(JAN 27) Nine champions were
crowned at the National Elite Women’s finals at the National
Stadium in Dublin at the weekend inc. Olympic BC’s Debbie
O’Reilly the new 60kg lightweight titleholder.
Arguably though the ‘bouts of the night’ were those at 57kg
featherweight where St Brigid’s Dervla Duffy, long an Irish
international defeated reigning champion, Joanne Lambe from
Carrickmacross (k.o 4)
and at 69kg where two of Ireland’s best future prospects, had a
‘battle royal’ before reigning champion Kilkenny’s Clare Grace
overcame the ‘young pretender’ to the crown, Macroom’s Christina
Desmond on a 2:1 split decision.
Congratulations too to Kelly Harrington, an Irish Elite champion
for the fifth time. A magnificent achievement by the
St.Margaret’s boxer.
Dublin City University 20 year old student Grace, amazingly, was
the only boxer, male or female, to retain a title over the two
nights. Yet again sadly there was no TV coverage of the women’s
finals, just like previous years, despite full coverage of the
men’s finals the previous night. Hopefully the Irish Amateur
Boxing Association will recognise their overall responsibility
for the sport (male AND female) come the 2016 finals.
Why not hold half of the finals on each night with both final
nights covered by their contract with TG4 even if one has
delayed or deferred coverage?
HSE ambulance paramedic, Debbie O’Reilly, the European
Powerlifting silver medallist, took the 60kg crown in the
absence of defending champion Katie Taylor, who had not fully
recovered from the injury sustained when taking a record
equalling 5th-in-a-row AIBA World Elite title in Korea in
November. With the inaugural European Games (the ‘European
Olympics’) coming up in Baku later in the year, Taylor
understandably was taking no chances here.
Now here from Dublin’s ‘Fair City’ is how Bernard O’Neill
reported the night’s action ringside:
“Lauren Hogan had her hand raised in victory following a
hard-fought win over Maeve Clarke in the light-fly class, while
Ceire Smith, the defending flyweight champion, beat EU Youth
gold medallist Kristina O’Hara.
“We’re absolutely over the moon, said coach Liam Brereton.
“Lauren is still only eighteen and she’s already won an under 18
title and a European Youth bronze medal and now a Senior title,
absolutely brilliant.”
Joanne Lambe, who reached the last 16 at the World Championships
in 2014, was looking to retain her featherweight crown, but was
stopped by Dervla Duffy in the fourth round. Duffy knocked the
defending champion out with a clean right/left combo in the
final frame.
Meanwhile, Debbie O’Reilly secured the vacant lightweight belt
on a unanimous decision over Louise Donohue. Olympic champion
Katie Taylor was the defending lightweight champion but had to
withdraw because of a hand injury. Kelly Harrington retained the
light-welter belt at the expense of Clare’s Kayleigh Murrihy.
Defending welterweight champion Clare Grace also emerged
victorious. The AIBA World No. 8 and European Elite bronze
medallist beat 18-year-old Youth Olympian Christina Desmond, a
silver medallist at the 2013 World Youths, on a split decision.
Diana Campbell also scored a split decision, the Garda BC ace
taking two of the judges with her in her victory over defending
81kg+ champion Fiona Nelson in the final bout of the 2015
National Male and Female Elite Championships.
Irish women’s boxing is proudly sponsored by QuickPark of Dublin
Airport”.
2015 Elite Female Finals :
48kg Lauren Hogan (St Brigid’s, Offaly) beat Maeve Clarke (Ballinacarrow)
3-0
51kg Ceire Smith (Cavan) beat Kristina O’Hara (Emerald) 3-0
54kg Michaela Walsh (Holy Family) W/O
57kg Dervla Duffy (St Brigid’s, Kildare) beat Joanne Lambe (Carrickmacross)
KO4
60kg Debbie O’Reilly (Olympic) beat Louise Donohue (Geesala) 3-0
64kg Kelly Harrington (St Margaret’s) beat Kayleigh Murrihy (Kilfenora)
3-0
69kg Clare Grace (Callan) beat Christina Desmond (Macroom) 2-1
75kg Laoise Traynor (Bray) W/O81+kg Diana Campbell (Garda) beat
Fiona Nelson (City of Belfast) 2-1
