GARBHAN FRIEL SWAPPED the pitch for the canvas and the boots for the gloves last night.
Friel was in action at the Illies Golden Gloves ABC Boxing Tournament at the Halway House, Burnfoot, where he took an impressive win against Gary Canning from Carrigart.
The 25-year-old is the son of Illies coach Stephen Friel and now plays for Irish League Championship club Institute having previously played for Finn Harps and Cockhill Celtic.
Picture caption: Garbhan Friel in action for Institute.
Last night, Friel – backed by a big support – defeated Canning by claiming the unanimous decision of the ringside judges.
Despite being a little ring-rusty, there was no doubting that the power-punching Friel was the victor.
Illies’ star turn Darryl Moran lost out to Regan Buckley from Bray in a repeat of their National Elite Senior semi-final, also won by Buckley. Stephen McKenna overcame Buckley in the final, but in the 49kgs contest in Burnfoot last night, Buckley held sway against Moran, claiming a majority decision win.
In one of the bouts of the night, Illies’ Chloe McDaid overcame Finn Valley ABC’s Leah Gallen in a contest that lit the fuse and sets the scene nicely for a possible meeting in the Ulster 9 Counties Championships.
RESULTS – ILLIES GOLDEN GLOVES ABC TOURNAMENT
Exhibition Rory McDaid (Illies) v Jack Duffy (Dunree)
Boy 1 31kgs Paul Donaghey (Illies) lost to Dylan McGonagle (Clonmany) 1-2
Boy 3 39kgs Jesse Callaghan (Illies) beat Ronan Little (Two Castles) 2-1
Youth 1 60 kgs Stephen Stokes (Illies) lost to Seanna Jackson (Dunfanaghy) 1-2
Girl 3 48kgs Chloe McDaid (Illies) beat Leah Gallen (Finn Valley) 2-1
Boy 4 86kgs Tiernan Ming (Illies) lost to Conall McErlean (Moneyglass) 0-3
Boy 3 31kgs Cian Moran (Illies) lost to Tirynn Mullen (Two Castles) 1-2
Youth 1 48kgs EJ Gibbons (Illies) lost to Sean Kelly (Dunfanaghy) 0-3
Girl 4 63kgs Courtney Clare (Illies) lost to Alecia McMenamin (Twin Towns) 1-2
Boy 1 46kgs Tiernan Moran (Illies) lost to Adam Boyle (Dungloe) 0-3
Youth 2 60kgs John Murphy (Illies) lost to Sean Donaghey (St Canice’s) 1-2
Intermediate 64kgs Aaron Gillespie (Illies) lost to Conor Lynch (St Canice’s) 1-2
Youth 2 54kgs John Moran (Illies) lost to Diarmuid Toland (Phoenix) 1-2
Youth 2 54kgs Kyle McDaid (Illies) beat Odhran Rodgers (Dungloe) 3-0
Intermediate 81kgs Garbhan Friel (Illies) beat Gary Canning (Carrigart) 3-0
Intermediate 81kgs Martin Lynch (Illies) beat Martin McDonagh (Dunfanaghy) 3-0
Elite 49kgs Darryl Moran (Illies) lost to Regan Buckley (Bray) 1-2
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