Daina Moorehouse crowned Youth champ
Another European gold for Enniskerry boxer
ENNISKERRY Boxing Club’s golden girl Daina Moorehouse has won her second European title inside nine months.
Following on from her triumph at Junior level last summer, Daina(16)won the Ireland Under-18s to qualify for the European Youth Championships in Roseto Delgi Abruzzi, Italy.
Daina travelled out to Italy with the Irish team on Tuesday 17th of April and the draw saw her having to face into four bouts in her quest for gold.
She started with a last sixteen contest against Ukraine champion Jvanisova Olena.
Quickly putting any pre-tournament nerves aside southpaw Daina soon began to find her range and her backhand was landing with increasing regularity.
It was to be a comfortable 5-0 victory with two of the judges awarding 10-8 cards.
Daina had some rest before her quarter-final on the Saturday against Marta Lope of Spain.
Once again Daina proved to be too fast and powerful for her opponent and the Enniskerry light-flyweight was in maurading form as she took the contest on a 5-0 score once again.
The equally impressive German champion Maxi Klotzer had beaten Bulgaria to make the semi-finals.
Towering above Daina the tall German sought to land her big right hook, which she did on occasion but Moorehouse scored consistently with backhands in all three rounds.
Her movement had to be superb to counter against an opponent she afterwards declared the strongest she had competed against to date.
The contest went to the young Irish girl 4-1 who was awarded one 10-8 round to the delight of the Irish travelling party which included Daina’s club coaches Paul and Eve, her parents John and Melissa, brother Michael, Rachel Byrne and Debbie Carr.
As is the nature of tournament boxing there was no time to rest on her laurels as the final was set for the next day.
The Irish team had an impressive four finalists in Daina, Dean Clancy, Dearbhla Rooney and Evelyn Igharo.
Daina was first up against the Russian southpaw Kseniia Beschastnova, who once again towered over her diminutive opponent.
As all bouts were streamed live from the highly impressive Italian venue, clubmates, family, friends as well as Daina’s school St Killian’s in Bray were all able to witness the electric atmosphere.
Daina started at a frenetic pace with her left hooks working overtime to keep the Russian on the back foot.
The second round saw the young Irish girl open a cut above her opponent’s eye which required a look from the medical staff.
Both girls gave their all in the final round but to the joy of the Irish team Daina was to win what turned out to the sole gold for the team.
The card read 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 28-29 with the final judge’s points raising some eyebrows but it mattered little as Enniskerry’s Golden Girl finally let her emotions get the better of her as her danced around the ring.
One boxer commentator declared Daina’s first round display the best that he had seen from any Irish boxer in many years and another called her the female Rigondeaux.
The Irish coaching team of Billy McClean, Anita Just, Michael Mongan, Micheal Carruth as well as IABA President Dom O’Rourke were delighted with a team haul of one gold, three silver and two bronze.
Daina will enjoy her homecoming before travelling to Cuba in June for a two week training camp she won as winner of the Golden Girls in Sweden before beginning her final preparations for the World Youth Championships in Hungary in August.
In order to prepare as best she can Enniskerry Boxing Club are seeking sponsors to give Daina the best opportunity possible for club and country and can contact Club Secretary Eamonn Carr at 0876355608 or eamonntcarr@ gmail.com.