revenge over Luke Mccormack and winning gold,” said Holy Trinity boxer Mccomb.
2016 Olympian Brendan
Irvine made sure of victory in the flyweight final, defeating Clonard’s
Conor Quinn. “I started slowly in the first round and kind of got dragged into his fight,” Irvine said. “But I picked it up in the second round and third and I thought I won it comfortably in the end.” But lightweight James
Mcgivern caught the eye. The 19-year-old was ruled boxer of the night as he beat Sean Duffy,a Commonwealth Games medallist.
Steven Donnelly, a quarterfinalist at the last Olympic Games, continued his success at middleweight, overcoming Fergus
Quinn to win at 75kgs. RESULTS
48: Kristina O’hara (St John Bosco) outpd Chloe Fleck (Canal). 49: Ricky Nesbitt (Carrickmacross) w/o. 51: Ceire Smith (Virginia) outpd Carly Mcnaul (Ormeau Road). 52: Brendan Irvine (St Pauls) outpd Conor Quinn (Clonard). 56: Eamonn Mcnally (St Michaels) outpd Conor Kerr (Glengormley). 57: Michaela Walsh w/o. 60: James Mcgivern (St Georges) outpd Sean Duffy (Holy Trinity). 60: Alanna Nihell w/o. 64: Sean Mccomb (Holy Trinity) outpd Caoimhin Ferguson (Gleann). 69: Aidan Walsh (Monkstown) outpd Brett Mcginty (Oakleaf). 75: Steven Donnelly (All Saints) outpd Fergus Quinn (Camlough), Sarah Close (Holy Family) w/o. 81: Conor Wallace (Holy Family Drogheda) w/o, Caroline Connolly w/o. 91: Damien Sullivan (Emerald) outpd Jason Barron (Holy Trinity).