Donegal was celebrating on the dozen yesterday as 12 Ulster champions from the county were crowned at Deele College.
The Raphoe school hosted the Ulster finals at Boy 4, Junior 1 and Junior 2 levels with the 12 champions now advancing to the Irish Championships at the National Stadium.
Dunfanaghy ABC and Raphoe ABC toasted a treble of winners each.
Dunfanaghy brothers Oisin and Oran Wallace took title wins and were joined in the winners’ enclosure by clubmate Odhrán McGinley.
Kai Weir, Tom Doherty and Eoin McGarrell took wins for Raphoe, while Paddy McShane and Dylan Browne-McMonagle scooped wins for Letterkenny ABC; Jesse Callaghan and Lee Davidson of Illies were celebrating; as were Dungloe’s Fionnan Rodgers and Convoy’s Ryan Ward-Mulrine.
Oisin Wallace stopped Virginia’s Eoin McGovern in the Boy 4 final at 64kgs.
His brother Oran edged Sean McGennity from Silverbridge in the Junior 2 decider at 60kgs to complete a glorious afternoon for the Dunfanaghy club.
Their day started in super fashion when McGinley emphatically put Galbally’s Anton Quinn to the sword. McGinley’s dominance was such that the contest was stopped in the second round.
Home puncher Weir caught the eye with a dazzling display against Barney Corcoran from Carrickmore.
Weir boxed superbly throughout and the only surprise was the closeness of the 3-2 verdict in his favour in the Junior 2 66kgs final.
Kai Weir with Rocha McCullagh and Gary McCullagh
There were walkover wins for McGarrell (Junior 2 52kgs) and Doherty (Junior 2 80+kgs), who have both tasted victory on the National Stadium’s canvas in the past.
Letterkenny ace Browne-McMonagle, who has also made waves in horse racing, had little trouble seeing off Gilford’s Ronan Mongan in the Boy 4 final at 39kgs, while there was a walkover win for McShane at Junior 1 42kgs.
Illies’ Callaghan stopped Shea Loughran from Tyrone in the third round of the Junior 1 48kgs final, while Davidson took a walkover win at Junior 1 39kgs.
The Illies duo celebrate
Rodgers impressed as he defeated Strabane’s Adam McColgan to take the spoils in the Junior 2 57kgs final, while Ward-Muline saw off Cookstown’s Dillon McDonagh in style, the Convoy star taking the verdict of all five of the ringside judges.
Ryan Ward-Mulrine celebrates his win with Dominic and Eddie McCafferty
There was no joy for Dunree’s Alec Harkin, who lost out to Aaron Treanor from Emyvale (Boy 4 42kgs); Adam McDaid of Clonmany was beaten by Gilford’s Jamie Doyle (Boy 4 57kgs); Pauric O’Donnell from Dungloe lost against Michael Loughran from Silverbridge (Boy 4 66kgs); Raphoe’s Liam McMonagle had no joy against St Malachy’s Shane O’Gorman; Barry Donnelly from Carrigart was second best to Castleblaney’s Conor McKiernan; and Erne’s Mark Kells had too much for Carndonagh’s Oisin Devlin.
SEMINAR
There will be a seminar tonight (Monday) and again on Wednesday night at 8.30pm for all new referees at judges at the Letterkenny ABC gym.
ZONES
The North-West Zones for 11, 12 and 13 year-olds takes place this Sunday at Letterkenny ABC. Weigh-in from 9.30-10.30am, draw at 11am with boxing underway at 12 noon.
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