DONEGAL will have 13 boxers competing in the Irish Schoolboy and Schoolgirl Championships after an exciting Ulster finals day in Raphoe yesterday.
A total of 22 contests were held at the Deele College sports hall.
The day was sponsored by Los Angeles-based boxing management company Sheer Sports Management.
Sheer Sports’ ace middleweight Jason Quigley was on hand to present some of the medals. Fellow north west professional Connor Coyle was also in attendance alongside Raphoe ABC’s two-time European bronze medallist Leah Gallen.
In the ring, Donegal had five champions.
Dunree ABC trio celebrate Ulster titles
Dunree’s Josh McDonagh overcame County Down puncher Lewis Hill on a unanimous decision in the Boy 4 42kgs final.
On the home canvas in Raphoe, Aaron McDaid took the Boy 4 52kgs title. McDaid defeated Castleblaney’s Eugene White on a narrow 3-2 split decision.
Aaron mcDaid
Dunfananaghy ABC’s Bernie McDonagh (main picture) was crowned Boy 5 54kgs winner after a 4-1 split verdict to defeat Armagh’s Gareth Nugent.
Illies Golden Gloves’ Cahir Gormley swept to a unanimous decision win over Castleblaney’s James McVicker in the Boy 6 60kgs decider with Letterkenny ABC’s Harry Good seeing off Peter Cawley from Cokstown in the Boy 6 80kgs final.
Harry Good
Lifford ABC’s Cameron Mahon (69kgs) and Carndonagh’s Molly Simmons (57kgs) won boy 7 and girl 7 titles via walkovers, but there is no national championships for their categories.
The Irish championships begin on March 20 and the five inside-the-ring winners will be joined by those who received walkover wins at the weekend: Boy 4 39kg – Keelin Collins, Dunree, Boy 5 44kgs – Cormac Hall, Dunfanaghy, Boy 5 70kgs – Shay Doherty, Twin Towns, Boy 6 91+kgs – Daniel Burn, Ballyshannon, Girl 4 66kgs – Erin Molloy, Letterkenny, Girl 5 48kgs – Brenda Collins, Dunree, Girl 6 63kgs – Rebekah McGlinchey, Letterkenny, Girl 6 66kgs – Shania McCloskey, Carndonagh