Final Results From Irish National Amateur Championships

The Holy Trinity BC in Belfast registered a hat-trick at tonight’s U/21 Championships finals at the National Stadium in Dublin.

Sean McComb, Mark O’Hara and Conrad Cummings had their hands raised in triumph for the Turf Lodge academy at the home of Irish boxing.

Derry light-flyweight Blaine Dobbins won the first title of the evening courtesy of a 16-11 win over Antrim’s TJ Waite. Dobbins led this contest 5-4 and 8-7 at the end of rounds one and two and held his composure in the face of some serious pressure from Waite in the final frame to pick off another eight points.

Michelle Jannick claimed the first of the 51Kg titles following a see-saw battle with Jade Corcoran. The lead changed hands three times in this encounter before Jannick emerged with five points to spare over her Crumlin BC opponent.

The men’s 51Kg final between Hugh Myres and Gavin McComb was tipped in advance to produce Halloween fireworks. And neither flyweight disappointed with punches flying in from all angles in a first round which finished 3-3.

McComb edged the next frame to command an 8-7 lead going down the final stretch. Myres came storming back in the third, catching McComb with a combo mid-way through the frame. However, McComb landed some neat shots of his own to shade a 15-14 win.

“This is my first Irish title and I’ve been waiting all my life for it. It was a tough one, especially the third round and I’m delighted with the win,” said the new Irish champion.

Meanwhile, Dubliner Shane Roche denied Ulster a fourth win on-the-trot with a count back decision over Joel Scullion, who received a public warning for holding in the second.

Scullion landed some fine rights in the third, but was clipped twice by Roche in the final three minutes of a cracking bantamweight decider.

The all Connaught 57Kg battle of the Michelle’s went to Michelle Lynch, the Golden Gloves ace recording a 13-2 verdict over Michael Chambers to add the Irish featherweight title to her CV.

Sean McComb, a cousin of newly crowned flyweight champion Gavin McComb, denied the Immaculata BC two-in-a-row with an impressive decision over JD Meli.

The Holy Trinity BC prospect, a tall and rangy southpaw, opened up a 5-2 lead and stretched that advantage to 8-4 by the end of the third. Meli, to his credit, kept winging in shots in the final
frame.

However, McComb showed some excellent footwork to extract himself from a few “hairy” situations en route to winning his fourth Irish title. Meantime, Emma Agnew was celebrating a high-five after recording an inside the distance victory over Laura Connolly-Murphy to claim her 5th Irish crown.

Mark O’Hara – with the Holy Trinity BC’s second win of the night – finished on top of the men’s 60Kg podium at the expense of James Tennyson. O’Hara made the judges minds up for them with some fine right hand shots throughout this bout to seal a 20-11 verdict.

Martin Wall, meantime, was one point ahead at the end of each round and at the final bell of a high-tempo 67Kg duel with Waterford’s Ronan Date. Emmet Brennan made it two wins in-a-row for the Corinthians BC after Liam Green was retired by his corner in round three.

Ciara Doyle also impressive this evening, the Gorey BC posting an 18-5 decision over Lisa Ward, while Conrad Cummings completed the treble for the Holy Trinity BC with a 20-9 victory over Chris Blaney, Blaney taking a count after dropping to one knee from a body shot in round three.

Cummings, who was beaten by Blaney in the 2010 U/21 Championships, said he was absolutely thrilled with the win and to have completed the three in-a-row for his club.

Gary Sweeney, a silver medal winner for Ireland at the 2011 European Youth Championships, was beaten by Ciaran O’Griofa in an explosive 85Kg clash, Sweeney receiving a public warning for a low blow in the first round of an all-Connemar duel.

O’Griofa, who was 6-4 down at the end of the first, turned it around to lead 10-8 by the end of the second and was 13-10 up at the end of a top class contest.

Two-time Irish Elite finalist Tommy McCarthy recorded a comprehensive 32-2 win over the brave challenge of Thomas Farrell at heavyweight.

Drimnagh BC super-heavyweight Sean Turner claimed the final title on offer with a third round stoppage of Ken Okungbowa of the Athlone BC in a power-punching 91Kg+ clash.

One minute’s silence was observed before tonight’s finals in memory of the late Mr Davy Hawkins of Belfast. Mr Hawkins, a former member of the IABA Central Council and Secretary of the Ulster Council, sadly passed away this week aged 79.